Debuting at the SPS IPC Drives 2016 trade show in Nuremburg, Germany, new ELM series EtherCAT measurement technology modules from Beckhoff directly integrate into the modular EtherCAT I/O system and can be seamlessly combined with the company’s extensive portfolio of more than 500 EtherCAT Terminals.
The ELM series features new metal housings that optimize shielding and cooling in measurement technology applications. At the same time, the durable housings provide enhanced flexibility at the interface level, such as for LEMO or BNC plug connectors or for the well-established cage clamps as a quickly customizable and standard solution. Measurement accuracy of 100 ppm at 23 °C, precise sub-1 μs synchronization, 24 bit resolution and a high sampling rate of up to 50,000 samples per second guarantee high-quality data acquisition.
EtherCAT-enabled high-precision measurement technology can lower the use of raw materials and energy in machines and plants, while forming the basis for advanced condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. With the new ELM series measurement technology modules, high-end measuring devices and comprehensive automation technology can be combined into one universal system. For this purpose, Beckhoff offers the powerful combination of a comprehensive I/O system that supports all common sensor types, and TwinCAT as a central software platform for engineering and control.
The robust metal enclosures of the new ELM measurement modules feature a flexible connector front-end for all standard measurement technology interfaces, and permit straightforward integration into all typical measurement technology environments. The new generation of measurement technology hardware ensures extremely high-quality measurement data, owing to the full utilization of EtherCAT features:
Fast: 24 bit resolution, sampling rates of up to 50,000 samples per second, depending on the interface
High-precision timing: Synchronization < 1 μs
High-precision values: Measurement accuracy of better than 100 ppm at 23° C
Proactive: Integrated connection and functional diagnostics in individual modules
At product launch, the ELM series includes 11 modules with different interfaces and input circuitry. These can cover, for example, voltage measurement of 20 mV…30 V, current measurement of ±20 mA, IEPE, thermocouples, RTD (PT100/1000), or strain gauge/load cells with full, half or quarter bridge with internal extension or potentiometer. The measuring ranges of the input channels can be flexibly parameterized, both electrically and on the software side. Additional properties include integrated distributed clocks, as well as the "ExtendedRange" feature which provides users the full technical measuring range – up to 107 percent of the specified nominal measuring range can be achieved, depending on the range in question. The EtherCAT measurement technology modules are optionally available with a factory calibration certificate.
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