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EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)
is the Ethernet fieldbus that provides industry-leading performance, flexibility and cost advantages. The functional
principle - processing data on the fly - makes EtherCAT the fastest
system currently available: cycle times of a few µs are possible. The nodes can be synchronized with
the highest precision. The wiring
flexibility of EtherCAT is outstanding, too: arbitrary network
topologies are supported, with any number of nodes in line.
EtherCAT is the only hard real-time Industrial Ethernet solution that
does not require dedicated hardware for the master (e.g. MAC with communication
coprocessor) but can be implemented in software on any
Ethernet controller. The Slave Controller chips are inexpensive, too.
Switches are not needed. This leads to cost advantages in controllers,
devices
and infrastructure - even compared with legacy fieldbus systems.
EtherCAT is completely transparent for all Internet technologies and
thus supports the vertical integration in mixed networks.
Register now if you
want to learn about EtherCAT and the challenges of Industrial Ethernet,
especially in the context of Industry 4.0 and IoT.
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