No. 6 - April 17, 2025
A word from the CiA Managing Director
CiA has released 222 technical documents. This comprises specifications and technical reports. The majority of these documents are CANopen profile specifications specifying the process data and configuration parameters as well as diagnostic information.
In total, far more than 20000 pages have been released – only counting the current document versions. Among them, there are many hidden gems. They have been developed for dedicated use cases, but can be applied for other purposes, too. One of them is the CiA 510 specification. It specifies the mapping of SDO (service data object) and EMCY (emergency) messages to J1939 parameter groups (PG). This enables implementing CiA profiles with the same application and configuration functions to CANopen and J1939-21/71. The mapping of PDO (process data object) messages is to do by means of additional specifications separately for each CiA profile.
CiA members have already done this for the encoder (CiA 406-J) and the inclinometer (CiA 410-J) profiles. The CiA IG20 radar sensors will do this as well. The intended profile for radar sensors will cover a generic parameter specification (Part B) and mappings to CANopen CC (Part C) and J1939-21/71 (Part J). Mappings to CANopen FD and J1939-22 will follow in a second step, if demanded.
There might be more hidden gems in the CiA document portfolio. Therefore, I recommend to contact the CiA office, when you like to implement a “new” CAN-related function. It could be that something similar is already specified in a CiA document or a CAN-related standard. In best case, you can reference it. In some cases, an adaptation is necessary. This means, you do not need to start from the scratch.
CiA long-term member meetings
CiA offers to long-term (more than 20 years) members so-called CAN technology update meetings. In these one-hour online events, experienced CiA trainers explain new developments in CAN technologies depending on the member’s interest. Meeting language is English or German. These meetings are free of charge for members. Non-members also can request similar one-hour online meetings, but will be charged. For details you may contact CiA.
CiA IG “Ethernetification of CAN”
CiA has established a new Interest Group (IG) chaired by Dr. Ken Tindell from JK Energy. This IG is named “Ethernetification of CAN”. The IG scope covers the mapping of Ethernet frames to CAN data frames. The first approach is to develop a specification to map Ethernet frames to CAN FD data frames. This includes the mapping of MACsec-secured Ethernet frames. The mapping uses some compression mechanism of the Ethernet frame header. For more details you can contact the CiA office.
CAN Newsletter magazine
The June issue is in preparation. It will focus on articles related to CAN-based networks in mobile machines. The editors are still looking for contributions. In the last half year, more than 40000 copies of CAN Newsletter magazines have been downloaded not counting single-article downloads.
The March issue focusing on AGVs and AMRs contains also product news on CAN-connectable microcontrollers.
CiA 710 released as DSP: Generic CANopen bootloader
CAN in automation has released the CiA 710 version 1.0.0 as draft specification proposal (DSP) available for CiA members. The document specifies the bootloader mode for CANopen devices as well as the switching between the bootloader mode and the application mode.
MiC 4.0 Bus
The VDMA German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association has developed the MiC 4.0 Bus document. It specifies the J1939-based communication network connecting the host controller of construction machines such as excavators and one or more attachments (e.g. gripper, driller, cutter, hammer). The specification version 1.1.0 can be download free of charge. VDMA calls for comments. CiA will collect comments (deadline May 20), discuss them, and submit them as joint and harmonized CiA comments to VDMA. All comment submitter will be invited to an ad-hoc task force meeting observing the comments.
News ticker
+++ IoT Venture (Germany) cooperates with Ananda (China) regarding CAN-connectable e-drives for bicycles, pedelecs, and motorbikes. +++ At the Passenger Terminal Expo tradeshow, Dunkermotoren (Germany) exhibited its CANopen-based drives used in access control systems as well as in baggage handling systems. +++ The STM32MP23 by STMicroelectronics, a general-purpose microprocessor based on a dual-core Cortex A35, features two CAN FD interfaces. +++ Renesas (Japan) has launched the RA8E1 and RA8E2 microcontrollers based on Cortex M85 cores coming with on-chip CAN FD controllers. +++ Phytec (Germany) offers the phyCORE-AM62Lx-FPSC-24 system-on-module (SoM) implementing the AM62Lx processor (Cortex A53) by Texas Instruments, which provides a CAN FD port. +++
CiA activities
- CiA education and information events
- Charged online seminars
- Charged in-house seminars
- Free-of-charge CiA webinars
- CiA technolgy days
- CiA groups
- CiA trade shows
New CiA members since the last CCN
- Apollo RT (HK)
- McGregor Tech (GB)
- Rolls-Royce Solutions (DE)
CiA has 714 members (April 17, 2025)
New videos on Youtube
- Benefits of CANopen FD - CiA technology day on 2025-04-03
- Introduction CANopen FD (R. Zitzmann, CiA)
- CANopen FD device design (T. Gedenk, Emotas)
- Dynamic node and network addressing (R. Zitzmann, CiA)
- Electronic device description (O. Kaplun, CiA)
- System design recommendations (U. Koppe, Microcontrol)
- Integration of CANopen FD systems into the cloud (O. Kaplun, CiA)
- Safety and cyber security CANopen FD applications (O. Pfeiffer, EmSA)
CiA Product Guides
Renewed entries:
- CAN: Pico Technology
- CANopen: Inter Control, Keller Druckmesstechnik
Present your solution in CAN Newsletter
CiA is going to print the June and September 2025 issues of the CAN Newsletter magazine in order to distribute them on the coming trade shows participated by CiA. These tradeshows include Schweißen & Schneiden (Welding & Cutting), Interlift, Agritechnica, and SPS. In these issues, your company has a possibility to be present with an editorial contribution and/or an advertisement. Please contact pr(at)can-cia.org or marketing(at)can-cia.org respectively.
New edition of CiA posters
CiA intends to reprint the CANopen CC, CANopen FD, and CANopen Lift posters. The posters offer places for advertisements, which could be booked by CiA members by May 12, 2025. Contact marketing(at)can-cia.org for more information.
CiA's product panel walls in 2025
CiA offers members to show their products as part of CiA’s product panel wall on following trade shows:
- Interlift (Nuremberg, Germany), topic: CANopen Lift products
- Agritechnica (Hanover, Germany), topics: CANopen, Isobus, and J1939 products
- SPS (Nuremberg, Germany), topic: CANopen products
Contact marketing(at)can-cia.org for further information, booking details, and deadlines.
Editors: Olga Fischer, Holger Zeltwanger (responsible according to the press law)
Advertising: Birgit Ruedel (responsible according to the press law)
CAN in Automation (CiA) e. V.
Kontumazgarten 3
90429 Nuremberg (Germany)
Tel. +49-911-928819-0
AG Nuremberg VR 200497
CAN Community News sign up
This 3-weekly free-of-charge email service provides CAN-related news to the entire CAN community. This includes reports about CiA activities, released CiA documents, available CiA publications, and other topics.
If you would like to subscribe to the CAN Community News please send an e-mail to mail(at)can-cia.org.