EtherCAT Technology Group opens test center in Japan

　　August 10, 2009 – To best serve the large number of EtherCAT device vendors in Japan, the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) has opened the first EtherCAT Test Center (ETC) outside of Europe in Kyoto, Japan. This new ETC for conformance testing is operated by the Advanced Software Technology and Mechatronics Research Institute of Kyoto (ASTEM).

　　At the opening ceremony for the Kyoto ETC, ASTEM President and Professor, Dr. Yukihiro Nakamura underlined the extensive experience of his institute with conformance testing. ASTEM has been in charge of operating fieldbus testing facilities since 1996. “We are proud that with EtherCAT we are now supporting the newest, most exciting generation of communication technology, for which many implementations in Japan and Asia are already under way,” Dr. Nakamura said. Martin Rostan, ETG Executive Director and Dr. Nakamura signed the ETC cooperation agreement at the event. For the “ribbon” cutting ceremony, the ribbon had been replaced with a yellow Ethernet cable, symbolizing the core technology used by EtherCAT.

　　Takeshi Kameda, ETG Representative Japan, highlighted the short, but successful history of EtherCAT in Japan:”By establishing the first test center outside Europe in Kyoto, the ETG clearly honors both the rapid growth of the organization in this country as well as its strong automation device vendor community, which is adopting EtherCAT at a rapid pace,” he said. “Having an EtherCAT Test Center here will further increase the acceptance of EtherCAT in Japan.”

　　The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the city of Kyoto as well as from local ETG member Omron, who is providing initial technical support to establish the test center, but is not involved in its operation. ASTEMs EtherCAT Test Center personnel are receiving training at the original EtherCAT Test Center in Nuremberg, Germany, in order to ensure a uniform test process regardless of the Test Center location. The Kyoto Test Center will be fully operational in a few weeks from now, serving the Japanese as well as the overall Asian EtherCAT community.

　　The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is an organization in which key user companies from various industries and leading automation suppliers join forces to support, promote and advance EtherCAT technology. With over 1,000 members from 47 countries, the EtherCAT Technology Group has become the largest organization in the world that is exclusively focused on Industrial Ethernet technologies. Founded in November 2003, it is also currently the fastest growing fieldbus organization.