Ethernet Communication

There are two primary aspects of communication in motion control: the physical hardware interface, and the underlying communication protocol. The hardware level defines things like the connectors and the pinout, voltage levels, communication speeds, and hand-shaking. Some examples of hardware standards are USB, Ethernet, RS-232, and RS-485. The communication protocol is what describes the content of the messages sent using that hardware.

All Zaber devices include an RS-232 hardware interface (a 4-pin M8 port on Zaber's X-Series devices). Zaber's X-Series devices use the Zaber ASCII protocol as the communication protocol. Having all these devices share a common standard provides a modular ecosystem for a variety of motion control products.

Zaber’s X-MCC Series motor controllers support USB and Ethernet in addition to the RS-232 interface. Ethernet offers two primary advantages over RS-232:

• remote device communication over a network
• faster communication speeds

Ethernet allows for remote deployment, control, and debugging of controllers in locations where no computer is present. A distributed network of many controllers and Ethernet compatible devices can all be managed from a single computer or PLC, simplifying large scale implementations such as those found in industrial motion control applications. Additionally, X-MCC Series controllers can intelligently accept multiple interfaces, allowing tasks like USB debugging to be performed without removing a controller from the network.

Ethernet also provides much faster communication speeds than RS-232. Information such as position data or controller settings can be queried from the controller at up to 2kHz, allowing for improved synchronization between multiple devices. The direct USB connection is equally fast. Note that to achieve these speeds, you can set the comm.next.owner setting to 1.

RS-232, USB, and Ethernet all use Zaber’s ASCII protocol, meaning there is virtually no learning curve when switching interfaces. Ethernet is also seamlessly integrated into our Zaber Launcher motion control software and intuitive Zaber Motion Library API. One line of code is all that’s required to make a script work on either interface.

There are also several common industrial fieldbus technologies that operate using the physical Ethernet hardware, but with protocols designed with a focus on real-time communication. Three main ones are EthernetIP, PROFINET, and EtherCAT. These allow PLCs to connect, control, and synchronize many components as part of a large system. While Zaber's X-MCC controllers do not support industrial fieldbuses over Ethernet, the E-MCC controllers work with EtherCAT.

To learn more, visit the X-MCC Series product page, or the Ethernet setup instructions.