The EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) is placing a priority on device conformance and interoperability. At its recent 7th European EtherCAT Interoperability Meeting, the group stressed the importance of its conformance test tool; plug-fests in Europe, Asia and North America; and availability of controller chips. So far, 50 devices have been certified and the first ETG Test Center in Nuremberg, Germany, has opened.EtherCAT technology is used for high-speed, real-time applications such as in packaging machines and robotics. ETG has more than 900 members in 45 countries.