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EtherCAT
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What is the difference between EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT?

Both EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT are Ethernet-based protocols but what makes the fundamental difference between them? Are there specific advantages or disadvantages that can make some of them stand out in certain situations?

joe-kaye
joe-kaye / enthusiast (179)
 

Answers

One of the main differences you can notice in the way these two protocols function is that the Ethernet/IP runs the commands through a network switch, which allows integration of many devices but with possible bandwidth constraints, while the EtherCAT eliminates the need for a network switch and creates a closed-loop system that delivers the commands in a circle to each of the devices.

EtherCAT is a highly flexible network based on Ethernet technology that functions by the "processing on the fly" principle. The messages are passed on to the incoming nodes in the topology before being processed, where every node can read or extract only the relevant information they need, thus providing blazing speed and efficiency. That means that EtherCAT offers topology flexibility and synchronization, including safety protocols and multiple device profiles.

The tricky thing with EtherCAT is that data processing is enabled by special ASIC hardware on each EtherCAT slave, requiring the need for more specific hardware.

On the other side, EtherNet/IP uses the standard Ethernet layers but with the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) over TCP/IP. This means that it uses the same hardware as the standard Ethernet networks, making it available, inexpensive, and familiar to the operators. CIP has a well-defined data representation, messaging protocol, and connection management that enables real-time industrial automation applications.

Finally, what is the best choice depends on your specific application considerations and your industrial layout. If you need higher data flow then the EtherCAT will be the better choice, whereas on the other side if you need lower speeds and less complexity, EtherNet/IP is the way to go.

Top answer

Below I have listed some of the advantages that are common for both protocols EtherCAT and EtherNet/IP:

EtherCAT advantages:

  • Blazing fast speed
  • Support of integrated channel safety
  • Processing on the fly concept, minimizing the latency
  • Up to 60 KB data telegrams, meaning a lot of data transfer from node to Master
  • No practical limit to the number of slave nodes
  • EtherCAT slave devices can be designed to process TCP data without the TCP/IP stack implementation, where the processing is done in the master device
  • It requires no underlying bus system to manage the nodes and connections

EtherNet/IP advantages:

  • It uses the transport and control protocols of the traditional Ethernet
  • No special hardware or hardware changes are required

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