Eaton presents its new EU5-SWD-EtherCAT gateway

SmartWire-DT now communicates with Ethercat and can therefore be used for high-performance real-time automation tasks.
Photo by Eaton Corporation

Power management company Eaton has launched a new gateway that now makes it possible for machine and system builders to easily interface the company’s innovative SmartWire-DT communication and connection system with EtherCAT fieldbus systems. The new EU5-SWD-EtherCAT gateway is the latest product to result from Eaton’s Partnership of Experts cooperation with Hilscher Gesellschaft für Systemautomation based in Hattersheim, Germany.

With the introduction of the new gateway, SmartWire-DT supports not only the Profibus-DP, CANopen, Modbus-TCP, Ethernet/IP, PROFINET and Powerlink fieldbus protocols, but also EtherCAT, which was developed by Beckhoff specifically for high-performance automation applications requiring real-time functionality. This means that all the benefits of Eaton’s Lean Solution philosophy, which include simplified design, engineering, commissioning and maintenance, are now readily available to EtherCAT users.

Fully transparent operation in EtherCAT systems is now possible for a wide range of control and automation devices, such as pushbuttons, switches, contactors, conventional and electronic motor-protection circuit breakers, DS7 soft starters, PowerXL variable speed drives and NZM-series circuit breakers.

The gateway transfers data from connected devices via EtherCAT to the installation’s PLC or other controller. It can transfer 1,000 bytes of input and output data from up to 99 devices in cyclical operation, and it also supports acyclical communication. As well as the 100 Mbit switch for EtherCAT communication, the gateway has a USB interface for diagnostic use. This means that users can test each device on the SmartWire-DT network independently, even when no controller is connected.

The gateway is configured in the same way as other EtherCAT devices by using a standard ESI description file that is incorporated in the programming system. Individual SmartWire-DT modules are selected and parameterised in the normal way.

For planning, configuring and commissioning SmartWire-DT networks, Eaton offers its well-proven SWD-Assist software. With the configuration tool, users can select any device in the system with just a few mouse clicks, and a software wizard is provided that enables the configuration to be checked quickly and easily.

All of the connected SmartWire-DT devices can be commissioned via the gateway’s diagnostic interface, which means that commissioning can be completed quickly and conveniently without needing to connect the PLC.

SmartWire-DT devices have CE, UL and CSA approvals, making them suitable for use worldwide.

For more information, please visit http://www.eaton.eu.

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