NEWS
Wind River and IXXAT Partner to Deliver Integrated Industrial Automation Development Solution
Through this partnership, customers can fully leverage the benefits of the CANopen protocol including support for direct, peer-to-peer data exchange between nodes in an organized and real-time manner. The new development solution integrates IXXAT’s CANopen software with Wind River’s Tornado® for Industrial Automation application platform, enabling customers to develop and deploy industrial equipment capable of communicating via the CANopen protocol. The CANopen protocol enables interoperability of different devices and high-speed, real-time data exchange — making it the preferred means of communication for industrial automation equipment.
“As manufacturing migrates to a collaborative production environment, it will be critical to have real-time connectivity from the device bus level to control systems, production management applications, and enterprise tiers,” said ARC Advisory Group Senior Analyst, Dick Slanksy. “Not only will information need to be exchanged peer to peer, but vertically from device levels to server level applications such as asset management and machine condition monitoring applications. The integration of Wind River's Tornado for Industrial Automation application platform with IXXAT's CANopen technology directly addresses these real-time connectivity issues and provides much needed interoperability at the device tier with high-speed, real-time information exchange.”
The network management functions specified in CANopen simplify project design, implementation and diagnosis by providing standard mechanisms for network start-up and error management. High communication performance can be achieved at relatively low baud rates, thus reducing electromagnetic interferences and minimizing cable costs. Specific examples of industrial applications well suited to benefit from Tornado for Industrial Automation and the CANopen solution include de-centralized control systems, distributed input/output and networked sensor/actuator systems.
“Our industrial customers need seamless support for CANopen. Partnering with a best-in-class industry leader like IXXAT Automation GMBH enables Wind River to deliver on this requirement with best-in-class software, development tools and connectivity options,” said Marc Serughetti, director of marketing for Wind River’s Automotive and Industrial business unit. “Tornado for Industrial Automation provides the most comprehensive application platform available for manufacturers of industrial automation equipment, enabling them to focus on their application-specific value rather than spend time trying to integrate the complex enabling technologies.”
About Tornado for Industrial Automation
Tornado for Industrial Automation is an integrated and scalable application-specific platform for the development of reliable, secure, connected and managed industrial automation devices. It includes Wind River’s Tornado integrated development environment, VxWorks® real-time operating system, application enablers such as Ethernet drivers, CAN drivers, TCP/IP and VxDCOM and industrial automation specific connectivity protocols such as DeviceNet, OPC, and EthernetIP. Tornado for Industrial Automation shifts the focus of embedded industrial automation developers from the integration of enabling technologies to the development of the application itself.
About CANopen
CANopen is a CAN-based higher layer protocol originally developed for industrial control systems. CANopen provides several specifications for different device profiles as well as frameworks for specific applications but also allows the user to define own customized device profiles. The flexible application layer and many optional features are well suited for designing tailored CANopen networks. Beside industrial automation, CANopen networks are today also used in off-road vehicles, maritime electronics, medical equipment and railways.
Availability
This development solution is available in version 1.2 of Tornado for Industrial Automation — please contact Wind River for release date details. Note that this product will be available directly from Wind River. For more information, go to www.windriver.com or contact your local Wind River salesperson.
About Wind River
Wind River is a worldwide leader in embedded software and services for creating connected smart devices. Wind River provides software development tools, real-time operating systems, and advanced connectivity software for use in products throughout the Internet, telecommunications and data communications, digital imaging, digital consumer electronics, networking, medical, computer peripherals, automotive, industrial automation and control, and aerospace/defense markets. Wind River is How Smart Things Think™. Founded in 1983, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations worldwide.
Wind River Systems, the Wind River Systems logo, VxWorks, Tornado, VxDCOM, and How Smart Things Think are registered trademarks or trademarks of Wind River Systems, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.
Contact Information
Jessica Miller
Global Corporate Communications