Product Description:

The EL3111 analog input terminal is produced by Beckhoff for the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. It offers a single differential channel that digitizes voltage signals and sends them to the EtherCAT bus, allowing controllers to supervise process sensors directly through the I/O system. The unit supports distributed measurement tasks in machines and plant equipment where compact DIN-rail modules are preferred. It integrates with adjacent EtherCAT I/O devices through shared communication and power contacts, minimizing separate wiring between the measurement point and the machine controller.

Within the terminal, a sigma-delta converter samples the signal at 16-bit resolution and applies an internal anti-alias filter with a limit frequency of 5 kHz to suppress higher-frequency noise. The input stage provides one analog input for sensors such as pressure or temperature transmitters. It tolerates up to 10 V of common-mode voltage and uses a differential measurement path to reduce errors caused by ground loops. Sampling is synchronized with EtherCAT Distributed Clocks, providing deterministic timestamps for controller applications that depend on precisely timed measurements.

Installation follows the standard 35 mm rail format, and the housing carries the IP20 protection class, so the module is intended for enclosed control cabinets. The screw contacts allow up to 40 mA on the signal line and up to 100 mA on the shield terminal, providing headroom for sensor excitation and cable shielding. During operation, the module maps the converted reading as one 16-bit value in the input process image and provides one 8-bit status value for error reporting. The status information allows controller logic to distinguish a valid measurement from an input fault without requiring a separate diagnostic channel. The internal nonvolatile storage function retains configuration data after a restart, preventing operating settings from being lost when the terminal is power-cycled.