CAN/CANopen® FAQ

Q: How do I implement CANopen®?

A: Depending on your expertise you might be tempted to simply buy the specification and start implementing it. Unless you already have a great deal of expertise with CAN and at least another higher-layer protocol you should really evaluate this option carefully. If the project demands a limited CANopen® implementation not requiring 100% CANopen® compliance, then this might be a possible route.

However, as soon as more complex CANopen® features or a 100% CANopen® conformance are required, the recommendation is to not start from scratch again. The specification unfortunately does not contain all details and many issues will only show up once the CANopen® conformance test is started. Buying somebody else's implementation that already passed the conformance test is a great shortcut shaving several months of your project.

The comparison overview about different implementation methods at CANopenIA.com is probably a little biased but gives a fair overview about the pros and cons of each method.

Another alternative for low-end CANopen® nodes is www.MicroCANopen.com.

Do you have more questions or comments on our answers?

Submit them to: info@canopen.us