The Ebyte JGD111-EDMP1616 and JGD111-EDR08 are book-style EtherCAT remote I/O modules that give a PLC, motion controller or industrial PC real-time access to field I/O over standard EtherCAT, with two RJ45 ports for EtherCAT IN and OUT daisy-chain cabling, a 1 ms internal bus, 16 DI plus 16 DO on the EDMP1616 or 8 DO on the EDR08, DC 9~36V supply with reverse-polarity protection and 2~4W consumption, per-channel optocoupler isolation on inputs of DC 12~28V with 7.2kohm input impedance and 1000 Hz sampling, EMC level-3 protection design and CE compliance in a 120x30x80mm DIN-rail housing.
Key Features & Advantages
- Real-Time EtherCAT I/O Extension: These modules speak the standard EtherCAT protocol, so process data is exchanged on the fly as the frame traverses the module, and the internal bus runs up to 1 ms. That is the functional difference from a Modbus TCP remote I/O block: with EtherCAT the controller sees deterministic image data instead of a polled register read, which is what a coordinated axis or a fast interlock needs.
- Dual RJ45 EtherCAT IN and OUT For True Daisy-Chaining: Two Ethernet ports let the module sit inline on the drop cable and pass the next segment downstream without a switch or a spare controller port. In a multi-station machine this removes one active network device per node and shortens the cable tree, which is also where most of the EMC exposure lives.
- Per-Channel Isolated Inputs With Fast Capture: The DI side accepts DC 12~28V from either NPN or PNP sensors, isolates every channel individually with an optocoupler, presents a 7.2kohm input impedance, and samples at 1000 Hz. Per-channel isolation matters in practice: it stops one miswired or shorted sensor from corrupting the whole input group, and 1000 Hz is fast enough to catch a 50 ms pulse that a slower scanner silently drops.
- EMC Level-3 Protection Design: The series is built to an EMC level-3 protection design with full isolation between the I/O side and the power side, which is the specification that decides whether the module survives next to contactors, VFDs and servo drives instead of randomly tripping or reading ghost inputs.
- DC 9~36V Input With Reverse-Polarity Protection: The 9~36V window covers 12V and 24V control rails with headroom, consumption is 2~4W, a red PWR LED confirms the internal rail, and the input is protected against reverse polarity — a real saving on a site where the field wiring is done by hand under time pressure.
- Book-Style 30mm Housing With Two Mounting Options: The 120x30x80mm form factor fits a standard 35mm DIN rail and also offers locating-hole mounting, so the same part can be rail-mounted in a cabinet or screw-fixed where vibration makes rail-only retention questionable.
Core Specifications
Compiled from the JGD111 official per-model parameter table and the JGD111 series comparison table. Cells marked [to be confirmed] are not published on the product pages and must be read from the JGD111-EDMP1616 / JGD111-EDR08 user manual (linked as the technical manual download) before design freeze.
| Category | Item | JGD111-EDMP1616 | JGD111-EDR08 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Type | Book-style remote I/O module | Book-style remote I/O module |
| I/O configuration | Channels | 16 DI + 16 DO | 8 DO |
| Communication | Protocol | Standard EtherCAT | Standard EtherCAT |
| Communication | Ports | Dual Ethernet, EtherCAT IN / OUT | Dual Ethernet, EtherCAT IN / OUT |
| Communication | Internal bus | Up to 1 ms | Up to 1 ms |
| DI input | Sensor type accepted | NPN and PNP | Not applicable - no DI channels |
| DI input | Input range / impedance | DC 12~28V, 7.2kohm | Not applicable |
| DI input | Isolation / sampling | Per-channel optocoupler isolation, 1000 Hz | Not applicable |
| DI input | Counting frequency | 1 kHz (1000 Hz sampling filter) | Not applicable |
| DO output | Output type / rating | 16-channel transistor output (PNP/NPN) • Maximum current per channel: 0.5 A • Rated voltage: 24 V DC |
8-channel relay output • Contact capacity: AC 250V / 5A • Rated DC: DC 30V / 5A |
| Power | Working voltage | DC 9~36V with reverse-polarity protection | DC 9~36V with reverse-polarity protection |
| Power | Consumption / indicator | 2~4W, red PWR LED | 2~4W, red PWR LED |
| Protection | Design | EMC level-3 protection, I/O-to-power full isolation | EMC level-3 protection, I/O-to-power full isolation |
| Certification | Stated compliance | CE (as stated on the product page) | CE (as stated on the product page) |
| Mechanical | Dimensions / mounting | 120 x 30 x 80 mm; locating holes and DIN rail | 120 x 30 x 80 mm; locating holes and DIN rail |
| Mechanical | Weight | 140 +/- 5 g | 160 +/- 5 g |
| Environment | Operating temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C |
| Integration | Master side | PLC, motion controller, industrial PC acting as EtherCAT master | PLC, motion controller, industrial PC acting as EtherCAT master |
Product Selection Guide
Notice for Selection: These are wired EtherCAT I/O nodes, not radio devices - there is no ISM band or antenna question here, but there are two hard checks. First, confirm your controller is genuinely an EtherCAT master (Beckhoff TwinCAT and TwinCAT-compatible masters, or an EtherCAT-capable PLC); a Siemens PROFINET or Modbus TCP controller cannot use this family, and the same 120x30x80mm book-style housing is sold as JGD111-PDMP1616 / JGD111-PDR08 for PROFINET RT and JGD111-MDMP1616 / JGD111-MDR08 for Modbus TCP, so buy the protocol variant that matches the controller, not the I/O count. Second, confirm the DO output type and rated current from the manual before committing to a load, since the product page states the channel count but not the output rating.
| Your situation | Recommended model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Machine needs both sensor inputs and outputs on one EtherCAT node | JGD111-EDMP1616 | 16 DI + 16 DO in one 30mm book housing, isolated NPN/PNP inputs at 1000 Hz |
| Only output actuation is needed where inputs are already collected elsewhere | JGD111-EDR08 | 8 DO, lower cost point, same EtherCAT IN/OUT daisy-chain and EMC design |
| Controller is PROFINET (Siemens family) | JGD111-PDMP1616 / JGD111-PDR08 | Same housing and I/O classes on PROFINET RT - listed for cross-checking only |
| Controller speaks Modbus TCP and polling is acceptable | JGD111-MDMP1616 / JGD111-MDR08 | Same housing on Modbus TCP with standard register access |
| Need many nodes along one drop cable | Either EtherCAT model | Dual RJ45 IN/OUT lets each module pass the bus onward without a switch |
Industrial Installation & Wiring
1. Mounting: Clip onto a 35mm DIN rail or screw-fix through the locating holes. The 30mm width is what allows dense rows, but keep vertical clearance above the terminals for the cable ferrules and leave a neighbour-free gap next to any heat-dissipating device, because the terminal block is where the temperature actually accumulates.
2. Power: Supply DC 9~36V to the power terminals. The input is reverse-polarity protected and the module draws 2~4W, so a 24V rail shared across a row of nodes should be sized for the aggregate, and each branch should still be fused. The red PWR LED is your first diagnostic - no lamp means check the fuse and the terminal screw before touching the configuration.
3. EtherCAT topology: EtherCAT IN receives the frame from the master or the previous node; EtherCAT OUT feeds the next node. This is a linear drop-cable topology by design, so do not star-wire the ports through a hub or switch, and terminate the last node by leaving OUT unconnected as the master expects. Cable length per segment must respect the EtherCAT physical-layer limits for your baud and cable class.
4. Sensor wiring (EDMP1616): The inputs accept NPN or PNP sensors over DC 12~28V with 7.2kohm input impedance, and each channel is individually optocoupler isolated. Respect the common/group arrangement shown in the pin-definition table of the manual: an isolated input still needs its reference wired to the correct common, otherwise a floating common produces ghost triggers that look like a module fault.
5. Load wiring: Confirm the DO output type and rated current in the manual before connecting contactors, valves or lamps, and keep inductive loads protected at the coil (free-wheeling diode for DC coils, RC snubber for AC). The isolation between the I/O side and the power side protects the bus and the controller, not the output device - external protection is still your responsibility.
6. EMC practice: The series uses an EMC level-3 protection design with I/O-to-power isolation, but the installation still has to cooperate: bond cable screens at the cabinet entry, keep signal and power cables in separate trunking, and route the EtherCAT cable away from servo and VFD power runs. Isolation ratings buy you immunity margin, not immunity from bad wiring practice.
7. Commissioning: Import the module description into your EtherCAT master so the process-data image matches what the firmware exposes, then verify by forcing outputs and monitoring the input image while cycling sensors. The 1 ms internal bus means an input change should appear in the master image essentially immediately - if it does not, suspect the common wiring before suspecting the module.
Practical Application Scenarios
1. Distributed I/O On Packaging And Assembly Machines
A packaging line needs cylinder sensors, part-presence probes and valve outputs spread over several metres of frame. Running one EtherCAT drop cable between EDMP1616 nodes replaces a bundle of individual cables back to the control cabinet, and the 1 ms internal bus plus on-the-fly processing keeps the I/O coherent with the motion group instead of drifting a cycle behind it.
2. Safety-Adjacent Interlocks And Machine Guarding Signals
Guard switches, light-curtain muting signals and home-position probes are exactly the signals that must not be missed. 1000 Hz sampling catches short pulses, per-channel isolation stops one damaged sensor from poisoning its neighbours, and the EMC level-3 design is what keeps ghost inputs from appearing next to the drives on the same machine frame. (Note the manufacturer statement: this product must not be used in military or life-safety applications.)
3. Output-Only Actuation Panels Near The Process
Where inputs are already handled by an existing block but valves, lamps, relays and buzzers sit far away, the 8-DO JGD111-EDR08 gives a local actuation point on the same EtherCAT segment at a lower cost per node, and its dual ports let the bus continue to the next panel without an extra switch.
4. Test Benches And Data Acquisition Rigs
A test rig changes its I/O map between programs far more often than a production machine does. EtherCAT process data with a deterministic bus cycle gives repeatable timing for correlation between stimulus and capture, and one 16 DI + 16 DO node covers most bench needs without bespoke conditioning hardware.
FAQ Section
Q1: What is the actual difference between the two EtherCAT models, beyond the channel count?
Electrically and mechanically they are the same node family: identical 120x30x80mm book housing, DC 9~36V supply with reverse-polarity protection, 2~4W consumption, dual EtherCAT IN/OUT ports, 1 ms internal bus, EMC level-3 design and CE statement. The difference is the I/O stage: JGD111-EDMP1616 provides 16 DI plus 16 DO, so it can sense and actuate from one position, while JGD111-EDR08 provides 8 DO only and carries no input channels - the input specifications in the shared parameter table therefore do not apply to it. Choose EDMP1616 when sensors terminate locally; choose EDR08 when you only need outputs closer to the process.
Q2: My controller already has a Modbus TCP remote I/O node - is EtherCAT worth switching to?
Only if you actually need what EtherCAT changes. Modbus TCP is polled: each value costs a request and a response, and the update rate depends on slave response time and how many registers you read. EtherCAT moves data as the frame passes each node, so the whole image refreshes together at the master cycle - up to 1 ms internal bus here - and that coherent-snapshot behaviour is what matters for motion coordination, fast interlocks and timestamped capture. If your machine is content with tens of milliseconds of polling latency, the Modbus TCP variants in the same housing are the cheaper path.
Q3: Why does the DI side need 12~28V when the module itself runs on 9~36V?
They are two different circuits. The 9~36V rail powers the logic, the Ethernet PHY and the isolation barriers; the 12~28V figure is the sensor-signal range the input stage is designed to read through its 7.2kohm impedance and optocoupler. That is why a 24V sensor works directly, and why an 8V signal from a low-voltage proximity switch is not guaranteed to be read reliably even though the module itself is powered fine - drive the input with the specified signal voltage, not with the supply rail assumption.
Q4: The module has per-channel isolation - does that mean I can ignore common wiring?
No. Per-channel optocoupler isolation separates each input electrically from the internal logic and from the power domain, which protects the module and prevents one shorted sensor from dragging its neighbours down. It does not remove the need for a correct reference: the input groups still need their commons wired as the pin-definition table specifies, and the cable screen and PE bonding still determine how much conducted noise reaches the terminal. Most field faults reported as module failure are wiring-reference problems, and the manufacturer explicitly excludes military and life-safety use, so this is not a component to work around.
