EtherCAT Slave Implementation Guide

DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION
DOCUMENT ORGANIZATION
This document describes how to accomplish a successful EtherCAT slave implementation from a
generic and a practical point of view. It answers the following questions:
1. How is the EtherCAT slave architecture?
2. What steps have to be done to implement an EtherCAT slave?
3. Which documents are available for a successful device implementation?
4. What kinds of EtherCAT development components are available? What are the differences?
5. Is EtherCAT training available?
6. Is technical support available?
7. Why to attend a Plug Fest?
8. How to obtain conformance for EtherCAT devices?
There are many possibilities how an EtherCAT slave implementation can be done. However, the way it
is described in this document has proofed many times to lead fast to an EtherCAT slave device
implementation. The document is organized in two sections:
Section I – EtherCAT Slave Introduction and Implementation Procedure
Section I deals with principal aspects of an EtherCAT slave implementation. Chapter 1 provides a brief
EtherCAT technology background focusing the slave. In chapter 2 the implementation steps for a
slave device are described, containing slave implementation criteria and a list of useful tools.
Exemplary implementation notes are given here, too.
Chapter 3 describes support which is provided by the EtherCAT Technology Group.
Section II – Development Components
Section II contains device specific descriptions for further implementation aspects. An overview to
available evaluation boards is given in chapter 1. Following is a list of available EtherCAT
Communication Modules in chapter 2, and Slave Controllers (ESCs) in chapter 3.
ETG.2200 EtherCAT Slave Implementation Guide V2.0.0 4