Available in North America from HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION is a new version of the ETEL-brand AccurET controls with EtherCAT compatibility. As EtherCAT communication moves from “mid-end” automation to more high-end machine control applications, demand for this has been increasing. With that in mind, ETEL now allows its product users to take full advantage of its line of products while still being able to use this familiar fieldbus system.

ETEL’s AccurET controls have been using its high end TransnET proprietary fieldbus with a variety of machines within the semiconductor and electronics industries for many years. And now with an EtherCAT compatibility option, designers can use one of the most high-end controllers on the market without changing their whole existing communication architecture and machine software.

Using the standardized CoE (CANopen over EtherCAT) protocol, any computer or PLC can be used as a master. Here one central computer controls all of the factory machinery by supporting a high number of nodes and a large variety of devices. It also doesn’t require any product specific development that allows it to quickly integrate extra drives without developing new software, granting a type of “plug and play”. With these new capabilities added to AccurET (compatible with AccurET48, AccurET300, AccurET400, and AccurET600), it’s able to provide advantages from its many features to high-end automation where complicated movements with high-performance trajectories are needed.

More ETEL information can be found at: https://www.heidenhain.us/product/direct-drive-motors-and-motion-systems/.