ELM EtherCAT Terminals are Beckhoff EtherCAT I/O modules built in a metal housing and intended to be used as part of the EtherCAT Terminal system, with variants that cover functions such as servo drive terminals, digital output terminals, and measurement terminals.
The ELM servomotor terminals are fully fledged servo drives for 48 VDC systems with output current up to 16 A, designed for dynamic motion tasks using field-oriented current control and PI speed control, with monitoring functions such as over/undervoltage, overcurrent, temperature, and motor load via an I²T model. The ELM platform integrates practical motion hardware features like direct motor/feedback/brake connection at the front, an absolute value interface, One Cable Technology (OCT) to eliminate a separate encoder cable, additional digital inputs for end positions/position latching, and brake chopper control for connecting a braking resistor. Across the ELM terminal documentation, configuration and commissioning are handled through the EtherCAT master environment (including TwinCAT), using device descriptions/parameters (e.g., CoE/ESI concepts) and terminal-specific wiring, shielding, and power-contact guidance for installation. For safety-relevant applications, ELM variants are available with integrated safety options such as STO/SS1 via FSoE or a broader TwinSAFE Safe Motion package implemented through an integrated TwinSAFE drive option concept.
