Servo Motors for EtherCAT Systems: What to Confirm Before Ordering

A request for a "400 W servo motor with EtherCAT" leaves an important question unanswered: is the buyer ordering a motor, a motor-and-drive package, or an integrated unit? The answer changes what needs to be specified.

For a project like this, our recommendation at Jiangnan Electric is to confirm the drive model alongside the motor requirement. Our catalog identifies motor power connections and feedback options separately. Those details describe the motor interface; they do not, by themselves, establish an EtherCAT connection. [1]

Locate the Network Connection

In a system with a separate servo drive, EtherCAT carries commands and status information between the machine controller and the drive. The drive supplies controlled electrical power to the motor and uses motor feedback for control. These are different connections with different jobs.

Integrated servo products put the motor and drive electronics in one assembly. An EtherCAT interface can then be part of that assembly. The distinction is the included electronics, not simply the shape of the motor or its power rating. Confirm which arrangement the project requires before comparing quotations. [2]

Two 400 W Motors Can Need Different Drives

The 400 W entries in our 60A and 60B catalog tables share the same rated torque and speed, but list different drive-voltage requirements. [1]

Source: Jiangnan / Zhongke Servo English catalog, PDF pages 26 and 29 (printed pages 17 and 20). Values apply to the listed configurations. These drive-voltage entries are not instructions for connecting the motor directly to a power supply. [1]

This is why "EtherCAT, 400 W" cannot identify a suitable drive on its own. The drive must also match the motor's electrical requirements. The two motors are not interchangeable merely because their rated output is the same, and this comparison does not establish compatibility with any particular drive.

Check the Feedback Interface Separately

An absolute encoder does not make a motor an EtherCAT device. The encoder-to-drive interface and the controller-to-drive network are separate parts of the system.

Our catalog offers several feedback choices. For the selected configuration, confirm the exact encoder interface, supply and wiring against what the drive supports. A matching bit count or a description such as "absolute feedback" is not a complete compatibility check. [1][3]

Ask for More Than the Communication Specification

Ask the drive supplier to review the motor data, not only the network requirement. The review should cover the supported motor type, voltage range, continuous and short-duration current capability, and feedback interface. Confirm how the motor parameters will be entered or identified during setup. [3]

For a replacement project, send the full drive designation and the installed motor's specification. For a new machine, state whether the drive has already been selected. That distinction helps identify which parts of the design are fixed and which can still be discussed.

Verify the Pairing Before Approving the Axis

A controller communicating with a drive demonstrates the network connection, not the complete motor application. The proposed motor-drive pairing still needs to be evaluated with the machine's intended load and movement.

Agree on the sample test before ordering production quantities. Check the required motion, current and temperature under representative conditions, and record the motor version, feedback option and drive configuration used. A successful network scan or unloaded rotation test is not the same as approval of the working axis.

Any change to the motor, encoder or drive should be reviewed for its effect on the approved pairing. Do not assume the previous setup remains valid because the communication protocol has not changed.

Send Jiangnan the Drive Details with the Motor Inquiry

Include the drive brand, exact model and available documentation with the required motor torque, speed and mounting dimensions. Add the machine controller information, supply arrangement, feedback requirement and a short description of the working cycle. State whether the quotation is for the motor alone or a package that also includes a drive and cables.

Our servo motor range provides component options to review against that information. The catalog data in this article are not an EtherCAT certification or a verified compatibility list. A proposed pairing needs its own technical confirmation. [1][4]

Naming the network tells us how the machine is intended to communicate. Naming the drive and the operating requirements lets us begin the motor discussion.

References

[1] Jiangnan / Zhongke Servo. English Servo Motor Catalog.

User-supplied edition: 伺服电机宣传页(英文)(1).pdf. PDF page 8: motor connections and option codes. PDF pages 26 and 29 (printed pages 17 and 20): 60A and 60B technical tables. The catalog is the authority for product figures in this article. Request the applicable catalog edition from Jiangnan Electric; no public file URL has been verified.

[2] Beckhoff Automation. Servo Drives.

Technical background on separate servo drives and integrated motor-drive assemblies with EtherCAT interfaces. No listed Beckhoff product is represented as a validated match for a Jiangnan motor.

https://www.beckhoff.com/en-us/products/motion/servo-drives/

[3] Novanta Motion. Denali XCR: Product Description; MotionLab3: Motor.

Technical background on separate communication, motor-power and feedback requirements, and on setting motor-specific parameters. No Novanta product specifications are used as Jiangnan product data.

https://drives.novantamotion.com/denxcr/product-description

https://drives.novantamotion.com/mot3/motor

[4] Hangzhou Jiangnan Electric Motor Co., Ltd. Servo Electric Motors.

Company product category and inquiry starting point. Website figures do not supersede the catalog entries reproduced in the article.

https://www.jnelectricmotor.com/servo-electric-motors/

Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general reference only. Product specifications, performance, configuration options and suitability must be evaluated in detail for the intended application and actual operating conditions. Before selecting, purchasing or using a product, please confirm the relevant details with Jiangnan Electric and refer to the applicable technical documentation and agreed specifications. This article does not replace product-specific instructions or a professional engineering assessment.