EtherCAT uses a synchronization system with distributed clocks that keep all slaves very precisely in synchronization with the Distributed Clock (DC) master.

In a Trio EtherCAT network, the DC master is the Motion Coordinator. After initialization, each slave produces a synchronization pulse internally that keeps the drive’s servo loop in sync with the master. The precise phase timing of the slave’s sync pulse to the EtherCAT telegram sent from the master is set up during the Initial State of the network startup.