New ICP DAS communication boards for CANopen and CAN protocols: features and benefits

ICP DAS has expanded its line of communications solutions by introducing two new series of PCIe-based computer boards: PEX-CPM100 for CANopen protocol and PEX-CM100 for the standard CAN. These boards are designed for use in industrial systems that require reliable and fast data exchange between devices.

PEX-CPM100 series with CANopen

PEX-CPM100 boards (PEX-CPM100-D and PEX-CPM100-T models) designed to work with industrial protocol CANopen and provide full compatibility with version 4.02 of the standard. These boards support both master and slave functions, allowing them to be used for both network management and distributed systems. The board models in the series differ only in the type of output connector:

• DB9 for model with “D” in its name
• Terminal block for model with “T” in its name

The packing list includes:

• PEX-CPM100 series board itself
• Quick start brochure
• 4PCA-0904 cable

The latter is a debug cable that can be connected, if necessary, to the RS-232 port of a computer or an interface converter, such as the I-7561. The cable is used to:

• Monitoring board activity in real time: obtaining information about incoming and outgoing data, buffer operation, and internal processes.
• Low level firmware or board configuration update, what is needed in case of changing network settings or optimizing operation in specific conditions.
• Tracking data transfer errors or incorrect board operation, which helps in the process of setting up complex systems with a large number of nodes.

Key features:

• CANopen network: The boards can handle networks of up to 256 nodes, making them ideal for large distributed systems..
• Interfaces: two connection versions — PEX-CPM100-D with DB9 connector and PEX-CPM100-T with Phoenix — provide flexibility for integration into various industrial installations.
• PDO/SDO support. These boards provide support for data transfer protocols PDO (Process Data Object) and SDO (Service Data Object), which makes it possible to flexibly manage data exchange between devices.
• Monitoring and diagnostics: Built-in diagnostic tools allow you to monitor the network status in real time and quickly troubleshoot errors or malfunctions.

The CANopen data exchange process can be configured to transmit mission-critical data with minimal latency, which is essential for real-time systems such as machine tool control or automotive systems.

PEX-CM100 series with CAN

PEX-CM100 models (PEX-CM100-D and PEX-CM100-T versions) designed to support a standard CAN protocol and enable communication with devices in high-load systems with minimal latency. These boards operate at data transfer rates of up to 1 Mbps, which meets standards CAN 2.0A and CAN 2.0B.

Operating principles of boards

Data buffering and message management

Both series of boards support internal FIFO buffers for receiving and transmitting messages, which minimizes the possibility of data loss at high data rates or when the network is heavily loaded. Incoming and outgoing messages are processed sequentially, which simplifies data processing at the software level, reducing the load on the system's central processor..

• Receive Buffer: FIFO buffer for received messages prevents data loss when the CAN or CANopen bus bandwidth is exceeded. This is especially useful when working in network congestion or in systems with a large number of connected devices.
• Transmit Buffer: FIFO buffer for transmitted data ensures that messages are sent reliably to the network, allowing devices to transmit data correctly without delays.

Data buffers ensure reliable system operation even with sudden changes in network load, which is especially important in real-time systems.

Filtering and masking messages

The PEX-CPM100 and PEX-CM100 boards support a message filtering mechanism that allows selective processing of only those messages that are critical to the system, discarding irrelevant data. This filtering mechanism is based on the use of masks that are applied to both standard and extended messages depending on the selected operating mode.

• Masking identifiers: The boards can filter messages by comparing the identifiers of incoming data with a mask configured by the user. This helps reduce the load on the system, allowing only the necessary data to be processed..
• Standard and extended modes: The boards support filtering for both the standard 11-bit and extended 29-bit identifier formats, making them versatile for a variety of network configurations.

Filtering allows you to reduce the amount of data transmitted, which is especially important in networks with high traffic and limited resources.

Error management and reliability

Both series of boards have built-in error management mechanisms, which allows them to ensure reliable operation even in conditions of strong electromagnetic interference or network-level failures. These mechanisms include:

Using these boards in industrial systems provides a number of key advantages:

• Low latency in data transmission thanks to optimized traffic processing algorithms.
• Support for multitasking, which allows for efficient management of data flows from multiple devices.
• Configuration flexibility: users can adapt the boards to the specific requirements of their systems thanks to extensive support for CANopen and CAN.
• Resistance to interference and reliable operation in harsh industrial environments thanks to built-in protection mechanisms and shielded interfaces.

Software and API

To integrate CANopen boards into industrial systems, ICP DAS provides powerful software tools and API libraries for working with CANopen and CAN. These libraries are supported on both Windows and Linux platforms, making it easy to develop and configure custom applications..

• Monitoring and diagnostic utilities: The boards come with software utilities for monitoring network activity and diagnosing errors, allowing developers to monitor the network status in real time.
• C and C++ support: Developers can use standard programming languages ​​to interact with the boards, making the integration process simple and convenient, especially for those who already have experience with these languages.

In addition, users can develop custom firmware using a library. With the help of the utility, users can upload their firmware, replacing the standard one. This allows for efficient data exchange between the PC program and the custom firmware via the DPRAM (Dual-Port Random Access Memory) memory chip. This approach allows the boards to pre-process CAN data streams, reducing the load on the PC processor and meeting the requirements of real-time applications.

Compared to conventional CAN cards that lack smart functions, these boards offer significant advantages, especially for applications where HMI software is running on a PC. The integration of custom firmware allows for the redistribution of data processing tasks, which is critical for high-performance systems that require stable real-time operation.

Additional solutions for CANopen and CAN from ICP DAS

In addition to the boards PEX-CPM100 and PEX-CM100 series, as well as their PCI-bus counterparts: PISO-CPM100U and PISO-CM100U, ICP DAS also offers other solutions for working with CANopen and CAN protocols. Among them:

• I/O modules operating on the CANopen protocol of CAN-2000C series
• CAN converters and repeaters
• Gateways CAN to Modbus, DCON, DeviceNet, J1939
• Media converters CAN to fiber of I-2533 series
• CAN loggers

For further technical information, inquiries about offers or placement of orders, please contact our sales team at sales@ipc2u.com

Find more Industrial CAN Boards and Multiport Serial Boards in our catalog.