EtherCAT with time stamping latches exact system time at which edge changes occur; digital value output can occur at predefined times. Terminals with oversampling enable actual value acquisition or set value output with higher time resolution than communication cycle time. Distributed clocks with less than 1 µsec jitter and 1 µsec resolution are used for time synchronization across entire system. Fast I/O-enabled terminals offer input delays/switching times under 1 µsec.