Press Release

The XFC technology (eXtreme Fast Control) from Beckhoff makes an extremely fast, high-precision control architecture possible. The EP1258 EtherCAT Box supports XFC in compliance with the time stamp method, i.e. the binary input signals are assigned a time stamp that states the time of the last change of state with a resolution of 1 ns. Using this technology, the signal curves can be precisely reproduced in terms of time and placed in relationship to distributed clocks in the EtherCAT system. The machine-wide, parallel hard wiring of digital inputs or encoder signals for synchronisation purposes can usually be eliminated using this technology. The reactions, which are equally spaced in terms of time, are thus independent of the cycle time of the controller, so that even in the case of a short PLC cycle, signal acquisition and processing is possible in the nanosecond range.

As an EtherCAT slave, the EP1258 XFC box can be integrated directly in 100BASE-TX EtherCAT networks. It features eight digital inputs, of which two are designed for applications with a time stamp. The IP 67 module is optionally available with an M8 or M12 screw-type sensor connection.

There are a wide range of possible application areas for the EtherCAT Box with time stamp, extending from the packaging industry to assembly and handling machines as well as conveying equipment. The compact IP 67 design allows installation directly on the machines without an extra control cabinet, saving space and costs.

Basic technologies for high-precision signal acquisition:
EtherCAT + XFC

The EtherCAT Box with direct EtherCAT interface expands the Beckhoff I/O system with new, high performance solutions in the IP 67 protection class. With these compact modules, which measure just 126 x 30 x 26.5 mm (H x W x D), EtherCAT’s high performance of 100 Mbit/s is retained down to each IP 67 box.
XFC represents a control technology that enables very fast and highly deterministic responses. It includes all hardware and software components involved in control applications: optimised input and output components that can pick up signals with high accuracy or initiate tasks, EtherCAT as the ultra fast communication network, high-performance Industrial PCs as well as TwinCAT automation software that links all the system components. XFC features various technologies which, besides the pure cycle time, improve the timing accuracy and increase the resolution. In the system time (distributed clocks) of the EtherCAT system, which is available everywhere, the time stamp method delivers significantly more precise information on the temporal relationship of the process data. Time stamps can be used both for inputs (what happened and when?) and outputs (when should a reaction take place?). They deliver:

• exact time measurement of positive and negative edges of local digital inputs,
• exact timing of local output signals, independent of the control cycle,
• time stamp data with a resolution of 1 ns and an accuracy of < 100 ns.