EtherCAT: One Machine Network
EtherCAT is becoming the most popular machine protocol. Why? Unmatched performance, the highest precision and real openness make the difference to other Ethernet industrial protocols.
- EtherNet/IP is an excellent network for controller to controller applications with a natural integration in Company Corporative Networks. Using standard EtherNet hardware, EtherNet/IP is the perfect Factory Automation Network where the data size exchanged by node is high.
- EtherCAT exhibits outstanding performance with devices that exchange few amount of bytes but require very deterministic and fast communication cycles. In addition due to the ‘on the fly’ date exchange EtherCAT is hardly affected by the number of nodes, it is the perfect Machine Network.
EtherCAT Topology
One of the features that makes EtherCAT attractive as a device network, is that in contrast to many other EtherNet networks, a daisy-chain network can be established with no need of additional Ethernet switches. Branching units also allow a hot-swap of devices without affecting the performance of the other network segments.
EtherCAT is an Ethernet open standard that is being adopted by more and more manufacturers. Our commitment to EtherCAT has resulted in an increasing number of products, including: Controllers, Rotary an Linear Drives, Inverters, I/O modules, Vision systems, EtherCAT safety and more, qualifying EtherCAT as a real Machine Network.
