Learn about Ethernet control
Baldor Electric Co., Fort Smith, Ark., has published a guide to the use of Ethernet in real-time motion and machinery control applications. The free 28-page document is designed for automation engineers and managers, and introduces the technology in a way that contrasts the control approach with conventional system architectures.
The guide starts by describing the industry-standard Ethernet Powerlink protocol and its deterministic features. It then contrasts a conventional machine control system architecture requiring servo-based motion and other industrial I/O, with a new system based on Ethernet. The publication concludes by introducing programming tools and details a range of Ethernet-compliant machine controllers and related machine control accessories, including motors and human-machine interfaces (HMIs).
