Basic Principles Of Ethercat; Basic Principles; Operating Principle - HBM QuantumX CX27C Bedienungsanleitung

6.2

Basic principles of EtherCAT

6.2.1

Basic principles

EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) is an open and stan­
dardized fieldbus system, characterized by a high performance capability and
corresponding in principle to a specifically adapted Ethernet solution (standard:
IEC/FDIS 61158):
EtherCAT uses Ethernet frames (data frames) as they are defined in
IEEE 802.3 and supports the use of other Ethernet protocols in the same net­
work.
End users of EtherCAT have banded together in the EtherCAT Technology
Group (ETG) to promote EtherCAT technology
(www.ethercat.org).
EtherCAT replaces the classic star topology of Ethernet hubs and switches
(although this can still be used) with an easy-to-wire line topology. It supports
branches and stub lines. Typically a master and additional slaves are
combined to form a group.
Master
Fig. 6.1 Example: CX27 gateway to EtherCAT, modules are connected via FireWire
6.2.2

Operating principle

In contrast to standard Ethernet, the Ethernet frames from the slaves are pro­
cessed in passing (IN and OUT sockets). The standard Ethernet frame sent by
CX27C
EtherCAT
IN
CX27
OUT
A02720_04_X00_00 HBM: public
FireWire
MX
EtherCAT
MX ...
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