IGH EtherCAT is an open-source, high-performance EtherCAT master stack widely used in industrial automation, motion control, energy storage systems (EMS), robotics, and other real-time control applications.
ARM-based industrial controllers from Shenzhen Beilai Technology Co., Ltd. have been fully validated and adapted for IGH EtherCAT under Linux-RT (real-time) kernels, allowing users to deploy EtherCAT master functionality directly with high determinism and reliability.
Before installing the IGH EtherCAT master, ensure that the system meets the following requirements:
Operating System:
Linux-RT (PREEMPT_RT) kernel
⚠️ Standard Linux kernels are not supported for real-time IGH EtherCAT master operation
At least one dedicated Ethernet interface
Gigabit Ethernet is recommended
The selected Ethernet port should be exclusively used for EtherCAT communication
Run the following command to confirm that the system is using a real-time kernel:
If the output contains PREEMPT_RT, the system meets the requirements.
Copy the IGH EtherCAT master package
provided by Beilai to the device filesystem and extract it:
After extraction, the _install directory will be generated, containing the following subdirectories:
| Directory | Description |
|---|---|
| bin | EtherCAT command-line tools (e.g., ethercat) |
| lib | Runtime libraries required by IGH EtherCAT |
| modules | Kernel modules for the EtherCAT master and network driver |
Run:
Record the MAC address of the Ethernet interface that will be used as the EtherCAT master (Gigabit Ethernet is recommended).
Enable kernel log output for debugging:
Load the EtherCAT master driver (replace the MAC address with the actual one):
⚠️ Warning messages generated during
depmod -ado not affect functionality and can be safely ignored.
After this step, EtherCAT demo programs or user-compiled applications can be executed.
8️⃣ Check EtherCAT Slave Status
Navigate to the bin directory and run:
If slave devices are detected successfully, the EtherCAT master is running correctly.
Beilai Tech provides a servo motor control demo based on IGH EtherCAT
, which includes the following features:
Forward and reverse motor rotation control
Real-time measurement of maximum and minimum EtherCAT cycle times
Continuous output of timing statistics via serial interface
Forward rotation:
Reverse rotation:
View relevant parameter information:
The demo program is configured with a 1 ms EtherCAT communication cycle by default. Parameter descriptions are as follows:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| latency | Thread wake-up latency (ns) |
| period | EtherCAT communication cycle time (ns) |
| exec | EtherCAT data receive/send execution time (ns) |
This IGH EtherCAT solution is suitable for:
Energy Storage EMS / PCS control systems
Multi-axis servo and motion control
Industrial robots and AMRs
High real-time industrial automation equipment
AI-powered EtherCAT edge controllers
The IGH EtherCAT master running on a Linux-RT kernel provides ARM industrial controllers with:
Microsecond-level real-time communication
Low jitter and deterministic EtherCAT control
Stable operation in harsh industrial environments
When combined with Beilai ARM Edge Controllers ARMxy series (such as BL440 / BL450), it enables the construction of a high-performance, low-power, and scalable EtherCAT control platform.
