Temposonics Industrial Ethernet Sensors, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET & EtherCAT Position Sensing

EtherNet/IP

EtherNet/IP (Ethernet Industrial Protocol) is the most widely deployed Industrial Ethernet protocol in North America and is increasingly used in European and Irish installations. Developed by ODVA, it uses standard Ethernet and TCP/IP with the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) application layer.

Temposonics sensors with EtherNet/IP provide:

• Implicit (cyclic) messaging for real-time position data at update rates up to 1 kHz.
• Explicit messaging for configuration, diagnostics, and parameter access.
• Standard RJ45 or M12 D-coded Ethernet connections.
• Integration with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Omron, and other EtherNet/IP-capable PLCs.
• Web server for configuration and monitoring via standard browser.

EtherNet/IP is the natural choice for installations using Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) controllers and for sites where IT/OT convergence requires standard Ethernet infrastructure.

PROFINET

PROFINET is the Industrial Ethernet standard from the PROFIBUS user organisation (PI) and is the dominant protocol in European automation, particularly with Siemens SIMATIC controllers.

Temposonics PROFINET sensors support:

• PROFINET IO RT (Real-Time) for cyclic position data exchange.
• GSDML device description files for simple integration into Siemens TIA Portal and other engineering tools.
• Standard Ethernet connections with auto-negotiation.
• Integrated diagnostics accessible through the PLC.

For Irish manufacturers using Siemens automation platforms, PROFINET Temposonics sensors provide plug-and-play integration without protocol converters or gateways.

EtherCAT

EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) is an ultra-high-performance Industrial Ethernet protocol developed by Beckhoff. It achieves deterministic, sub-microsecond cycle times by processing Ethernet frames 'on the fly' as they pass through each device.

Temposonics EtherCAT sensors deliver:

• Cycle times as low as 100 µs for demanding motion control applications.
• Distributed clock synchronisation for multi-axis coordination.
• Standard Ethernet cabling with daisy-chain topology (no switches required).
• CoE (CANopen over EtherCAT) for familiar device profile and parameterisation.

EtherCAT is the preferred choice for high-performance motion control, robotics, and applications where multiple Temposonics sensors must be synchronised to a common time base.

Choosing the Right Protocol

The choice of Industrial Ethernet protocol is typically determined by the PLC/controller platform:

• Rockwell/Allen-Bradley → EtherNet/IP
• Siemens → PROFINET
• Beckhoff → EtherCAT
• Omron, Mitsubishi → EtherNet/IP or EtherCAT depending on model

All three protocols deliver sufficient performance for magnetostrictive position sensing. The key differentiator is compatibility with the existing automation infrastructure. Emolice can advise on the optimal interface selection for your specific application and controller platform.

Compatible Temposonics Families

Related Interfaces & Connectors

Frequently Asked Questions