Virtualizing Industrial Networks with EtherCAT Protocol Implementation

In factory networks, various network protocols are used to meet strict requirements for accuracy and latency. Because the controllers that use these protocols are built with dedicated equipment, it is difficult to mix them with other protocols. Moreover, these controllers often rely on specialized software, complicating the integration of innovative technologies like AI. Therefore, virtualization of factory networks, which involves software-based factory network protocols and using general-purpose servers as controllers, is a very attractive approach. However, one of the challenges of software-based factory network protocols is real-time responsiveness. The time fluctuation of communication packet intervals caused by using a general-purpose server reduces the accuracy and speed of control. In this paper, we implemented the EtherCAT protocol in software and measured the jitter. Through experimentation, we confirmed that our system achieves stable 8 ms cyclic communication, enabling consistent control of multiple daisy-chained slave devices.