Mass Flow and Pressure Instruments Now Offer EtherCAT Protocol

Alicat Scientific’s line of mass flow, pressure and liquid instruments can now be configured with the EtherCAT protocol. Users of Beckhoff PLCs for industrial automation can now connect Alicat devices with the high-speed and robust EtherCAT protocol.

In the chemical, medical, manufacturing and power industries, Alicat instruments rapidly and precisely monitor and control critical process parameters. The speed and reliability of Alicat devices are particularly well suited to vacuum coating processes, such as Atomic Layer Deposition and Chemical Vapour Deposition. All of the mass flow or pressure controller’s data, including: mass flow, volumetric flow, pressure, temperature, selected gas calibration, setpoint, and totalised flow can be output to a central PLC running a compatible automation protocol. Users may also change setpoint or gas selection, and issue other commands remotely.

EtherCAT joins Alicat’s wide offering of industrial automation protocol options, which also includes Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus-RTU, EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet and PROFIBUS communication options to fit new or existing systems. For easy drop-in replacement of older industrial units, Alicat instruments are made to fit the same space as common industry mass flow controllers. All Alicat instruments are backed by NIST-traceable calibration, comprehensive technical support and a lifetime warranty.