The EtherCAT Extension Port XB-EC-31 from Bosch Rexroth enables flexible expansion of EtherCAT networks within the ctrlX AUTOMATION platform. It adds an additional EtherCAT line directly from the master, allowing modular and decentralized machine architectures.
The device is fully transparent to the EtherCAT master—no addressing or configuration is needed. It exclusively forwards EtherCAT telegrams and does not support standard Ethernet communication.
A key benefit of using the XB-EC-31 is that, while EtherCAT Sync Units can generally be created in software, the extension allows a clear physical and logical separation of network branches—such as identical production lines—that run independently from each other. This separation improves robustness: if one line encounters a fault, only the corresponding Sync Unit is affected, while the rest of the network remains fully operational.
The extension helps reduce cable lengths, simplify wiring, and improve machine availability. Typical EtherCAT requirements like cycle times and propagation delays still apply and must be considered during system design.