do you need ethercat slave to operate stuff? can you do it through pc that is directly connected ethercat components? I assume ethercat master operates everything and ethercat slave just sends data to master which processes digital inputs from arduino - actually in this case master sends data to arduino?
EtherCAT is always bidirectional. In this video we read and write datas from one slave to another, the Master in this case simply exchange datas between the various slaves, but all the slaves send and receive datas.
Hi, How do you get the EK1100 Module to Codesys??
So the master is the plc program?
Yes, the Master is the PLC program, in this case Codesys.
Could this be used a simple motion controller?
Yes, you can also build a simple motion controller using an Arduino Motor Shield for example.
do you need ethercat slave to operate stuff? can you do it through pc that is directly connected ethercat components? I assume ethercat master operates everything and ethercat slave just sends data to master which processes digital inputs from arduino - actually in this case master sends data to arduino?
EtherCAT is always bidirectional. In this video we read and write datas from one slave to another, the Master in this case simply exchange datas between the various slaves, but all the slaves send and receive datas.
so can I operate a servo drive only with my PC?
Yes, if is an EtherCAT Servo Drive.
The CODESYS is freeware?
No, there is a license, if You don't have it, You can run the programs for about 30 minutes, and after You need to restart Codesys.