Product Description:

The 00.C6.6A1-0100 bus coupler is produced by KEB for its C6 Combicontrol Bus Couplers series. Designed as the EtherCAT gateway at the head of an I/O slice, it links distributed digital or analog modules to a higher-level controller over industrial Ethernet. Within an automation cell, the unit translates field signals into the EtherCAT protocol so PLCs, motion drives, and HMIs share deterministic data with minimal latency.

The communication channel operates at a baud rate of 100 Mbit/s and uses a standard CAT5 twisted-pair medium. Two integrated EtherCAT ports presented on 2 × RJ45 jacks create a line topology, while the onboard ET1100 ASIC handles frame switching and protocol timing; this dedicated controller is marked as ET1100. Upstream packets are converted from 100Base-TX signaling to the low-voltage LVDS E-bus domain. The E-bus draws 195 mA of current for internal logic and can supply up to 3 A to downstream terminal modules. The housing measures 25 mm wide, 90 mm deep, and 120 mm tall, and it snaps onto a 35 mm DIN rail inside a control cabinet.

During installation, the coupler remains within the IP20 enclosure class, so it is intended for clean, dry switching cabinets. Bus wiring may be routed up to 100 m between nodes without repeaters when standard impedance-controlled patch cords are used. The logic electronics are powered from a stabilized 24 V DC rail, while an internal comparator disconnects loads once the supply drops below the 19.2 V undervoltage threshold. Galvanic isolation separates neighboring modules from the external bus, minimizing ground-loop currents. Potential separation also protects downstream sensors from transients on the Ethernet trunk. Passive cooling through side vents keeps the component temperature within operating limits, and the narrow housing permits dense rail mounting alongside additional C6 terminals.