Quick start and simplified evaluation with IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM and complete starter kit for Renesas EtherCAT dedicated communication SoC

TOKYO and UPPSALA, Sweden, July 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IAR Systems®, a future-proof supplier of software tools and services for embedded development, today presents its tool solution for simplified evaluation and development of Renesas Electronics' EC-1, a dedicated communication System on Chip (SoC) with a built-in EtherCAT® slave controller, intended to boost production efficiency in factories. In addition, IAR Systems announces that the company has joined EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) to provide reliable solutions for industrial applications.

EtherCAT is one of the leading protocol standards in industrial networking applications and Renesas provides the EC-1 to simplify the adaption of EtherCAT by allowing users to get started very quickly with development of an EtherCAT slave. The EC-1 is intended for high-speed, high-precision control of slave devices such as sensors, actuators, sensor networks, and I/O modules that require deterministic communication.

IAR Systems delivers the high-performance development toolchain IAR Embedded Workbench® which enable developers to accelerate development and get products to market faster. Thanks to its code quality and efficiency, the toolchain is an ideal choice for development with strong requirements of high reliability, such as within applications for factory automation. To ease development and evaluation of the EC-1, IAR Systems has launched the IAR KickStart Kit™ for Renesas EC-1 which contains evaluation versions of IAR Embedded Workbench for ARM, an EC-1 development board and an I-jet Lite debug probe. In addition, example projects, application-specific software drivers and protocol stack sample program are available from Renesas website.

"IAR Systems' complete tool solution and the new starter kit for Renesas EC-1 will help our customers accelerate their EtherCAT application developments," says Yuji Mori, Industrial System Solution Department, Industrial Automation Business Division, Industrial Solution Business Unit, Renesas Electronics Corporation and the board member of R-IN Consortium. "IAR Systems is our global business partner and we have been working closely to ease development for our mutual customers. In addition to IAR Systems' new EC-1-based kit, we have also been sharing the success of our R-IN32 by bringing together solutions that speed time-to-market for customers within industrial automation."

IAR Systems is the only tool vendor to deliver development tools for the entire line-up of Renesas microcontrollers, including R-IN32, RZ, EC-1, RX, RL78, RH850, 78K, SuperH, R8C, V850, R32C and M32C, H8 and M16C. More information about IAR Systems' offering for Renesas' EC-1 and the new starter kit is available at www.iar.com/iar-embedded-workbench/partners/renesas/tools-for-renesas-r-in32-and-ec-1/. More information about the complete tools offering for Renesas is available at www.iar.com/renesas.