Lenze EtherCAT Controller-based Automation - Manual (Page 18)

4 The Lenze automation system with EtherCAT
4.1 Brief description of EtherCAT
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Lenze · Controller-based Automation · EtherCAT® Communication Manual · DMS 6.4 EN · 04/2014 · TD17
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4.1.1 Structure of the EtherCAT bus system
Basic structure
[4-1] Example: EtherCAT bus system with 3231 C controller and i700 servo inverter
Physical structure
An EtherCAT master can communicate with one or more nodes (slaves).
Internally, the EtherCAT bus has a ring topology. Since Ethernet cables are provided with a feed
conductor and a return conductor within one cable, for the installer the topology seems to be a line.
The last slave closes the ring.
Switches, hubs, or other infrastructure components known from the Ethernet standard must not be
used because they impair the real-time performance.