Intheframeofthisyear’sETGMemberMeetingtheEtherCATTechnologyGroup(ETG) honoredmembercompany no.500 inJapan,recently. During themeetingatthebeginningofJulytheorganizationhonoredthecompanySURUGASEIKICO.,LTD.,aleadingproviderofopticaltestandmeasurementsystems.WithSURUGASEIKIjoiningtheassociationtheETGreached twomembershipmilestonesinrapidsuccession:notlong ago,the ETG welcomedmember2000 inEurope.
Inthe2ndquarterin2017theEtherCATTechnologyGroupwasabletoreachtwomilestonesatatimeregardingitsmembershipdevelopment:First,theETGwhichhasbeenestablishedinGermanyin2003,nowcounts2000membersinEurope.Second,withthecompanySURUGASEIKICO.,LTD.Memberno.500hasjoinedtheorganization inJapan.Intotal,theETGnowhasmorethan 4.400membersworldwide.Here,it’s interestingtoknowthat, incorrespondencetothemembershipby-laws,onlycompanies,universitiesandsimilarinstitutionscanjoinETG,amembership assingleindividualisnot possible.
ThehonoringceremonyofSURUGASEIKIwasconductedduringthisyear’sETGMemberMeetingwhichwasheldinYokohama,Japan,atthebeginningofJuly.MartinRostan,ExecutiveDirector oftheETG,andMasanoriObata,ManagerETGOfficeJapan,presentedTakeshiMarui,presidentat SURUGA SEIKI,withan official membershipcertificate.
TakeshiMaruiexplainedhowhiscompanydiscoveredEtherCAT:“Twoyearsago,EtherCAThasbeen explainedtous atHannovermessein Germany.Thetechnologywassoconvincing thatwedecidedtouseitinafirststep.NowwealsodevelopowndeviceswithEtherCATinterface.We’rehappytobe part oftheEtherCAT community.”MartinRostanadded:“Japanissaidtobeaverydemandingandchallengingautomationmarket.ThefactthatEtherCAThasbecometheleadingindustrialEthernetsystemherespeaksforitself.Thuswe’reglad,thatourtechnologydoesnotonlyconvinceSURUGASEIKIbutmanymorecompaniesallovertheworld:theETGmembershipgrowthdoesnotonlycontinuebutfurtheraccelerates.Inthelast12monthswewelcomedalmost 600newmembers.”
SURUGASEIKIisaleadingbrandofprecisionpositioningandopticalmeasurementtechnology.Theydevelopandmanufactureawiderangeofproductsrangingfromprecisionpositioningstageandopticalmeasurementtechnologytoacombinedsystem,foropticalequipmentmarket,rapidlydevelopingmobileequipmentand automotivesensorfield.
AnETGmembershipofferscompaniesthatworkwithEtherCATandEtherCATPvariousbenefits aswellasthepossibilitytoactively contributeto thedevelopment ofthetechnology.
Further Information aboutETGmembershipcanbeviewedonline:https://www.ethercat.org/en/membership_benefits.html
Picturecaption:
Fromleft:MartinRostan,ExecutiveDirectorETG,Takeshi Marui,President ofSURUGASEIKICo.LTD.,
NaohitoFukazawa,GeneralManagerStageDivision,SURUGASEIKICo.LTD.Masanori Obata,Representativeand Technologist ETGOfficeJapan
AboutEtherCATTechnologyGroup(ETG):
TheEtherCATTechnologyGroup(ETG)isanassociation inwhichkeyusercompaniesfromvariousindustriesandleadingautomationsuppliersjoinforcestosupport,promoteandadvancetheEtherCATtechnology.Withover4,400membersfrom65countries,theEtherCATTechnologyGrouphasbecomethelargestfieldbusorganizationintheworld.Foundedin November2003,itisalsothefastestgrowingassociationofitskind.
AboutEtherCAT®:
EtherCATisthefastestIndustrialEthernettechnologyandstandsforhigh-performance,low-cost,easeofuseandaflexibletopology.Itwasintroducedin2003 andbecameaninternationalIECstandardandaSEMIstandardin 2007.TheEtherCATTechnologyGrouppromotesEtherCATandisresponsibleforitscontinueddevelopment.EtherCATisalsoanopen technology:anyoneisallowedtoimplementoruseit.