Special report provides an update on EtherCAT automation and control technology, and the viewpoint of industry experts in EtherCAT technology and applications. A series of technical articles and application case studies provide an update of the state-of-the-art in EtherCAT automation networking.

Learn what industry experts are saying about the development of Single Pair Ethernet and Ethernet-APL technologies, along with a series of technical articles on the state of the technology and its potential for the future.

Ethernet for Control Automation Technology (EtherCAT) is a real-time Industrial Ethernet technology. An update from industry experts reveals an industrial protocol with a continuing technology focus on its roots: short cycle times (≤100 µs), low jitter for accurate synchronization (≤1 µs) and low hardware costs.

Industry experts provide their perspective on the development of Single Pair Ethernet and Ethernet-APL. Learn about the potential benefits and the work to be done to achieve what has become an ambitious vision that will ultimately shape the scope and future of Industrial Ethernet connectivity.

Ethernet-APL (advanced physical layer) specifies the details of the application of Ethernet communication to sensors and actuators for the process industry and will be published under the IEC. Leading companies in process automation are working together to make Ethernet-APL work across Industrial Ethernet protocols and to accelerate its deployment.

Ethernet-APL (Advanced Physical Layer) provides a combination of ease of adoption, seamless integration, simplified installation, greater range and valuable data for process industry implementations.

The intensive prototype phase for SPE got underway quite some time ago. PHYs, cables, and connectors are available on the market. Now, the focus is on coordinating the systems and transferring the needs of industrial ambient conditions to Single Pair Ethernet.

The space industry is increasingly taking the approach that what has been successfully proved on Earth can also work in space. This is how the suppliers of space robotics came to EtherCAT, adapting technology for motion control applications on earth is well-suited for corresponding applications in space.

A sophisticated production machine for hairpins, from which the stator winding rims of electric motors are formed, illustrates the advantages of this optimally scalable automation solution. It leverages TwinCAT 3 on a Beckhoff C603x ultra-compact Industrial PC as the central control platform and the XTS transport system.

Conformance to the protocol standard is the basis for the problem-free interaction of devices from different manufacturers in the same network, also called in short interoperability. And both are thus very important for the success of a communication technology. Version 2.3 carries on all functionalities and tests of the first…