If you are wondering how to run an EtherCAT slave with a RevolutionPi Revolution Pi module, you are in the right place.
There are other ways to put an EtherCAT slave into operation, even without the own hardware, namely with a so-called Soft PLC like Codesys CODESYS or Logi.cad. Both ways have advantages and disadvantages - – these are:
With Codesys CODESYS or Logi.cad you need a license and a second Ethernet interface. A Revolution PI Connect module is already equipped with two dedicated RJ45 Ethernet interfaces. Here the leading system is then the soft PLC, which you can then program.
Or you use a Modular Gateway Module and a RevolutionPi Revolution Pi Connect or Core module. Then you transfer the data EtherCAT master and slave device outside your application. You have access to the I/O data just like in the Modbus TCP example Video tutorials. This data is then in the process image and is available to you with piTestPiTest.
The advantage here is that you have no license costs and no additional software like Codesys CODESYS is part of the application. The following example can help you to implement an application to exchange data: RevolutionPi Revolution Pi Gateway Tutorial