SERCOS interface -- Joint booth at the SPS/IPC/DRIVES show in Nürnberg, Germany Eleven members of SERCOS International e.V. are participating in a joint booth at the SPS/IPC/DRIVES trade fair (November 22–24, 2005) in Nürnberg, presenting their SERCOS products and components in an 80 sq. meter booth, #110 in Hall 6. Several companies are introducing their first products for the new Ethernet-based SERCOS III interface. Automata GmbH will present the A1 Industrial PC with an integrated SERCOS III interface, plus a SERCOS III PCI-card based on the SERCON100 controller including driver software. This plug-in card can be used both for master and slave devices.  Hilscher GmbH will exhibit a SERCOS III slave implementation and a SERCOS III communication module using the ARM926 processor-based netX multi-protocol-chip. Bosch Rexroth AG will exhibit SERCANS III, an active PCI-based plug-in board, supporting a particularly easy migration from SERCOS II. In addition Rexroth presents the first implementation of the SERCOS III Controller-to-Controller Synchronization and Communication (C2C) profile, which allows distributed motion controls to communicate over the SERCOS interface. Typical applications are in printing, packaging and processing machines; as well as machine tools with special requirements for control systems and synchronization, e.g., machine concepts with gantry axes or rotary transfer tables.  In the live demonstration, three IndraControl L controllers - each controlling 8 IndraDrive C servo drives - are connected with each other. All devices are synchronized with each other and are able to communicate directly over the cross-communication feature of SERCOS III. Master axis data, which are calculated in the distributed controls, are exchanged.  An additional demo shows the easy integration of standard Ethernet nodes to a SERCOS III network using the IP-channel for commissioning and diagnostics.  An additional highlight of the SERCOS booth is a multi-vendor demonstration featuring six well-known control and drive manufacturers demonstrating the interoperability of their products, based on the SERCOS Packaging Profile. The following co-exhibitors will be represented at the SERCOS booth: Automata, Bachmann, Baumüller, Bosch Rexroth, Hilscher, Lust, Parker Hannifin, Honeywell, ISW, Manz Automation, Rockwell Automation.