ETG officially supports EtherCAT G
December 2019
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The Technical Committee of the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) has accepted EtherCAT G as an addition to the EtherCAT standard. Moving forward, EtherCAT G, which extends EtherCAT technology to 1 and 10 Gb/s, respectively, will be supported and promoted by the ETG.
EtherCAT G was introduced by Beckhoff Automation in 2018 as an extension of the EtherCAT standard. Beckhoff recently presented the gigabit technology addition to the ETG, and after thorough review, the organisation’s Technical Committee accepted it. Dr Guido Beckmann, chairman of the ETG Technical Committee, explains: “EtherCAT is already the fastest industrial Ethernet fieldbus, and will remain so due to its special functional principle. With EtherCAT G, particularly data-hungry applications, such as machine vision and high-end measurement technology, can now also be integrated, which extends the range of applications.”
The well-known 100 Mb/s EtherCAT technology remains the proven solution for the majority of applications. However, EtherCAT G offers additional user advantages, especially in applications where particularly large amounts of process data must be transported per device. This can include, for example machine vision, high-end measurement technology or complex motion applications that go beyond the scope of classic drive control. Existing devices designed for 100 Mb/s can be seamlessly integrated into an EtherCAT G system, and EtherCAT G devices in a 100 Mb/s EtherCAT system behave like classic EtherCAT devices.
The central element of EtherCAT G is the use of EtherCAT Branch Controllers, which essentially fulfil two functions: On the one hand, they act as a node for the integration of segments from 100 Mb/s devices; while on the other, they enable parallel processing of the connected EtherCAT segments. This significantly reduces the propagation delay in the system, which increases system performance.
The integration of EtherCAT G is simple as the extension is fully compatible with the IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard, and no software adaptions in controllers are required standard modes. “The advantages of EtherCAT are well known and include processing on the fly, comprehensive diagnostics, simple configuration and integrated synchronisation,” concludes Beckmann. “These attributes are of course fully retained when EtherCAT G is used.”
Further reading:
Control Station and Dimension Software partner to connect control performance monitoring with enterprise operations intelligence
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Control Station has entered into a strategic technology partnership with Dimension Software, a leading provider of industrial operations management platforms. The collaboration connects Control Station’s PlantESP control loop performance monitoring platform with Dimension Software’s Asset Intellect operations intelligence environment, enabling manufacturers to operationalise control performance insights across their organisations.
Read more...
PCIe digitiser cards for optimal GHz signal acquisition and analysis
Vepac Electronics
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The addition of two new PCIe Digitiser cards from Spectrum Instrumentation extends the company’s flagship M5i series to deliver optimal GHz signal acquisition and analysis capabilities.
Read more...
Precise, synchronised control for automated steel mesh handling system
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Automation specialist Hambi Maschinenbau has developed a world-first system that automates the cutting, handling and stacking of heavy reinforcing steel mesh – a task that previously required up to six human operators.
Read more...
Loop signature Part 2-3: Feedforward Control: Part 2
Michael Brown Control Engineering
Editor's Choice Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Feedforward control tuning is not nearly as critical as feedback tuning, and fairly simple models are usually fine for the purpose in hand.
Read more...
Upgrading radiological surveillance systems in nuclear facilities
Omniflex Remote Monitoring Specialists
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Nuclear plant operators face an uncomfortable reality. Many of the control and monitoring systems still in use today were never designed to support the full operational lifespan of the facilities they serve.
Read more...
Next-level CAN Software enables easy access to CAN XL
Industrial Data Xchange (IDX)
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
With the release of its PCAN-Explorer 7, PEAK delivers a major update that adds full support for CAN XL, multiple symbol files per connection, Python scripting and flexible licensing including floating licenses.
Read more...
Loop signature Part 2-2: Feedforward Control: Part 1
Michael Brown Control Engineering
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Feedforward control is a powerful technique that can dramatically improve control variance in cases where load changes cause big deviations from setpoint and the actual process dynamics are too slow to allow the feedback controller to operate fast enough to catch these disturbances.
Read more...
10G TSN endpoint IP core for deterministic high-speed Ethernet networks
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems has introduced a new 10G TSN endpoint IP core, enabling deterministic real-time communication at data rates of up to 10 Gbit/s.
Read more...
Beckhoff expands economy drive system
Beckhoff Automation
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Beckhoff’s new AM1000 servomotor joins the company’s economy drive system. The compact, powerful motor and the AX1000 servo drive provide users with a perfectly coordinated, cost-optimised drive system.
Read more...
CC-Link IE Field supports egg carton production
Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Huhtamaki’s Franeker plant in the Netherlands manufactures more than 11 million egg cartons every week using recycled paper. To support its highly automated lines, the site has begun upgrading its automation systems from older serial network standards to CC-Link IE Field, an open industrial Ethernet technology that offers faster performance due to gigabit bandwidth and better diagnostics.
Read more...
printer friendly version