Report Overview: EtherCAT empowers robot intelligence, constructing the core pillar of the “neural network” and leading the future of the industry.
The EtherCAT protocol, with its outstanding real-time performance, low latency, and high synchronization, has become a key technology in the field of industrial robot communication. Its distributed clock mechanism and hardware-level data processing capabilities allow communication delays between robot joints to be controlled at the microsecond level, far surpassing the millisecond-level response time of traditional CAN protocols. This performance advantage not only enhances the coherence and accuracy of robot movements but also significantly reduces the complexity for engineers during programming. Furthermore, EtherCAT’s open-source nature and low IP acquisition costs have allowed it to capture over 90% of the market share in motion control. Its flexible topology and the absence of the need for switches further reduce the complexity and cost of system deployment, providing an efficient and reliable foundation for the robot’s “neural network”.
EtherCAT achieves modular reconstruction of the robot control system through a “master-slave” distributed architecture. The EtherCAT protocol integrates communication between robot joints, sensors, and controllers efficiently through its distributed architecture, forming a network similar to biological neurons. Each joint is equipped with an independent EtherCAT chip, ensuring real-time data transmission and precise control, while also supporting multi-sensor reuse, reducing hardware redundancy. For example, multiple sensors on a hand joint can connect to the same chip, achieving data integration and feedback through the protocol, enhancing system flexibility while reducing wiring complexity and system weight, thus supporting efficient operation of robots in complex industrial environments. Additionally, EtherCAT’s high scalability allows it to easily adapt to robot systems of different scales, further solidifying its core position in the robotics field.
In practical applications, the EtherCAT protocol demonstrates strong adaptability and scalability. In the field of industrial robots, its low latency and high synchronization characteristics make it the preferred communication protocol for six-axis robotic arms and collaborative robots. In humanoid robots, EtherCAT supports fine motion control (such as independent actuation of finger joints) and real-time collaboration for complex tasks, providing crucial support for the intelligent development of robots. A typical humanoid robot may require 28 to 30 EtherCAT chips to drive major movement parts such as shoulder joints, elbow joints, and for fine operations of the hands. This high-density chip deployment enables robots to perform complex movements similar to humans while maintaining efficient data transmission and low power operation.
The open-source nature and technology neutrality of the EtherCAT protocol build an open industrial ecosystem. Collaborative innovation between international manufacturers and domestic enterprises promotes full-scene coverage from industrial control to humanoid robots. As the process of robot intelligence accelerates, EtherCAT, as the communication core of the “neuron”, will continue to reshape the value chain of the robotics industry under the dual drive of domestic substitution and scene innovation, becoming a key technological fulcrum in the era of intelligent manufacturing.
Risk Warning: Technology iteration risks; intensified market competition risks.
Source
This article is excerpted from: “From Technology to Ecology, EtherCAT Reshapes the Robot ‘Neuron'” published on March 30, 2025
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Wang Meiyi, Certificate No:S0880124070042
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