- Source repository: https://github.com/rtlabs-com/p-net
- Documentation: https://rt-labs.com/docs/p-net
- Continuous integration: https://travis-ci.com/rtlabs-com/p-net
- RT-Labs: https://rt-labs.com
Profinet device stack implementation. Key features:
- Profinet v2.4
- Conformance Class A and B
- Real Time Class 1
- Easy to use
- Extensive documentation and instructions on how to get started.
- Build and run sample application on Raspberry Pi in 30 minutes.
- Portable
- Written in C.
- Linux, RTOS or bare metal.
- Sources for supported port layers provided.
The RT-Labs Profinet stack p-net is used for Profinet device implementations. It is easy to use and provides a small footprint. It is especially well suited for embedded systems where resources are limited and efficiency is crucial. The stack is supplied with full sources including porting layers and a sample application.
Also C++ (any version) is supported for application development.
The main requirement on the platform is that it can send and receive raw Ethernet Layer 2 frames.
Features:
- TCP/IP
- RT (real-time)
- Address resolution
- Parameterization
- Process IO data exchange
- Alarm handling
- Configurable number of modules and sub-modules
- Bare-metal or OS
- Porting layer provided
- Supports I&M0 - I&M4. The I&M data is supported for the device, but not for individual modules.
Limitations or not yet implemented:
- Only a single Ethernet port (no media redundancy)
- No startup mode legacy
- No support for RT_CLASS_UDP
- No support for DHCP
- No fast start-up
- No MC multicast device-to-device
- No iPar (parameter server) support
- No support for time synchronization
- No UDP frames at alarm (just the default alarm mechanism is implemented)
- No ProfiDrive or ProfiSafe profiles.
This software is dual-licensed, with GPL version 3 and a commercial license. See LICENSE.md for more details.
The platform must be able to send and receive raw Ethernet Layer 2 frames, and the Ethernet driver must be able to handle full size frames. It should also avoid copying data, for performance reasons.
- cmake 3.14 or later
For Linux:
- gcc 4.6 or later
- See the "Real-time properties of Linux" page in the documentation on how to improve Linux timing
For rt-kernel:
- Workbench 2020.1 or later
An example of microcontroller we have been using is the Infineon XMC4800, which has an ARM Cortex-M4 running at 144 MHz, with 2 MB Flash and 352 kB RAM. It runs rt-kernel, and we have tested it with 9 Profinet slots each having 8 digital inputs and 8 digital outputs (one bit each). The values are sent and received each millisecond (PLC watchdog setting 3 ms).
The p-net stack contains no third party components. Its external dependencies are:
- C-library
- An operating system (if used)
Tools used for building and documentation (not shipped in the resulting binaries):
- cmake (BSD 3-clause License)
- Sphinx (BSD license)
Contributions are welcome. If you want to contribute you will need to sign a Contributor License Agreement and send it to us either by e-mail or by physical mail. More information is available on https://rt-labs.com/contribution.