A groov EPIC running CODESYS has limited EtherCAT support: EtherCAT I/O is reported to work, but other EtherCAT functions have not been validated on the platform. The available evidence does not establish general-purpose motion, servo, or arbitrary device support.
Confirmed Support Boundary
| Capability | Evidence-based status | Engineering decision |
|---|---|---|
| EtherCAT I/O | Reported to work | Proceed only after testing the exact I/O devices and required data exchange. |
| Other EtherCAT devices or functions | Not validated on groov EPIC | Do not assume compatibility from CODESYS catalog availability alone. |
| Dedicated EtherCAT EPIC module | No module identified in the evidence | Do not design around a module that has not been confirmed. |
| Motion or servo control | No validated capability established | Require platform-specific validation before selecting groov EPIC for this role. |
CODESYS Configuration Does Not Prove Platform Support
The development environment may allow an engineer to add an EtherCAT master and associate it with a secondary network interface. One reported configuration also requested a license and entered demo mode. These observations confirm that configuration objects are visible, but they do not prove that groov EPIC hardware, runtime, licensing, and the intended EtherCAT devices form a validated system.
Resolve the Conflicting Claims
The evidence contains both a statement that EtherCAT cannot work without hardware support and a later, narrower statement that EtherCAT I/O does work. Treat the narrower statement as the usable boundary: test I/O, while classifying every non-I/O function as unvalidated. The evidence does not identify runtime versions, firmware versions, compatible device lists, license terms, cycle performance, or motion capabilities.
Project Qualification Procedure
- Define whether the project needs only EtherCAT I/O or also needs motion, servo, safety, or other device profiles.
- Confirm that the CODESYS runtime exposes an EtherCAT master on the intended groov EPIC network interface and determine whether the installed runtime requests a license.
- Test the exact EtherCAT devices and required data exchange on the target hardware; do not substitute successful master configuration for operational verification.
- Verify startup, cyclic I/O exchange, fault detection, recovery, and sustained operation under the required application load.
- If the project needs anything beyond validated I/O behavior, obtain explicit confirmation through official Opto 22 support channels or select an architecture whose required EtherCAT functions are validated.
FAQ
Can groov EPIC run an EtherCAT network from CODESYS?
Limited support is reported: EtherCAT I/O works, but no other EtherCAT capability is validated in the available evidence. Test the exact devices and application functions before committing the design.
Does adding an EtherCAT master in CODESYS prove it will work?
No. The configuration interface may expose a master on the secondary network interface, but this does not prove runtime, license, device, or application compatibility.
Can groov EPIC control EtherCAT servo drives?
The evidence does not establish validated EtherCAT motion or servo support. Treat that application as unsupported until the complete hardware and runtime combination is explicitly validated.