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µs
Ultra-Fast Microsecond Precision
Benefit from minimal jitter and deterministic response times. EtherCAT processes data on-the-fly, allowing multi-axis machines to run at maximum throughput without communication bottlenecks.
Smart Motion · EtherCAT Solutions
Next-Generation EtherCAT Drives. Integrated Intelligence. Maximum Power Density.
Scalable real-time motion control from 10 to 5000 Watts, tailored exactly to your machine architecture.
10 to
5000 W Scalable power range
5000 W Scalable power range
µs
Real-time precision
STO
Integrated safety
Integrated & External EtherCAT Solutions
Highly efficient, intelligent motion control for industrial automation.
Dunkermotoren delivers real-time EtherCAT interfaces for demanding automation architectures. Whether utilizing integrated BLDC servo motors or combining the dCore series with high-performance external controllers, our solutions eliminate hardware layers, reduce wiring effort, and enable microsecond synchronization.
Core Advantages
Designed for deterministic performance, compact machines and fast commissioning.
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Drastic Space & Cost Savings
By integrating the drive electronics directly into the motor housing, you eliminate external servo drives from your electrical cabinet, shrinking its physical footprint and lowering hardware overhead.
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Simplified Plug-and-Play Wiring
Say goodbye to complex, error-prone analog feedback cabling. A single standard Ethernet cable links your master controller to our drives in a clean daisy-chain topology.
402
Standardized CoE & CiA 402 Profiles
Seamlessly integrate our motors into standard EtherCAT master environments such as TwinCAT and CODESYS and. Full compliance with the CiA 402 motion profile ensures rapid commissioning.
STO
Safe Torque Off Built In
Functional safety is paramount. Our dPro drives come standard with integrated hardware STO, preventing unexpected motor restarts without the need for expensive external safety contactors.
IoT
Industrial IoT & Diagnostics Ready
Monitor motor temperature, voltage, and error logs in real time. Use Ethernet over EtherCAT to tune and diagnose your drives through Drive Assistant 5 without interrupting machine cycles.
Architecture Paths
Choose integrated intelligence or a flexible external controller setup.
All-in-One Smart Servo Motors
Motor, encoder, electronics, and EtherCAT interface combined into a single, compact housing. Perfect for decentralized automation where cabinet space is zero.
- BG 45 dPro EC: Ultra-compact 46 mm frame size for tight spaces.
- BG 66 dPro EC: The versatile mid-range workhorse for standard automation.
- BG 75 dPro EC: High power density champion for heavy continuous duties.
- BG 95 dPro EC: Maximum continuous torque and peak power output.
Flexible External Architecture for dCore Motors
Do your ambient conditions demand a classic split architecture? Dunkermotoren's dCore series, pure brushless DC motors with high-resolution encoders, can be easily integrated into EtherCAT networks using our smart external controllers.
- The Controller Link: The BGE 5510 dPro EC external controller acts as the high-speed intelligence hub. It drives dCore motors with the same software environment and fieldbus performance as integrated models.
- When to choose this path: High-vibration environments, extreme temperatures at the motor site, or when a centralized cabinet layout is preferred.
Decision Guide
How to choose the right EtherCAT drive architecture.
The right EtherCAT setup depends on where intelligence should be located in your machine. Use integrated dPro EC drives for compact decentralized motion control or combine dCore motors with an external controller when the electronics should remain separated from the motor.
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Choose integrated dPro EC
If the motor, electronics, and EtherCAT interface should be combined into one compact drive unit.
Cabinet space is limited and decentralized drive intelligence is preferred.
Wiring effort should be reduced through compact daisy-chain EtherCAT topology.
Integrated diagnostics and STO should be available directly at drive level.
Fast commissioning with standardized motion profiles is a priority.
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Choose dCore plus BGE 5510 dPro
If a split architecture is required, where the motor and control electronics are installed separately.
Thermal conditions are demanding and electronics should stay away from the motor location.
High vibration occurs at the motor site and the controller should be mounted in a protected area.
Centralized cabinet architecture is preferred for service, access or machine standards.
Motor installation space is constrained and a shorter motor package is required.
3
Check these system requirements
Before selecting the drive family, define the mechanical, electrical and communication requirements of the axis.
Power range and voltage level for continuous and peak operation.
Encoder, brake and gearbox needs based on positioning accuracy and load profile.
Communication topology including EtherCAT master, cycle time and axis count.
Safety concept including STO, machine stop strategy and risk assessment.
Need help validating your architecture?
Compare integrated and modular EtherCAT setups in the product finder or contact our application engineers for a technical recommendation.
EtherCAT Motor Portfolio
Integrated dPro drives and modular dCore motors for scalable real-time motion control.
Build your EtherCAT architecture around compact smart servo motors with integrated electronics or combine dCore motors with an external controller. Dunkermotoren supports both paths with BLDC motor technology, fieldbus-ready interfaces and a modular system for gearboxes, encoders and brakes.
Recommended product families
Start with the motor size that matches your power range, installation space and machine architecture.
Application Showcase
Built for high-performance automation environments.
AGVs & Autonomous Mobile Robots
Precision Mobility for Intralogistics
AGVs require space-saving components and high energy efficiency to maximize battery life. Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives provide precise wheel steering and traction control, ensuring smooth navigation in tight warehouse corridors.
Warehouse Automation & Material Handling
High-Speed Sorting and Shuttle Systems
Modern fulfillment centers rely on milliseconds. Our EtherCAT solutions drive smart shuttle fleets and rapid conveyor gates, executing sorting commands instantly and handling high-frequency start-stop cycles effortlessly.
Packaging & Labeling Machinery
Flawless Multi-Axis Synchronization
Labeling bottles or wrapping products requires perfect synchronization between continuous film tensioning and cutting axes. Distributed Clocks ensure all axes match positions with sub-microsecond accuracy, reducing product waste.
EtherCAT Terms Explained
Key motion control terms for EtherCAT drive systems.
EtherCAT applications often combine real-time communication, standardized motion profiles, safety functions and diagnostic access. These terms help engineers understand how Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives fit into modern automation architectures.
EC
EtherCAT
EtherCAT is an Ethernet-based fieldbus for real-time machine communication. It is designed for fast data exchange between an automation controller and multiple drive axes, making it suitable for synchronized motion control in compact and high-performance machines.
Real-time fieldbus
CoE
CANopen over EtherCAT
CoE enables CANopen communication structures to be used within an EtherCAT network. For motion control, this supports standardized object dictionaries and helps integrate drives into common EtherCAT master environments.
Standardized drive access
402
CiA 402 Motion Profile
CiA 402 defines standardized drive states and operating modes for motion control. This simplifies commissioning because drive behavior, control words and status words follow a common motion profile.
Motion profile
DC
Distributed Clocks
Distributed Clocks synchronize EtherCAT devices with very high timing accuracy. This is important for multi-axis systems where several drives must follow the same timing reference, for example in packaging, labeling, sorting or shuttle systems.
Axis synchronization
EoE
Ethernet over EtherCAT
EoE tunnels standard Ethernet communication through the EtherCAT infrastructure. This allows configuration, diagnostics and service access without interrupting the deterministic real-time control loop.
Diagnostics access
STO
Safe Torque Off
Safe Torque Off is a functional safety feature that prevents the motor from generating torque. It supports machine safety concepts by helping prevent unexpected motor restarts without requiring the main supply to be disconnected.
Functional safety
FAQ: EtherCAT Motors
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Which Dunkermotoren series support EtherCAT natively?The brushless DC motors of the BG dPro series feature fully integrated EtherCAT interfaces. This includes the frame sizes BG 45, BG 66, BG 75, and BG 95.
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Can I run Dunkermotoren dCore motors on an EtherCAT network?Yes. While dCore motors do not have integrated electronics, they can be connected to an EtherCAT network using an external controller like the BGE 5510 dPro EC. This gives you full EtherCAT capability for the entire dCore brushless motor portfolio.
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What is EoE and how does Dunkermotoren use it?EoE stands for Ethernet over EtherCAT. Dunkermotoren uses this protocol to tunnel standard Ethernet traffic through the existing EtherCAT master infrastructure. This allows engineers to use Drive Assistant 5 configuration software simultaneously without disturbing the deterministic real-time control loop.
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Do Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives include functional safety?Yes. All integrated dPro drives and compatible external controllers feature hardware-implemented Safe Torque Off as a standard feature, fulfilling modern European and international safety regulations.
Find out more: Functional-Safety-Solutions-for-BLDC Motors -
What motion control profiles do Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives support?Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives natively support the standardized CiA 402 (CANopen over EtherCAT / CoE) device profile for drives and motion control. This includes operating modes such as Profile Position Mode (pp), Profile Velocity Mode (pv), Homing Mode (hm), and Cyclic Synchronous Position Mode (csp).
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Are Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives compatible with Beckhoff TwinCAT?Yes. Dunkermotoren dPro and BGE EtherCAT drives are fully compatible with Beckhoff TwinCAT 2 and TwinCAT 3, as well as other major master systems like Codesys, Omron, and Siemens (via an EtherCAT master module). Dunkermotoren provides the matching ESI file (EtherCAT Slave Information) xml for seamless software integration.
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What is the synchronization accuracy of Dunkermotoren Distributed Clocks (DC)?By utilizing hardware-implemented Distributed Clocks (DC), Dunkermotoren EtherCAT drives achieve synchronization accuracy significantly below 1 microsecond (< 1 µs). This guarantees perfectly simultaneous movements across massive multi-axis machinery configurations.
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How do I configure and tune Dunkermotoren EtherCAT motors?Configuration, commissioning, and controller tuning are done via the free Drive Assistant 5 PC software. Thanks to Ethernet over EtherCAT (EoE) support, you can access the motor parameters directly through your existing EtherCAT network topology without needing an extra USB or serial cable.
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Can Dunkermotoren EtherCAT motors replace traditional AC servo drives?Yes, in low-to-medium power ranges up to 5000 W peak. Dunkermotoren BLDC motors equipped with integrated dPro electronics provide a compact, DC-powered alternative to bulky 230V/400V AC servo systems, drastically reducing control cabinet size and system complexity.
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Do Dunkermotoren EtherCAT solutions support energy recovery (regeneration)?Yes. During deceleration phases, the integrated electronics handle the regenerative energy. For systems with high inertial loads or frequent braking cycles, external braking resistors can be integrated via the BGE external controller series to manage excess voltage safely.
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What IP environmental protection ratings are available for Dunkermotoren EtherCAT motors?Dunkermotoren EtherCAT integrated motors (BG series) come with standard industrial protection, but can be ordered with up to IP65 environmental protection classification. This makes them dust-tight and protected against water jets, ideal for harsh industrial environments or material handling setups.