Beckhoff's EP6002 EtherCAT Box module allows the integration of external devices with a serial interface without needing a control cabinet. This compact IP 67 module with 2 channels flexibly integrates serial devices into an EtherCAT network. It simply connects devices with an RS232 or an RS422/RS485 interface and transmits data in a transparent way to a higher level EtherCAT controller. The active serial communication channels operate in full duplex mode at up to 115,200 baud. Temporary data storage is taken care of by an 864 byte receive buffer and a 128 byte transmit buffer. M12 plug connectors are used to connect serial devices. TwinCAT Virtual Serial COM Driver software allows the EtherCAT box to be used without a controller as a COM interface in Windows operating systems.
Edited by: Filip Burm
