to the advanced protocol features of EtherCAT, efficient synchronous data throughput is assured. The network features based on Ethernet enable a measurement network with distributed measurement modules. Organization The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) was established in 2003, and is the industrial Ethernet user organization with the most members in the world today. A wide range of industrial controls vendors, OEMs, machine builders, and technology organizations from around the world constitute the ETG member roster. The ETG offers its members implementation support and training, organizes interoperability tests (often called "Plug Fests"), and promotes the development and distribution of the technology, supported by its members and the teams working in offices in Germany, China, Japan, Korea, and North America. ETG end users span numerous industries, with machine builders and suppliers of powerful control technology joining forces to support and promote EtherCAT technology. The variety of industries guarantees optimal preparation of EtherCAT for the widest range of applications. System partners give qualified feedback for the simple integration of hardware and software modules in all required equipment classes. The EtherCAT Conformance Test Tool (CTT), developed with the assistance of ETG member companies, ensures the interoperability and protocol conformity of EtherCAT devices. Standardization The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is an official liaison partner of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) working groups for digital communication. The EtherCAT specification was published as IEC/PAS 62407 in 2005, which was removed end of 2007 since EtherCAT had been integrated into the international fieldbus standards IEC 61158 and IEC 61784-2 as well as into the drive profile standard IEC 61800-7. These IEC standards have been approved unanimously in September and October 2007 and were published as IS (International Standards) later that year. In IEC 61800-7, EtherCAT is a standardized communication technology for the SERCOS and CANopen drive profiles (also known as CiA 402). EtherCAT is also part of ISO 15745-4, the standard for XML device description. Furthermore, SEMI has added EtherCAT to its standards portfolio (E54.20) and approved the technology for usage in semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing equipment. In April 2010, Edition 2 of IEC 61784-3 was accepted, which contains the Safety over EtherCAT Protocol. In September 2008, the EtherCAT Installation Profile was submitted to IEC 61784-5. Further reading Notes and references External links EtherCAT Technology Group Open EtherCAT Society, open source Master and Slave EtherCAT stacks for the embedded market Open Source EtherCAT Master for Linux/Real Time