CANopen, a kind of communication protocols, is based on the intelligent field bus (CAN bus). It was developed as a standardized embedded network with highly flexible configuration capabilities. It provides standardized communication objects for real-time data (Process Data Objects, PDO), configuration data (Service Data Objects, SDO), network management data (NMT message, and Error Control), and special functions (Time Stamp, Sync message, and Emergency message). By now, CANopen is used in many various application fields, such as medical equipment, off-road vehicles, maritime electronics, public transportation, building automation and etc.

CAN-8423 main control unit is specially designed for the slave device of CANopen protocol. It follows the CANopen Spec DS-301 V4.02 and DSP-401 V2.1, and supplies many features for users, such as dynamic PDO, EMCY object, error output value, SYNC cyclic and acyclic, … and etc. In order to expand I/O channel more flexible, an CAN-8423 supports up to 4 slots for I/O expansion and suits with a lot of ICP DAS DI / AI / DO / AO modules. User can choose DI/DO/AI/AO modules of I-87K series or I-8000 series to fit the customized practice applications. In addition, we also provide CAN-8423 Utility to allow users to create the EDS file dynamically. The EDS file is based on CANopen DSP-306 and can be compatible with different CANopen master interfaces. The application architecture is as follows.