The netFIELD App EtherCAT Tap software application enables manufacturers to passively extract process data from existing machines on EtherCAT networks without impacting operations and equipment controls. The application is compatible with any EtherCAT network, achieves success without interference to existing network or PLC controls, and can be set up within minutes.
This containerized software is easy to deploy, manage, and includes a built-in, feature-rich configuration app that is accessible via web browser. No additional software tools are required for deployment.
By implementing a physical data switch—such as netFIELD OnPremise or netMIRROR directly after the PLC, users have access to all messaging and data traffic. This is made possible by Hilscher’s netX system-on-chip (SoC) hardware. The netX hardware allows the application to unobtrusively tap data from an EtherCAT network (or any Ethernet network) and forward it to the container.
Using a form of deep packet inspection technology derived from Hilscher’s netAnalyzer, the netFIELD App EtherCAT Tap monitors and analyzes existing machine network traffic, can recognize fieldbus protocols, and remains invisible to existing machines on the network.
The extracted, raw EtherCAT data can either be automatically enriched with semantics during the capture process, or manually reconstructed. Semantic information can be directly input via the EtherCAT network information (ENI) file—provided by TwinCAT or any other compatible engineering tool. After configuration, data of interest can be sent via MQTT to the desired monitoring or analytics application. Additionally, the listen-only functionality ensures that netFIELD App EtherCAT Tap is secure by design, offering an easy-to-use data acquisition solution for EtherCAT networks.
This passive data capture tool enables condition monitoring and data analytics applications to improve the performance of legacy machines and plant operations—with zero impact on installed equipment.
- Parallel data tapping without affecting the EtherCAT PLC
- IIoT-compatible provision of data via MQTT protocol
- Import of symbolic information from TwinCAT ENI project file
- Simple commissioning via topology import from TwinCAT ENI project file
- Reduced functionality without license key for test purposes
| Software Type | Container |
| Processor Architecture | x64, ARM64 |
| Container Size | 400 MB, unpacked |
| Memory Requirements | Minimum 200 MB, plus 100 KB of usable data buffer size per filtered process data |
| Data Feed | 2x 10/100 Mbit/s netX-SoC based industrial Ethernet ports (via netMIRROR Ethernet Mirror Tap) |
| Operating System | Linux |
| Container Runtime Environment | Required, e.g. Docker |
| Data Distribution | Any MQTT broker, such as Mosquitto (access within the container network) |
| Inbound Protocol | EtherCAT (as non-active device) |
| Outbound Protocol | MQTT (as a client) |
Hilscher North America, Inc.
