Product Description:

The EK9300-1010 is an EtherCAT coupler manufactured by Beckhoff as part of the EK EtherCAT Couplers series. Positioned at the head of an EtherCAT terminal string, it translates field data so that a higher-level PROFINET controller can exchange cyclic process values with attached I/O modules. By combining an EtherCAT master function with a PROFINET device profile, the unit streamlines protocol conversion inside control cabinets for machine builders and plant integrators. Because the translation occurs in the coupler, the connected terminal stack can be presented to the controller as one organized remote I/O station.

The communication side uses a bus interface made up of 2 x RJ45 connectors, which form two Ethernet ports that support line topology and automatic address learning. This arrangement supports compact cabinet layouts and straightforward network daisy chaining. Each port sustains a data rate of 100 Mbit/s, allowing deterministic cycle times required by distributed motion or safety tasks. The device appears to the host system as a PROFINET node and can exchange up to 1440 bytes of I/O data in every bus cycle, which suits medium-sized island stations with mixed terminal types. Internal electronics dissipate a maximum of 3 W, so the thermal load inside compact enclosures remains low. One USB device port is available for service access without using network bandwidth.

System power is supplied at 24 VDC, and the same voltage is routed through the coupler’s power contacts, where it can deliver up to 10 A to downstream terminals that drive actuators or sensors. An auxiliary rail provides 2 A for the electronics of the I/O slices, which separates logic consumption from load current and helps keep field supply demand off the control electronics. The housing measures 100 mm in height, 64 mm in width, and 73 mm in depth, so it aligns with standard DIN-rail clearances and leaves ventilation space for adjacent modules. These dimensions and the low internal power dissipation help high-density EtherCAT stations fit into shallow control panels.