Press Release

With the assignment of the 4000th EtherCAT Vendor ID, the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) once again underlines the outstanding diversity of EtherCAT manufacturers. The Vendor ID is mandatory for manufacturers of EtherCAT devices and enables those devices to be uniquely identified and assigned worldwide.

Accordingly, each EtherCAT device must bear its manufacturer’s unique Vendor ID. The ETG alone assigns EtherCAT Vendor ID numbers and provides precise guidelines for their use. This ensures uniform and reliable interoperability of EtherCAT products in accordance with the EtherCAT specifications, and it is verified by testing with the official EtherCAT Conformance Test Tool.

Oliver Fels, who is responsible for Vendor ID at ETG, explains: “Every manufacturer of an EtherCAT device must be a member of the ETG and have a valid Vendor ID. This must be implemented in every EtherCAT device before it is launched on the market. Users of EtherCAT devices such as machine builders, OEMs or system integrators do not need a Vendor ID.”

The allocation of an EtherCAT Vendor ID is free of charge, as is ETG membership. This underlines the openness of the technology. ETG members can apply for the Vendor ID online via the EtherCAT Technology Group website.

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