The EtherCat Technology Group (ETG) has expanded its namesake technology with a new Power over EtherCat enhancement. This specification makes use of IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality and can be implemented with commercially available chips. Power over EtherCat is ideal for encoders or linear position sensors, which can now be designed to connect to EtherCat and be powered using a single, standard Ethernet cable.
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