EL2262 by Beckhoff

The EL2262 is a digital output terminal manufactured by Beckhoff for the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. Designed for EtherCAT networks, the module snaps onto a DIN rail and provides two high-speed output channels that can drive solenoids, LEDs, or logic interface lines directly from the distributed I/O level. Within an automation cell, it converts the time-deterministic process data of the fieldbus into 24-volt switching signals, supporting precise synchronization of motion events, sampling sequences, and high-frequency trigger tasks.

Each channel is supplied from the system power rail at 24 VDC, and it can source up to 0.5 A to resistive, inductive, or lamp loads without an additional driver stage. Fast electronics inside the terminal achieve a switching time of <1 µs, so edge delays remain negligible even at the module boundary. Combined with an output rate of 1 Msample/s and an oversampling factor that reaches 1000, the device can reproduce finely resolved waveforms or pulse trains. A system synchronization accuracy of <100 ns aligns those outputs with the distributed clocks of the EtherCAT ring, and the breaking energy per channel remains below 150 mJ to limit contact stress. The typical E-bus current draw is 70 mA, minimizing the load on the coupler.

The terminal exposes 2 configurable digital outputs in the process image, and the minimum output period of 1 µs allows deterministic pulse-width modulation directly from the PLC cycle. Integrated foldback monitoring limits fault current to a typical value of 4 A for 150 µs, protecting upstream supply lines while supporting fast inrush events. The IP20 enclosure suits cabinet-mounted installations without direct exposure to dust or liquids. The terminal transfers an output process image of up to 504 bytes during every cycle. It also transfers a 4-byte input process image, providing sufficient bandwidth for oversampled data sets.