Product Description:

The EL4031-0000 analog output terminal is produced by Beckhoff as part of the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. Designed for voltage-driven actuators and process loops, the module converts digital setpoints from the EtherCAT fieldbus into a precise analog level for a single channel. By integrating directly into the terminal strand, it lets machine builders generate controlled reference signals without separate standalone I/O hardware, simplifying cabinet wiring in distributed automation architectures.

Internal electronics draw power from the system's 24 VDC supply, while the output stage provides a programmable span of ±10 V. Conversion is handled at 12-bit resolution, giving 4,096 discrete steps across the full range, and the factory-specified linearity error stays within ±0.1% FS between 0 °C and 55 °C. In the process image, the channel appears as a 1 x 16-bit AO Output, so control variables can be written with sign and status bits in a single word. The terminal offers one output, uses multiplex sampling, and relies on a single-ended ground reference. Support for distributed clocks keeps the analog waveform synchronized with other EtherCAT devices to microsecond accuracy, which is useful in coordinated motion or test benches.

For cabinet installation, the housing snaps onto a 35 mm DIN Rail and carries a protection rating of IP20, restricting its use to enclosures that prevent dust ingress and finger contact. The output may drive loads down to 5 kΩ without exceeding distortion limits, and the 0 V terminal can source or sink up to 500 mA for field reference wiring. A separate shield conductor is allowed a continuous 100 mA to drain interference currents. Because only one channel is present, wiring is straightforward, and the single-ended topology keeps common-mode voltage within safe levels for sensors and actuators that do not tolerate differential signaling.