EC: ER series EtherCAT box I/O

Network Integration I/O - Ethernet, wireless: Robust ER series EtherCAT box I/O modules feature die-cast zinc housings that provide exceptional performance in severe environmental conditions, such as the heavy-duty and automotive industries or in robotics. This is a Control Engineering 2016 Engineers’ Choice finalist.

October 15, 2015

With the introduction of the new ER series, Beckhoff Automation has extended the range of applications served by the EtherCAT Box product line. Robust ER series I/O modules feature die-cast zinc housings that provide exceptional performance in severe environmental conditions, such as the heavy-duty and automotive industries or in robotics. Together with the EP and EQ module series, the EtherCAT box I/O system covers a wide range of signals for all industrial applications, intended for installation outside of control cabinets, which can dramatically reduce equipment costs.

Utilizing die-cast zinc as the incredibly resilient housing material, the IP 67-rated I/O modules from the ER series can be used in extremely harsh industrial and process environments. Fully die-cast, they are ideally suited to applications demanding increased load capacity and durability. Typical application areas include heavy industry, such as press lines and metal foundries, as well as in automotive environments where die-cast zinc is standard, or for robotic applications that rely on resistance to weld spatter.

The ER series modules are fully compatible with other housing types in the EtherCAT box line and offer the same wide I/O selection: digital inputs with various filters, digital outputs with 0.5-A output current, and combination modules with freely configurable digital inputs or outputs. Moreover, analog input modules for current/voltage measurement are available. Temperature measurement modules, serial interfaces, encoder inputs, and motion modules supplement the range, adding another dimension of features and functionality.

Beckhoff Automation, www.beckhoffautomation.com