With the introduction of the small controller module PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE, solutions based on the EtherCAT FSoE open industrial communication protocol are quickly gaining popularity. The advantage of this solution is that all devices can be communicated in a standard and secure manner only via standard Industrial Ethernet cables, which minimizes the time and hardware costs for installation and cabling, commissioning and diagnostics, and enables a secure single-cable solution.
EtherCAT和Safety over EtherCAT
EtherCAT is an Ethernet-based communication technology designed for high-performance real-time communication and high synchronization accuracy in industrial automation, enabling fast and reliable data transmission through efficient communication protocols and hardware support, meeting the stringent requirements of real-time and synchronization in complex industrial environments. EtherCAT supports a variety of network topologies, including linear, star and ring topologies, and is compatible with standard Ethernet protocols for seamless integration into existing Ethernet infrastructures, reducing the cost and complexity of deployment and adapting to different industrial applications.
FSOE (Failsafe over EtherCAT) is a basic EtherCAT safety communication protocol designed to achieve reliable transmission of safety data, and its redundancy design ensures that the transmission of safety information will not be interrupted in the event of a communication link failure. The FSoE protocol meets the SIL3 requirements of the IEC 61508 standard and maintains the high performance and real-time performance of EtherCAT without sacrificing security.
The first FSoE master-slave combination
The PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE is the first FSoE master-slave product from Pilz to be combined. The schematic diagram of the entire EtherCAT FSoE system is shown below:
The system consists of a standard EtherCAT controller, a PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE master module and a PNOZ m B1 safety controller. The acquisition of non-safety signals and the control of the actuator are performed by standard EtherCAT controllers. Safety-relevant local and remote signals are evaluated and controlled via the FSoE module. The whole system integrates all the characteristics of standard and safety network, and allows the existence of multiple security master stations in one network, which can realize indirect "master station-master station" communication, which is of great significance for the interconnection of equipment.
It can be both a master and a slave station "all-rounder"
At the heart of the safety control system is the PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE bus module. The module has an FSoE In and an FSoE Out interface, and its biggest feature is that it can be used as both an FSoE master and an FSoE slave, and as a standard EtherCAT slave.
It should be noted that the PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE bus module, despite its outstanding capabilities, needs to be used in combination with its "good friend" safety controller PNOZ m B1 (firmware version >=1.10). In terms of the amount of data to be transmitted, an FSoE bus module supports 512 bits of secure digital input and 512 bits of secure digital output. When acting as an FSoE master, it supports 60 FSoE slave connections. When acting as an FSoE slave, it supports the connection of 4 FSoE masters.
Openness is a hallmark of the EtherCAT bus, and the PNOZ m EF EtherCAT FSoE bus module is no exception. In addition to Pilz's own FSoE safety radars and servo products, the bus module now supports FSoE devices from brands such as Beckhoff, Inovance, Bosch Rexroth, Mitsubishi, Lenze, etc., providing flexible support for customers' automation systems.