KickCAT

A lightweight, efficient EtherCAT master/slave stack for embedded systems

Kick-start your slaves! ⚡

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Overview

KickCAT is a thin EtherCAT stack designed to be embedded in complex software with efficiency in mind. It provides both master and slave implementations, supporting multiple operating systems and hardware platforms.

Key Features:

• Works with Linux (including RT-PREEMPT), Windows, and PikeOS
• Full state machine support (INIT → PRE-OP → SAFE-OP → OP)
• CoE (CANopen over EtherCAT) support with SDO read/write
• CoE: SDO Information
• Interface redundancy
• Bus diagnostics and error handling
• Master side python bindings
• Built-in ESC emulator for testing without hardware

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Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Linux: gcc, cmake, conan (for dependencies)
• Python bindings: uv or pip
• Hardware: Network interface with raw socket access capabilities

Build and Install

Linux (Recommended)

# 1. Setup build environment
./setup_build.sh build

# 2. Configure and build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
make

# 3. Grant network capabilities (required for raw socket access)
sudo setcap 'cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin=+ep' ./tools/your_binary

Python Bindings

# Install with uv (recommended)
uv pip install .

# Or for development (faster rebuilds)
uv pip install --no-build-isolation -Cbuild-dir=/tmp/build -v .

Multi wheel (CI)

This project use cibuildwheel to generate multiples wheel to support all configurations. To use it locally, call:

uvx cibuildwheel

Manual Build Setup

# 1. Create build directory
mkdir -p build

# 2. Install dependencies with conan
python3 -m venv kickcat_venv
source kickcat_venv/bin/activate
pip install conan

conan install conan/conanfile_linux.txt -of=build/ \
  -pr:h conan/your_profile_host.txt \
  -pr:b conan/your_profile_target.txt \
  --build=missing -s build_type=Release

# 3. Configure and build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
make

Windows Build

Note: Windows is NOT suitable for real-time use but useful for tools and testing.

Requirements:

• Conan for Windows (tested with 2.9.1)
• gcc for Windows (tested with w64devkit 2.0.0)
• npcap (driver 1.80 + SDK 1.70)

Follow the manual setup instructions above, using appropriate Windows paths.

PikeOS Build

Tested on PikeOS 5.1 for native personality (p4ext).

Provide a CMake cross-toolchain file that defines the PIKEOS variable. Example process/thread configurations are in examples/PikeOS/p4ext_config.c.

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Getting Started: Complete Walkthrough

This section provides a complete end-to-end example using the Freedom K64F board with LAN9252 EtherCAT slave controller.

Hardware Requirements

• NXP Freedom K64F development board
• LAN9252 EtherCAT slave controller (SPI connection)
• Ethernet cable (connects slave to your PC)
• USB cable (for programming the board)
• Linux PC with EtherCAT master

See the NuttX Prerequisite section before starting.

Step 1: Build the Slave Firmware

# Build firmware for Freedom K64F
./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh freedom-k64f ~/nuttxspace/nuttx

# Output will be in: build_freedom-k64f/easycat_frdm_k64f.bin
# We have deployment scripts that are available here is an example:
./examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/freedom-k64f/deploy.sh build_freedom-k64f/easycat_frdm_k64f.bin

Step 2: Flash the Firmware

# Deploy to the board (connects via USB)
./examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/freedom-k64f/board/deploy.sh \
    build_freedom-k64f/easycat_frdm_k64f.bin

Step 3: Program the EEPROM

The EtherCAT slave requires EEPROM configuration with device information:

# Connect slave to your PC via Ethernet
# Write EEPROM (interface ? will be auto-detected)
sudo ./tools/eeprom 0 write \
    examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/freedom-k64f/eeprom.bin \?

Note: The \? tells the tool to auto-detect the interface where the slave is connected.

Step 4: Run the Master

Now you can control your slave using either C++ or Python:

Option A - C++ Master:

# Run master example and follow terminal instructions
sudo ./build/examples/master/freedom-k64f/freedom_k64f_example \?

Option B - Python Master:

# Install KickCAT Python bindings
pip install kickcat

# Grant raw access to Python interpreter
./py_bindings/enable_raw_access.sh

# Run Python example
python py_bindings/examples/freedom-k64f.py -i enp8s0

Expected Output

The master will:

1. Discover the slave on the network
2. Transition through states: INIT → PRE-OP → SAFE-OP → OP
3. Begin exchanging process data (PDOs)
4. Display diagnostic information

Troubleshooting

Slave not detected:

• Check Ethernet cable connection
• Verify EEPROM was written successfully
• Check that slave firmware is running (LED indicators)

Permission denied:

• Ensure you're running master with sudo or proper capabilities
• For Python: run ./py_bindings/enable_raw_access.sh

Interface not found:

• List available interfaces: ip link show
• Use the correct interface name (e.g., eth0, enp8s0, eno1)

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Getting Started with Examples

KickCAT includes working master and slave examples that work together out of the box.

Master Examples

Located in examples/master/:

• easycat: Basic example for EasyCAT shield
• elmo: Motor control example (Elmo drives)
• ingenia: Motor control example (Ingenia drives)
• freedom-k64f: Example for Kinetis Freedom board
• gateway: EtherCAT mailbox gateway implementation
• load_esi: ESI file loading utility

Running a Master Example

C++ Examples:

cd build
./examples/master/easycat/easycat_example eth0

Python Examples:

KickCAT is available on PyPI for easy installation:

# Install from PyPI
pip install kickcat

# Run Python examples
python py_bindings/examples/freedom-k64f.py --interface eth0

# With redundancy
python py_bindings/examples/easycat.py -i eth0 -r eth1

Python Examples Help

$ python py_bindings/examples/freedom-k64f.py --help
usage: freedom-k64f.py [-h] -i INTERFACE [-r REDUNDANCY]

EtherCAT master for Freedom K64F using EasyCAT

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -i INTERFACE, --interface INTERFACE
                        Primary network interface (e.g., eth0)
  -r REDUNDANCY, --redundancy REDUNDANCY
                        Redundancy network interface (e.g., eth1)

Important: Python interpreter needs raw socket capabilities:

# Use the helper script to grant permissions
./py_bindings/enable_raw_access.sh

Replace eth0 with your network interface name.

Slave Examples

Located in examples/slave/nuttx/:

Supported Boards:

• XMC4800 (Infineon XMC4800 Relax Kit)
• Arduino Due (with EasyCAT shield + LAN9252)
• Freedom K64F (NXP Kinetis with LAN9252)

NuttX Prerequisite:

NuttX Setup Instructions

1. Install NuttX dependencies: https://nuttx.apache.org/docs/latest/quickstart/install.html
2. Download ARM GCC toolchain (>= 12.0): https://developer.arm.com/downloads/-/arm-gnu-toolchain-downloads

Board-Specific Setup

Arduino Due:

• Requires bossac-1.6.1-arduino for flashing (available from Arduino IDE installation)
• Connect USB to the port closest to power jack
• If flashing fails with "No device found on ttyACM0":
  • Press ERASE button for a few seconds, release
  • Press RESET button
  • Try flashing again

Freedom K64F:

• Standard OpenOCD flashing supported

XMC4800:

• Use provided flashing scripts in board directory

Building Slave Examples

All slave examples use NuttX RTOS. Use the automated build script:

./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh <board-name> <nuttx-src-path> [build-name]

Example:

# Build for XMC4800
./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh xmc4800-relax ~/nuttxspace/nuttx

# Deploy for XMC4800
./examples/slave/nuttx/xmc4800/deploy.sh build_xmc4800-relax/xmc4800_relax.bin

# Build for Arduino Due
./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh arduino-due ~/nuttxspace/nuttx

# Deploy for Arduino Due
./examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/arduino-due/deploy.sh build_arduino-due/easycat_arduino_due.bin

# Build for Freedom K64F
./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh freedom-k64f ~/nuttxspace/nuttx

# Deploy for Freedom K64F
/examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/freedom-k64f/deploy.sh build_freedom-k64f/easycat_frdm_k64f.bin

Testing Master-Slave Communication

1. Start the simulator or flash a slave:

   # Option A: Use simulator
   ./build/simulation/simulator eth1 eeprom.bin
   
   # Option B: Flash real hardware (e.g., Arduino Due)
   ./scripts/build_slave_bin.sh arduino-due ~/nuttxspace/nuttx
   # Flash the resulting binary to your board

2. Run a master example:

   # Use the interface connected to your slave
   ./build/examples/master/easycat/easycat_example eth0

3. Expected behavior:

   • Master transitions slave through states: INIT → PRE-OP → SAFE-OP → OP
   • PDO data exchange begins in OP state
   • Check console output for diagnostics

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Multi-Slave Example

This example demonstrates how to run multiple EtherCAT slaves (Freedom and XMC4800) on the same bus and read their data using the EasyCAT Python master.

1. Build and deploy the slave firmware

Follow the Building Slave Examples section section to build and flash the firmware on both boards:

• Freedom board
• XMC4800 board

Make sure both slaves are running before continuing.

2. Connect the hardware

Wire the boards according to the setup below:

Ensure that:

• All slaves are connected in the correct EtherCAT order
• The master interface is connected to the first slave

3. Run the Python EasyCAT master

Start the EasyCAT Python master to read and display data from each detected slave:

python ./py_bindings/examples/easycat.py -i eth0

Replace eth0 with the network interface connected to your EtherCAT bus if needed

3. Expected output

The master will enumerate all slaves on the bus and continuously print their input/output data.

Expected output:

Simulator

Test your EtherCAT applications without physical hardware using the built-in simulator.

Setup

# Create virtual ethernet pair (Linux)
./create_virtual_ethernet.sh

# Or use real network interfaces between two machines

Running the Simulator

# Start simulator (must be started before master)
./build/simulation/simulator <interface> <eeprom_file>

# Example
./build/simulation/simulator eth1 examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/arduino-due/eeprom.bin

Current Capabilities:

• Load EEPROM configurations
• Emulate basic sync manager behavior
• Emulate basic FMMU (Fieldbus Memory Management Unit) behavior

Limitations:

• No interrupt emulation
• No redundancy support yet
• Basic functionality only

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Tools

KickCAT includes several utility tools in the tools/ directory:

• EEPROM tools: Read/write/dump EEPROM from ESC
• OD Generator: Generate Object Dictionary code from ESI files

Build tools with the main project:

cd build
make
ls tools/  # Your built tools will be here

EEPROM Tool Usage

Read, write, or dump EEPROM content from your EtherCAT Slave Controller:

# Write EEPROM to slave at position 0
sudo ./tools/eeprom 0 write path/to/eeprom.bin <interface>

# Auto-detect interface
sudo ./tools/eeprom 0 write path/to/eeprom.bin \?

# Read EEPROM from slave
sudo ./tools/eeprom 0 read output.bin <interface>

# Dump EEPROM contents (human-readable)
sudo ./tools/eeprom 0 dump <interface>

Object Dictionary Generator

If your application uses CoE mailbox with SDO, you can generate Object Dictionary code from ESI files.

Generate OD from ESI File

# Generate od_populator.cc from your ESI file
./tools/od_generator your_device.esi

# This creates: od_populator.cc

Using Generated OD Code

Include the generated file in your slave application:

#include "od_populator.h"

int main() {
    // Initialize your slave
    // ...

    // Populate Object Dictionary
    auto dictionary = CoE::createOD();

    // Continue with slave operation
    // ...
}

Custom OD Population

You can also manually create od_populator.cc by implementing the CoE::createOD() function.

Examples: See examples/slave/nuttx/xmc4800/od_populator.cc and examples/slave/nuttx/lan9252/freedom-k64f/od_populator.cc for reference implementations.

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Architecture

Master Stack Status

✅ Implemented:

• Full EtherCAT state machine (INIT, PRE-OP, SAFE-OP, OP)
• Process data (PI) read/write
• CoE: SDO read/write (blocking and async)
• CoE: Emergency messages
• CoE: SDO Information service
• Bus diagnostics with error counters
• Cable redundancy
• Hook system for non-compliant slaves
• Consecutive writes (up to 255 datagrams in flight)
• EtherCAT mailbox gateway (ETG.8200)

📋 Planned:

• CoE: Segmented transfer (partial)
• CoE: Diagnosis message (0x10F3)
• Distributed clock support
• FoE, EoE, AoE, SoE profiles
• Auto-discovery of broken wires
• AF_XDP Linux socket for improved performance
• Addressing groups (multi-PDO)

Slave Stack Status

✅ Implemented:

• State machine: INIT → PRE-OP → SAFE-OP → OP
• Process data read/write
• ESC support: LAN9252 (SPI), XMC4800
• CoE: Object dictionary
• CoE: SDO support
• EEPROM flash/dump tools
• CTT (Conformance Test Tool) validated (WDC_FOOT)

📋 Planned:

• Extended mailbox protocols (SDO Information, FoE, EoE)
• Multi-PDO support (>2 sync managers)
• Distributed clock
• Enhanced error reporting via AL_STATUS

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Performance Optimization (Linux)

For real-time performance on Linux:

1. Use RT-PREEMPT kernel

   # Check if RT patches are applied
   uname -a | grep PREEMPT

2. Set real-time scheduler

   sudo chrt -f 80 ./your_ethercat_app

3. Disable NIC interrupt coalescing

   sudo ethtool -C eth0 rx-usecs 0 tx-usecs 0

4. Disable RT throttling

   echo -1 | sudo tee /proc/sys/kernel/sched_rt_runtime_us

5. Isolate CPU cores

   # Add to kernel boot parameters
   isolcpus=2,3 nohz_full=2,3 rcu_nocbs=2,3

6. Adjust network IRQ priority

   # Find IRQ number
   cat /proc/interrupts | grep eth0
   # Set priority
   sudo chrt -f 90 -p <IRQ_thread_PID>

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EtherCAT Specifications

• ETG Official Documentation
• Beckhoff EtherCAT Documentation
• ESC Datasheets

Learning Resources

• EtherCAT Device Protocol Poster
• EtherCAT Diagnostics Guide
• ESC Comparison

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Testing

Unit Tests

# Enable unit tests in CMake
cd build
cmake .. -DBUILD_UNIT_TEST=ON
make

# Run tests
make test

Code Coverage

Install gcovr and build with coverage:

# Install gcovr
uv pip install gcovr

# Build with coverage
cd build
cmake .. -DBUILD_UNIT_TEST=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
make
make coverage

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Release Process

KickCAT follows Semantic Versioning.

Release Requirements

Before a version leaves release candidate status:

• ✅ 5+ continuous days of testing without bugs (no realtime loss, crashes, or memory leaks)
• ✅ 80% line coverage and 50% branch coverage for master/slave stack

Note: integration test is done with the master running on Linux (x86-64) and the slave is the Freedom-K64F

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Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please see CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

Development Setup

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/leducp/KickCAT.git
cd KickCAT

# Setup build environment
./setup_build.sh build

# Build with tests
cd build
cmake .. -DBUILD_UNIT_TEST=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
make

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Platform Support

Platform	Type	Status
Linux (x86_64)	Master	Production - RT_PREEMPT Recommended for real-time
Windows	Master	⚠️ Testing/tools only
PikeOS 5.1 (ARMv8)	Master	Production
NuttX RTOS	Slave	Production
Arduino Due	Slave	via NuttX
Infineon XMC4800	Slave	via NuttX, CTT validated
NXP Freedom K64F	Slave	via NuttX

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Known Limitations

Master Stack

• Little-endian only: Current implementation supports little-endian hosts only
• Windows: Not suitable for real-time applications
• Distributed Clock: Not yet implemented
• Mailbox protocols: Limited to CoE SDO (FoE, EoE planned)

Slave Stack

• PDO limitation: Currently supports up to 2 sync managers (working on multi-PDO)
• Distributed Clock: Not yet implemented
• Mailbox protocols: Limited to CoE SDO (FoE, EoE planned)

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License

CeCILL-C

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Support & Community

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Conan Package: conan-center-index

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Project Status

🟢 Active Development - KickCAT is actively maintained and used in production systems.

Current Version: Check Releases for the latest stable version.

Release Cycle: Following semantic versioning with thorough testing before each major release.