EtherCAT FAQ

Alicat devices are compatible with a variety of analog, serial, or industrial communication protocols for easy data collection and analysis. Options include analog (4-20 mA, 0-10 Vdc, 0-5 Vdc, or 1-5 Vdc), ASCII and Modbus RTU over RS-232, ASCII and Modbus RTU over RS-485, PROFIBUS, PROFINET, DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP/IP, and EtherCAT.

In this article, we provide answers to common questions about EtherCAT.

EtherCAT manual

Where can I find supporting download files?

Find supporting downloads such as ESI files here.

Which products can have EtherCAT installed?

EtherCAT is available on most of Alicat mass flow and pressure devices:

Exceptions (incompatible with EtherCAT):

OEM devices (BC, EPC, and EPCD-Series)
Portable instruments (MB, PB, and LB-Series)
Class 1 Division 2 area instruments (-X part numbers)

How does EtherCAT change instrument specifications?

Alicat part number: -ECAT
Electrical connections: Comms over dual RJ45
Additional power requirement: 120 mA
Software compatibility: LabVIEW

Alicat connector pinout diagrams

Do I still have a choice of gases and gas mixes on EtherCAT instruments?

Yes. Gas instruments with EtherCAT have the full Gas Select™ list of gas calibrations and Composer™ gas mixing firmware.

How high-accuracy multi-gas calibrations work

How fast are communications with an Alicat instrument equipped with EtherCAT?

Devices support data transmission rates up to 100 mbps.

What are the ERR and RUN LEDs and how do I interpret them?

The ERR and RUN LEDs come in handy when debugging/troubleshooting your EtherCAT network.

Can I update my existing instruments to possess EtherCAT?

No. EtherCAT can only be ordered on new instruments due to the hardware and firmware requirements during installation.