EtherCAT was presented for the first time at Hannover Messe 2003 and has since become an established standard in numerous industries worldwide.
Meanwhile, the international user and manufacturer association for EtherCAT, the EtherCAT Technology Group, has almost 2,500 members that support and disseminate EtherCAT technology and drive future developments.
Here, Martin Rostan, Head of Technology Marketing at Beckhoff, looks back on the early days of the “Fast Lightbus.”
EtherCAT is basically Lightbus technology adapted to Ethernet. Lightbus, the first Beckhoff fieldbus, was launched in 1989 and already derived its then exceptional performance from the “processing on-the-fly” concept that EtherCAT also utilises.
The working title of the project, from which EtherCAT later emerged, was “Fast Lightbus.” It is the unique operating principle that also makes EtherCAT so special: fast, flexible, easy to use, cost-effective, compelling, and therefore successful.
The presentation of this pioneering communication technology at Hannover Messe 2003 was a highlight in the company history of Beckhoff: virtually the whole industry visited our booth and was amazed – many even congratulated us.
Right from the outset we announced our intention to develop the technology into an open standard. The consistency we showed in following through with our intentions surprised many again.
The foundation of the EtherCAT Technology Group and publishing the specification as a global IEC standard were important milestones that Beckhoff is celebrating 10 years later in 2013.
Meanwhile, most competitors in the market have followed our active invitation to implement EtherCAT. EtherCAT slave interfaces are today available on standard microprocessors – for the master any Ethernet port can be used.
We continue to be surprised by the diversity of EtherCAT applications: examples include ultra-fast packaging machines, whole steel plants, robots, cutting systems, wind tunnels and wind energy systems – EtherCAT is currently in use across the globe in an unrivalled range of applications.
After 10 years EtherCAT is still faster than the fastest CPUs – in a manner of speaking we have been beating Moore‘s law for 10 years.
And this is why a single version of EtherCAT is sufficient, namely the first one. Everything that has been added since are extensions, not modifications: EtherCAT devices from 2003 and 2013 are therefore still compatible.
All of these points are excellent prerequisites for approaching the next 10 years of EtherCAT with strength and confidence.
10 YEARS OF EtherCAT
2003
Hans Beckhoff presents EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology), the real time Ethernet solution, as a major technological breakthrough.
The first EtherCAT products: With high-performance EtherCAT Terminals, the EtherCAT protocol remains fully intact at 100 Mbit/s down to the individual I/O terminal via processing on-the-fly technology.
2005
The first Embedded PC for EtherCAT Terminals. EtherCAT I/O terminal scan be directly connected to the power supply module of the CX1020 Embedded PC.
2007
With EtherCAT it is possible to integrate additional functions into a standard controller, such as measurement technology, Condition Monitoring and robotics.
2009
The EL3632 leverages the high bandwidth of EtherCAT for Condition Monitoring solutions. Advanced Condition Monitoring functions can be integrated easily into a PC-based control system.
2010
The DMX EtherCAT Terminal integrates lighting and stage technology in the EtherCAT I/O system for entertainment engineering applications.
Robotics, mobile robots "Rollin Justin" at the German Aerospace Center: The fast communication required for advanced robotic movements takes place via EtherCAT.
2011
EtherCAT becomes part of standard microprocessor and microcontroller product lines.
The EL7201 EtherCAT Terminal is a complete servo drive with a system-integrated, compact design for motors up to 200 W.
Stage and show technology, flight simulation in the stage show “A New Day” by Celine Dion. Flying by Foy, USA 2011: EtherCAT enables precise flight simulation with maximum repeatability. [Copyright: Flying by Foy ©Angel – Celine Dion – "A New Day", Tomasz Rossa.]
2012
EtherCAT PLC with 12.5 µs cycle time: Implemented entirely with standard components: Beckhoff Industrial PC, TwinCAT 3 control software, ultra-fast I/O components and EtherCAT.
Kinetic Rain stage and show technology Changi Airport, Singapore (MKT AG/ART+COM, Germany): The kinetic installation involves synchronous movement of 1,216 servo axes based on EtherCAT. [©Changi Airport Group Singapore.]
2013
Beckhoff extends its safety offering with a complete compact safety controller with numerous integrated I/O channels via the new EK1960 TwinSAFE Compact Controller.
The EtherCAT application portfolio ranges from high-performance transfer presses and ultra-fast packaging machines to full control systems for kitchen production, from high-precision test procedures and humanoid robots, logistics centers, wind turbines to stage and show technology.