Communication Function Introduction; Ethercat Communication - Parker FL20-CA Series Product Manual

Fig 5.3.4 parameter setting sketch map
VI. Communication Function Introduction
FL20-CA series servo drive supports EtherCAT and serial communication, EtherCAT supports
CoE protocol, serial communication supports MODBUS protocol. The chapter mainly
introduces the EtherCAT and MODBUS communication.

6.1 EtherCAT Communication

EtherCAT is a real-time Industrial Ethernet technology with the feature of high performance,
low cost, flexible topology and easy operation, which can be used in industrial field high-speed
I/O network. EtherCAT system consists of master station and slave station. EtherCAT uses
standard Ethernet technology, and supports almost all topology type, which includes linear, tree,
star etc. It uses standard Ethernet physical layer, transmission medium twisted-pair or optical
fiber (100Base-TX or 100Base-FX).
Based on the field bus of Ethernet network, EtherCAT technology was launched by Germany
BECKHOFF Automation Company in 2003. EtherCAT has features of high-speed and high data
efficiency, supporting multiple devices to connect topological structure, which master requires
standard Ethernet controller, and which slave requires special slave control chip.
The main features of EtherCAT as below:

Wide applicability: any control unit with Ethernet controller for commercial use can be
used as EtherCAT master;

Meet Ethernet standard: according to the EtherCAT frame structure, EtherCAT data adopts
for standard Ethernet frame (IEEE802.3), therefore, EtherCAT can coexist in same bus
with other Ethernet device and protocol, the transmission rate can reach 2× 100M bit/s;

Flexible wiring: support varieties of topological structures such as linear, star and tree type;

High efficiency: maximum using Ethernet bandwidth for data transmission.

Excellent synchronization performance: realize lower than
each slave by accurate calibration of synchronous clock;

To support more kinds of devices and wider application layer, EtherCAT establishes the
application protocol: CoE (CANopen Over EtherCAT)
CoE (CANopen Over EtherCAT)
CANopen is originally the application layer based on the system of CAN (Control Area
Network) bus. EtherCAT protocol supports profile CiA402 of CANopen protocol in application
layer, called CoE. FL20-CA series servo supports CoE protocol.
EtherCAT supports CANopen, meanwhile makes relevant expansion, the main features as
below:

Access CANopen object dictionary and its objects by mailbox communication to realize
network initialization;

Drive PDO message by CANopen emergency object and optional event to realize network
management;

Map process data by object dictionary, cyclic transmit command data and status data.
FL20-CA Series
clock synchronization of
1µ s
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