Ideal for decentralized, intelligent drives

EtherCAT combines the advantages of Ethernet with the simplicity of traditional fieldbus systems. As one of the fastest Industrial Ethernet technologies, it is ideally suited for use in decentralized, intelligent drives. Therefore, the ECI-80 internal rotor motors in safety extra-low voltage (24/48 VDC) with 80 mm diameter and up to 750 watts of rated power from the ebm-papst modular drive system are now available with an EtherCAT interface.

Integrated power electronics and EtherCAT interface

When it comes to coordinating numerous smaller drives in a system, decentralized drive solutions with electronics integrated into the motor housing have become established in practice. The BLDC internal rotor drives of the ECI-80 series from ebm-papst are already equipped with K5 electronics (Figure 1). This offers numerous fixed and freely programmable functions, allowing the drives to execute program sequences independently of the higher-level controller. In addition to being controlled via I/Os or CANopen, the drives can now also be addressed via an EtherCAT interface. For this purpose, high-performance interface electronics including a multi-protocol chip have been integrated into the electronics module in addition to the power electronics. Thanks to real-time capability and high synchronization accuracy, decentralized, intelligent drives can now be implemented, thus reliably synchronizing multiple axes.

Diagnostic Interface and Practical Installation

The diagnostic interface of the ECI-80 drives allows access to relevant data during network operation. For example, the internal error log can be read, current waveforms and control times can be queried and adjusted, program sequences can be modified and reloaded as needed, firmware updates can be performed, or the electronic data sheet (EDS) can be downloaded. Furthermore, it is possible to specify which information the respective drive should transmit to the higher-level PLC or control system via the network. The drive installation is simple and practical. All connections are located on one side, which significantly simplifies the designer's work with regard to cable routing.

Modular drive system for customized design

The ECI drives are part of the modular drive system from ebm-papst and can be quickly configured, i.e., combined with gearboxes, encoders, and brakes. Various gearbox modules are available to increase the output torque to the level required by the application. If the application requires a holding brake with an emergency stop function, brake modules based on the spring-applied brake principle can be added to the drive unit. All drives meet the requirements of protection class IP54, with IP65 available as an option.