Implementing EtherCAT Protocol for the Virtualization of Industrial Networks

In factory networks, various network protocols are used to meet strict requirements for accuracy and latency. The controllers that use these protocols are built with dedicated equipment, making it difficult to mix them with other protocols. Moreover, these controllers often rely on specialized software, complicating the integration of innovative technologies like AI. In this paper, we propose a versatile control system by implementing one of the industrial protocols, EtherCAT, on a general-purpose server. This system can control multiple protocols, allowing new protocols to be added without changing existing equipment. Experiments demonstrated that the system reliably operates multiple devices in a daisy-chain configuration, a characteristic feature of EtherCAT.