Product Description:

The EL4732 is a dual-channel analog output terminal from Beckhoff within the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. It fits on the EtherCAT I/O rack and converts digital setpoints from the controller into continuous ±10 V signals that drive actuators or laboratory equipment. Because power and communication both come through the E-bus backplane, the unit adds high-speed voltage output to distributed automation nodes without requiring separate field wiring.

The terminal provides a 16-bit conversion depth, so each channel divides the full ±10 V span into 65,536 discrete steps. Its output stage supports a maximum signal swing of ±10 V, enabling direct connection to standard single-ended process inputs. Data refresh can reach 100 ksamples/s per channel, which is suitable for rapid waveform generation or finely stepped motion profiles. The terminal has 2 output channels, and each channel must have a load resistance of at least 5 kΩ to maintain the stated linearity and thermal limits. Oversampling up to 100:1 is available, so internal data can be clocked faster than the network cycle. This capability allows finer output timing when the controller issues dense command streams.

The terminal stays synchronized with neighboring devices by using EtherCAT Distributed Clocks that keep timing jitter under 100 ns. The maximum measurement error is ±0.1% of full scale, so process deviations remain predictable over changes in temperature and operating time. The housing carries an IP20 rating, indicating protection against accidental finger contact but no protection against liquid ingress. The terminal is therefore intended for installation inside a control cabinet. Operating power is drawn from the backplane, where the module typically consumes 180 mA from the E-bus current rail. This current draw must be included when sizing the available power for the complete EtherCAT segment.