Sheet-metal workcells can deliver higher-quality parts in greater quantities than traditional builds when designed with centralized PC-based control and EtherCAT connectivity. That’s especially true of deep-drawing press applications (shown below) where modular hardware and software from Beckhoff maximize throughput and minimize tolerances. To review, deep drawing is the process by which sheet metal is placed […]
PC-Based Controllers
IoT with Beckhoff at IMTS: Hardware + software + networking for machine tool and metalworking
Beckhoff Automation will highlight smart-factory hardware, software, EtherCAT, and TSN networking solutions this September at the Integrated Automation, Motion & Drives (IAMD) USA show — Hannover Messe USA 2018 — in booth 134417. Visit them September 10 to 15, 2018 at McCormick Place in the convention center’s Lakeside Center — the east building. This IAMD […]
What are PCI motion control cards?
PCI stands for peripheral component interconnect (PCI.) It is a computer bus for connecting together various hardware devices. A PCI motion control card is simply a card that is PCI compatible, that is, one that plugs into a PCI bus on a PC or industrial PC. In fact, for motion control cards, the most common […]
What is PC control for motion?
Motion controller architectures can be one of several types. Among the most common are stand-alone controllers and PC-based control. PC control for motion typically takes the form of so-called industrial PCs. These feature processors just like a typical PC but a lot of the other components are ruggedized and designed for operation in an industrial […]
Real-time performance in PC-based control: Technology update
Eric Reiner, Industrial PC Product Specialist | Beckhoff Automation System performance hangs heavy on the minds of every machine builder when commissioning new projects — particularly when it comes to the control platform. That’s with good reason, as the controller is arguably the most important facet of a machine … and often the first place […]
More Beckhoff PC-based controllers earn Microsoft Azure certification
To provide plants, factories and machine builders with even more system-integrated solutions for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Beckhoff Automation has announced Microsoft Azure™ certification for the C6015 Industrial PC (IPC) and CX5140 Embedded PC. All certified devices from Beckhoff can be found in the Microsoft “Azure Certified for IoT” device catalog, providing customers with […]
Catching up with Beckhoff at ATXEast
I had a great chat with Beckhoff’s Daymon Thompson at last week’s ATX East trade show at New York’s Javits Center. The PC-based machine controls company features a range of processors, from an ARM processor all the way up to an industrial server with 36 cores and two terabytes of memory—possibly the biggest PLC on […]
Industrial IoT for updating the dated — B&R Orange Box brings intelligence to legacy operations
For those looking to bring manufacturing intelligence to legacy production sites, B&R Automation introduced its new Orange Box at the 2017 Hannover Fair. According to company officials, the Orange Box lets machine operators collect and analyze data from previously isolated machines and production lines and upgrade them for IIoT/Industry 4.0 operations—with a minimal effort. An […]
Motion controllers see major shifts in design thanks to IoT, online configuration, and more
We recently asked several industry experts about trends in the design and application of motion controllers to get an idea of where these precision command centers are changing approaches to design engineering. Then we published a much-abbreviated sampling of the enormous amount of insightful feedback Design World received. Below is the uncut commentary in its entirety. Enjoy […]
FAQ: How do proprietary and open-source PC control software programs compare?
The central issue with anything that is programmable is the programming itself. Regardless of whether the system is open source or proprietary, the key to successful control applications is to correctly program the design intent. Capturing the full intent at the start of a project is impossible, especially if the project has not been done […]
