On Sat, Oct 14, 2017 at 8:47 AM, Nicklas SB Karlsson < nicklas.karlsso...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have been thinking about FPGA for a communication switch, it would be > possible to get perfect timings. Then ordinary micro controllers could be > used for implementing the hardware, the approach is similar to the new > devices with so called Cortex-M-* PRUs but by using SPI, UART or maybe CAN > it is possible to build more modular and add an insulation barrier. > > The new devices with PRU may be a cheaaper solution for machines built in > very large series. A modular architecture there different special hardware > drivers could be combined is a better solution then building a lot of > different mashines. > The Cortex M Costs about $1 or some of them even less. You can buy a complete system on a PCB with connectors. For under $3 shipping included. If you need to make something like a switch or control a few motors these work well. I have several of them. I am using them for motion controller. In terms of "compute power" They are an order of magnitude above an Arduino. But not even close to a Pi 3 or BBB. Lots of ways to program them 1) You can install an Arduino boot loader then use the Arduino IDE 2) Same as #1 but use "mbed" This is a big step up on features and only little harder to use tham Arduino 3) Just pain gcc and makefile with or without Eclipse Don't call this a "PRU" they are not related and are much more powerful. But you use them about the same way. Linux and linux apps run on a Cortex A processor like the Pi3 and the heard real time stuff goes on the Cortex M and yours some kind of serial link to connect them I'm using one of the boards liked to below to control two motors using PID. I have two PIP loops running and the optical encoder is sending about 11,000 interrupts per second for each motor. I run the PIP loops and get commands over a serial link and also monitor the motorcars and motor h-bridge for over temperature and over current and look for motor stalls. For this I use about 1/2 the computer's capacity. All written in C++ Here is one place to buy them: ebay.com/itm/STM32F103C8T6-ARM-STM32... <http://www.ebay.com/itm/STM32F103C8T6-ARM-STM32-Minimum-System-Development-Board-Module-For-Arduino/162247218933?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D1c84dbb4ec354418bf8dc63d9e1fd983%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D311156408508&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1> I would not go with an FPGA unless you need very high speed where signals are in the teen's of megahertz at least, up to GHz. The FPGA is much harder to program them an ARM Cortex-M. If I were building a machine tool controller from scratch I'd run much of it on a small computer under Linux then I'd get as many of these Cortex-M chips as required. Each could handle between 2 and 6 axis. -- Chris Albertson Redondo Beach, California ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check out the vibrant tech community on one of the world's most engaging tech sites, Slashdot.org! http://sdm.link/slashdot _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
