April 8, 2026 — Hilscher has expanded support for its netX 90 multiprotocol communication processor, now also including the CiA 402 drive profile. With this step, the industrial communication specialist strengthens its portfolio for drive and motion applications in EtherCAT networks.
Manufacturers of motors, drives, and integrated motion devices get a standardized basis to implement real-time communication and motor control on a single chip. This approach shortens time to market. It also reduces development costs and increases flexibility for device and drive manufacturers.
“Manufacturers of devices and solutions that include electric motors and drives want to bring their products to market fast and with minimal effort– without reinventing something that already works,” said Heiko Henkel, head of Product Management Chip at Hilscher. “With netX 90 and our integrated drive profiles, that is exactly what you get: communication and drive control in a compact package that is available right away.”
The ETG drive profile CiA 402 is an established standard for drive devices in EtherCAT networks. CiA 402 defines a common interface for drives and motors and supports standardized motion modes with synchronization via the EtherCAT protocol. These drives can now be implemented flexibly with the netX 90, enabling a wide range of applications, including:
- High-bay warehouses in logistics
- Conveyor systems
- Sorting systems
- Fans, pumps and compressors
- Multi-axis systems, such as those used in robots
By implementing CiA 402 on the netX 90, Hilscher supports device manufacturers, for example in packaging, logistics, mechanical engineering, robotics, or pharmaceuticals, in implementing EtherCAT drives in a vendor-neutral, interoperable way while reducing development effort.
Motion and communication for EtherCAT and PROFINET as a single-chip solution
In addition to CiA 402, netX 90 also supports the PROFIdrive drive profile for application classes AC 1
and AC 4. This allows manufacturers to cover different motion requirements using a common hardware and software platform. It simplifies addressing different target markets and reduces dependence on individual drive vendors.
With netX 90, Hilscher combines industrial real-time communication and motion control in a compact single-chip solution. The multiprotocol SoC integrates communication functionality and motor control, including field-oriented control (FOC) for permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) and brushless DC motors (BLDC). This integration approach addresses typical device-manufacturer requirements such as miniaturization, cost pressure, and short development cycles.
Benefits of standardized drive profiles
Standardized drive profiles such as CiA 402 or PROFIdrive enable interoperable, vendor-independent integration of drives into industrial networks. Users can combine drives from different manufacturers. This reduces risks in the supply chain in particular. Alternative devices can be qualified and integrated more easily. For manufacturers, controlling drives and the related communication via an industrial network becomes a predictable function, while the focus remains on their core competencies. In addition to the drive profiles and netX 90 as the hardware basis, Hilscher provides extensive software and development building blocks. These include application examples, reference designs, drivers, tools and protocol stacks.
Hilscher performs internal conformance tests for the supported drive profiles and makes the results available to users. These include:
- Test reports
- Quick guides
- Reports from the Hilscher test laboratory
netMOTION: Evaluation Platform for Fast Development
For quick and easy evaluation of a drive controller, Hilscher offers the netX 90-based motor control evaluation board NXHX 90-MC, also known as netMOTION. The platform combines real-time communication and motor control, enabling a fast and straightforward start to development.
The package includes the netX Studio configuration tool with examples for the protocol stack, FOC and drive profiles, as well as a graphical user interface for drag-and-drop hardware configuration. Two predefined motor configurations can be evaluated right away. In addition, Hilscher supports users in connecting their own motors.
