CONNECT SENSORS & ACTUATORS WITH EtherCAT
STS DIN-Rail Industrial PC for EtherCAT Master Applications
Bring machine sensing, motion control and pneumatic actuation together with a properly configured EtherCAT control system.
Sundar Techno Solutions (STS), Bangalore, presents an industrial PC platform for EtherCAT master applications—connecting compatible distributed I/O, servo drives, stepper drives and valve terminals for industrial automation.
With suitable EtherCAT master software and a compatible real-time driver, an STS industrial PC can run control logic, exchange machine data and coordinate connected field devices.
UNDERSTANDING THE SYSTEM IN THE POSTERThe STS DIN-rail industrial PC acts as the EtherCAT master. The green communication cable links the EtherCAT sensor I/O station, servo drive, stepper drive and pneumatic valve terminal in a daisy chain.
Each device receives its commands and returns relevant input or status information.
Conventional sensors connect through suitable input modules. Motors connect to their drives. Pneumatic cylinders and grippers connect to the valve system.
This creates a practical control architecture for machines that need coordinated sensing and movement.
WHAT SENSORS CAN BE CONNECTED?Select EtherCAT I/O modules that match each sensor’s electrical signal and measurement requirements.
• Temperature sensors: Pt100/Pt1000 RTDs and thermocouples through matching temperature-input modules.
• Pressure transmitters: process, hydraulic or pneumatic pressure measurement through suitable current or voltage inputs.
• Flow and level instruments: connection through analog, pulse or other supported interfaces.
• Proximity sensors: inductive, capacitive or photoelectric sensors through compatible digital inputs.
• Encoders: position and speed feedback through the appropriate incremental or absolute encoder interface.
• Load cells: force, weight and tension measurement through suitable bridge-input or weighing modules.
• Humidity transmitters: connection through matching analog or supported digital interfaces.
• Vibration sensors: connection through measurement modules with suitable signal conditioning and sampling performance.
• Limit switches and machine-status contacts: connection through digital input modules.
A conventional sensor does not become an EtherCAT device simply by connecting an Ethernet cable. The correct I/O interface provides the connection between its signal and the EtherCAT network.
WHAT ACTUATORS CAN BE CONTROLLED?SERVO MOTORS AND LINEAR AXES
An EtherCAT servo drive receives commands from the master and supplies controlled electrical power to the motor. Depending on the drive and application, this supports position, speed and torque control.
STEPPER MOTORS AND POSITIONING STAGES
An EtherCAT stepper drive controls the connected motor for indexing, feeding, positioning and other motion tasks.
PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS AND GRIPPERS
An EtherCAT valve terminal controls pneumatic valves. Compressed air supplies the force that operates the cylinders or grippers.
OTHER OUTPUT DEVICES
Suitable output modules can operate relay interfaces, indicators and solenoid valves, or provide analog commands to compatible equipment. Electrical ratings and external power requirements must be matched.
The drive or I/O interface is normally the EtherCAT network device; the attached motor, sensor or pneumatic actuator is the field equipment it controls or monitors.
FIVE STANDARD EtherCAT FACTS
100 Mbit/s full-duplex communication. Up to 65,535 addressable SubDevices per segment—the protocol limit, not a guaranteed practical installation size. Up to 100 metres of copper cable between adjacent devices using suitable 100BASE-TX cabling. One active master per standard segment. No IP address required for normal cyclic EtherCAT process-data communication.Actual device count and achievable cycle time depend on the complete system.
WHAT DETERMINES CONTROL PERFORMANCE?The PC processor, operating system, real-time driver, master software, application workload, network layout and connected devices all affect performance.
The required update rate should be selected around the machine’s needs and validated on the final configuration. A temperature-monitoring application and a coordinated multi-axis machine can have very different timing requirements.
INDUSTRIAL PC AND LAN CONTROLLER SELECTIONFor an EtherCAT master project, discuss:
• DIN-rail installation and control-cabinet space.
• Processor, RAM and SSD requirements.
• Ethernet controller and exact device ID.
• Operating system and master-runtime compatibility.
• Additional ports for HMI, engineering or plant-network communication.
• Power input, ambient temperature and cooling.
• Axis count, I/O count and required cycle time.
Intel I210, I211, I350, I225 and I226 families include controllers listed for supported TwinCAT configurations. Compatibility must be checked against the exact controller variant, driver and software version.
A supported LAN controller is one part of a validated EtherCAT master system. STS PC specifications and available interfaces depend on the selected configuration.
WHERE CAN THIS ARCHITECTURE BE USED?• Packaging, filling, sealing and labelling machines.
• CNC equipment and coordinated positioning systems.
• Robotic handling and pick-and-place equipment.
• Automated assembly and inspection stations.
• Conveyors, sorting and material-handling systems.
• Printing, winding and web-handling machinery.
• Electronics and semiconductor production equipment.
• Force, load, endurance and motion test benches.
• Pneumatic clamping and gripping stations.
• Machine retrofits requiring distributed sensing and control.
Application suitability depends on the selected hardware, software and machine requirements.
ABOUT SUNDAR TECHNO SOLUTIONSSundar Techno Solutions, Bangalore, focuses on industrial computing and connectivity requirements for automation projects.
Speak with STS about industrial PC selection and your EtherCAT master application. Share your sensor list, motor and drive details, required I/O, software preference and target cycle time so the proposed configuration can be reviewed against your machine.
Bangalore / Bengaluru, IndiaProject enquiries welcome from Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Hosur, Ahmedabad, Delhi NCR and other Indian industrial locations. Supply and support arrangements can be confirmed for your project.
[sales@sundartechno.com](mailto:sales@sundartechno.com)
WhatsApp / Mobile: +91-9482081014Planning a new machine or automation upgrade?
Send STS your application requirements and mention “EtherCAT”.
EtherCAT master industrial PC, DIN-rail industrial computer, PC-based machine control, distributed I/O, servo motion control, stepper positioning, pneumatic automation, industrial automation Bangalore, industrial computing India.
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