The EtherCAT Technology Group Announces Power over EtherCAT

The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) has expanded its namesake technology with a new “Power over EtherCAT” enhancement. This specification makes use of IEEE802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality and can be implemented with commercially available chips. Power over EtherCAT is ideal for encoders or linear position sensors, which can now be designed to connect to EtherCAT and be powered using a single, standard Ethernet cable.