Kendrion Kuhnke Automation GmbH
Introduction
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11/25/2016
2 Introduction
2.1 EtherCAT®
— Ethernet Control Automation Technology
EtherCAT is the most powerful Ethernet-based fieldbus system currently available on the market. EtherCAT
puts up the top speed mark, and its flexible topology and simple configuration make it the perfect means of
controlling extremely fast processes. To give you a clue: 1000 I/Os can be addre
ssed in 30 μs.
Because of its high performance, the simple wiring and its open protocol support, EtherCAT is often used as
a fast motion control and I/O bus driven by an industrial PC or in conjunction with control technology on a
smaller scale. EtherCAT moves beyond the limits of conventional fieldbus systems. Its interconnections
between the controller at one end and both the I/O modules and drives at the other are as fast as those of a
backplane bus. EtherCAT controllers thus nearly act like centralised control systems, overcoming the issue
of bus transfer times that conventional fieldbus systems are burdened with.
2.2 Kuhnke FIO (Fast Input Output)
Kuhnke FIO is a system of I/O modules for connecting the process signals to an EtherCAT network.
Kuhnke FIO consists of the Ventura FIO bus coupler and a range of Ventura FIO I/O modules.
The Ventura FIO bus coupler converts the physical transfer technology (twisted pair) to LVDS (E-bus) and
generates the system voltages required by the LVDS modules. The standard 100 Base Tx lines used for
office network communications connect to the one side, the Ventura FIO I/O modules for the process signals
connect to the other. This is how the Ethernet EtherCAT protocol is retained right through to the last I/O
module. At the end of the modular device, the connection between the forward and return lines is
automatically closed, the effect being that another 100 BaseTx line can be plugged in to connect the next
EtherCAT unit to the second bus coupler port.
If the bus coupler is the last device of the EtherCAT network, i.e. the RJ45-socket "Out" remains free, the
connection of the forward and return line are closed automatically.
1
EtherCAT® is a registered trade mark and a patented technology of Beckhoff Automation GmbH, Germany.
Figure 1: Kuhnke FIO Buscoupler with I/O-modules
