Beckhoff product news

Our MX-System combines all the technological innovations of automation technology in an IP67-capable modular system.

The ATRO system offers a unique, modular, and flexible industrial robot system that is fully integrated into the Beckhoff automation system.

The balanced hardware portfolio for industrial machine vision offers complete system integration from a single source.

The embedded PC series combines higher computing power and modern ARM Cortex™-A53 architecture in a compact format.

The compact, DIN rail mountable PC controller for universal use with modern ARM Cortex™-A53 architecture.

The addition of the even more powerful C6040-0090 to the ultra-compact C60xx Industrial PC series from Beckhoff is opening up a whole new world of possibilities for users.

CU8110-0060 is a capacitive, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) providing up to 0.3 Wh with a maximum output power of 55 W.

A common application in machine and plant construction is the simultaneous display of a PC screen on several monitors. Up to four CP29xx-0000, CP39xx-0000, CP69xx-0010 or CP79xx-0010 DVI/USB Control Panels can be connected to a PC via the CU8810-0010 DVI splitter. Thanks to DVI/USB extension technology, the Control Panels can each be operated at distances of 50 m from the DVI splitter. PCs with two DVI outputs, which are configured as extended desktops, generate two different screen contents. Both DVI outputs can be fed into the DVI splitter. Using DIP switches, the four DVI outputs can each be assigned to one of the two DVI inputs, so that the Control Panels show either the left or the right half of the desktop, as selected.

The FC532x PC plug-in cards connect the PC (PCI express) to a CAN FD network. CAN FD is a further development of the very common CAN hardware. The advantage of CAN FD is that up to 64 bytes of data can be sent and received in one CAN frame by operating the data range with a higher baud rate. The option is also available to operate the FC532x CAN FD cards in the classic CAN mode of the FC512x CANopen card. The CAN FD functionality can be operated via the CAN interface and enables layer-2 access. If the card is operated as a CANopen master/slave, only the classic CAN mode can be used.

The FC532x PC plug-in cards connect the PC (PCI express) to a CAN FD network. CAN FD is a further development of the very common CAN hardware. The advantage of CAN FD is that up to 64 bytes of data can be sent and received in one CAN frame by operating the data range with a higher baud rate. The option is also available to operate the FC532x CAN FD cards in the classic CAN mode of the FC512x CANopen card. The CAN FD functionality can be operated via the CAN interface and enables layer-2 access. If the card is operated as a CANopen master/slave, only the classic CAN mode can be used.

The FC9224 enables the use of 2.5 Gigabit infrastructure in existing and new applications. With its industrial grade and long term available components the PCIe card is ideally suited for automation projects.

The EK9020 Bus Coupler is the successor of the EK9000. It connects Ethernet networks to the EtherCAT Terminals (ELxxxx) as well as the EtherCAT Box modules (EPxxxx) and converts the telegrams from Ethernet to the E-bus signal representation. One station consists of an EK9020 and any number of EtherCAT Terminals. The coupler is connected to Ethernet via RJ45. In EtherCAT, the Ethernet coupler has at its disposal a lower-level, powerful and ultra-fast I/O system with a large selection of terminals. The coupler supports the Modbus TCP protocol and fits seamlessly into Ethernet networks.

The EK9320 Bus Coupler is the successor of the EK9300. It connects PROFINET RT networks to the EtherCAT Terminals (ELxxxx) as well as the EtherCAT Box modules (EPxxxx) and converts the telegrams from PROFINET RT to the E-bus signal representation. One station consists of an EK9320 and any number of EtherCAT Terminals. The coupler is connected to PROFINET RT via RJ45. In EtherCAT, the PROFINET RT coupler has at its disposal a lower-level, powerful and ultra-fast I/O system with a large selection of terminals. The coupler supports the PROFINET RT profile and fits seamlessly into PROFINET RT networks.

The EK9520 Bus Coupler is the successor of the EK9500. It connects EtherNet/IP networks to the EtherCAT Terminals (ELxxxx) as well as EtherCAT Box modules (EPxxxx) and converts the telegrams from EtherNet/IP to the E-bus signal representation. One station consists of an EK9520 and any number of EtherCAT Terminals. The coupler is connected to EtherNet/IP via RJ45. In EtherCAT, the EtherNet/IP coupler has at its disposal a lower-level, powerful and ultra-fast I/O system with a large selection of terminals. The coupler supports the EtherNet/IP profile and fits seamlessly into EtherNet/IP networks.

The EL2502-0005 output terminal modulates the pulse width of a binary signal, and outputs it via fiber optics. The mark/space ratio is preset by a 16-bit value from the automation device. The EtherCAT Terminal contains two channels whose signal state is indicated by LEDs. The LEDs are driven in time with the outputs, and show the duty factor by their brightness.

The EL2574 enables the control of LEDs with an integrated chip. If these pixel LEDs are connected in a strip or matrix formation, all LEDs can be controlled differently to create effects such as running lights or animations. The EL2574 supports various protocols for controlling these LEDs. Split into four channels, up to 2048 pixels can be controlled with just a single terminal, without the need for an additional control.

The EL3174-0042 analog input terminal has four individually parameterizable inputs. Signals in the range from -60 to +60 V or -30 to +30 V can be processed via each channel. Each channel should be set via the controller to the respective measuring range via CoE. The input voltage or current is digitized with a resolution of 16 bit, and is transmitted electrically isolated to the higher-level automation device. With a technical measuring range of 107 % of the nominal range, the terminal also supports commissioning with sensor values in the limit range. The four differential inputs are electrically isolated against each other and against the fieldbus (2500 V DC).

The EL3444 EtherCAT Terminal enables the measurement of all relevant electrical data of the supply network and carries out simple pre-evaluation. Since the EL3444 itself has no voltage inputs, the voltage measured values are transmitted via EtherCAT by an EL3453 to be installed once per network. The current of up to six galvanically isolated phases is fed in directly. All measured currents and voltages are available as root-mean-square values. In the EL3444 terminal, the effective power and energy consumption for each phase are calculated. The RMS values of voltage U and current I as well as the active power P, apparent power S, reactive power Q, frequency f, phase shift angle cos φ and harmonic are available. The EL3444 offers extended functionality for mains analysis and energy management.

The ELM310x EtherCAT Terminals are designed for flexible current measurement in the range from -20 to +20 mA. They offer selectable measuring ranges of -20/0/4 to ±20 mA as well as current measurement according to NAMUR NE43.

The EtherCAT Terminals from the ELM series were developed in order to enable the high-quality measurement of common electrical signals in the industrial environment. Flexibly usable measurement modules are especially useful in laboratory and testing technology environments. Therefore the ELM370x multi-function modules feature an input circuit that can be set to over 30 different types of electrical connection via EtherCAT: from voltages of ±60 V to ±20 mV, thus supporting thermocouples and IEPE, a current of ±20 mA, a resistance measurement of 5 kΩ and thus also temperature RTDs (Pt100, etc.), measuring bridges and potentiometers, and all of this with a 2- to 6-wire connection, depending on the type. Thus, most electrical measuring tasks can be solved with just a single module. There is a choice of different connection types: The ELM3704-0001 with its high-quality LEMO connectors is mainly designed for laboratory use, where sensor configurations are changed on a daily basis, but a stable and reliable plug connection is nevertheless required. The 6-pin version with push-in (ELM3704-0000/ELM3702-0000) on the other hand is ideal for industrial use where a plug is unplugged less frequently for maintenance purposes and fast wiring is much more important.

The EL6633 PROFINET RT controller terminal is the successor of the EL6631. It supports the complete real-time function (RT) as well as extensive diagnostic possibilities. All services in accordance with Conformance Class B are supported. Up to 15 PROFINET RT devices can be projected on the EL6633.

The EL6633-0010 PROFINET RT device terminal is the successor of the EL6631-0010. It enables simple exchange of data between EtherCAT and PROFINET RT. It is a device in the EtherCAT strand, which can consist of up to 65,535 devices. The EL6633-0010 has a 3-port switch. Two ports are fed to the outside on RJ45 sockets. This allows the I/O stations to be structured as a line topology, as a result of which the wiring is simplified. The maximum distance between two devices is 100 m.

The EL6634 PROFINET IRT controller terminal is the successor of the EL6632. It offers the complete RT (real-time) or IRT (isochronous real-time) functionality and a wide range of diagnostic options. All services in accordance with Conformance Class C are supported. Depending on the cycle time, up to five PROFINET IRT or up to 15 PROFINET RT devices can be operated at the EL6634 in a line topology.

The EL6653 EtherNet/IP scanner terminal is the successor of the EL6652. It has a switched 2-port Ethernet connection and can thus be operated in a line with further EtherNet/IP nodes. The process data are configured by an EtherCAT master, allowing different process data and different sizes. The EL6653 supports both multicast and unicast connections. Up to 16 simple EtherNet/IP adapter devices can be connected via one generic node. The EL6653 is optionally also available as a adapter version.

The EL6653-0010 is the successor of the EL6652-0010. It is an EtherNet/IP adapter terminal and enables connection to any EtherNet/IP scanner. Like the EL6653 EtherNet/IP scanner terminal, it also has a switched 2-port Ethernet connection.

The EL6689 EtherCAT Terminal is a synchronization terminal for distributed clocks via direct connection to the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). An antenna for this can be connected directly to the terminal via an antenna (SMA) connector. All active GNSS are supported: GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou. Thus, separate systems can be kept synchronized worldwide with a synchronicity of 100 ns, which elicits many advantages, e.g. for distributed space observation systems or distributed measurement systems for monitoring mains supplies.

The EL6761 EtherCAT Terminal enables communication for the charging infrastructure both to the EV (Electric Vehicle) and to the higher-level charging management system. It supports two completely independent communication standards: PWM communication in accordance with IEC 61851 and powerline communication as stated in ISO 15118. ISO 15118 communication provides a flexible communication channel for transporting all necessary data between the car and the charging station. In combination with OCPP (TF6771) as communication to higher-level controllers, this results in a complete communication system for charging infrastructure applications.

The EL8601-8411 EtherCAT Terminal offers a combination of up to twelve signal interfaces (8 x DI, 2 x DO, 1 x AI, 1 x AO) and up to nine different signal types in an installation space of just 12 mm. In addition to the digital inputs and outputs, one analog input and output each can be configured as a current or voltage signal. The digital inputs with configurable filter times can also be used for 24 V HTL encoders with A and B track including latch and gate function, or as an up/down counter with a counting frequency of up to 100 kHz. Two of the digital outputs can be used as a PWM signal that can be modulated in both pulse width and frequency in the range of 20 Hz to 25 kHz.

The EP1819-0005 EtherCAT Box with digital inputs acquires binary control signals from the process level and transfers them, with electrical isolation, to the controller. The signal state is displayed by LEDs; the signals are connected via screwable 4-pin M8 connectors. Thus, sensors, ideally with antivalent channels (NC/NO, change-over), can be connected directly by means of a 4-pin cable.

The EP2338-2002 EtherCAT Box has eight digital channels, which can each be operated as an input or output. It is not necessary to configure whether a channel (pins 2 and 4 of M12) is to be used as an input or output. The input circuit is permanently connected to the output driver internally so that a set output is also automatically displayed in the input process image. The inputs have a 10 µs filter. The outputs process load currents up to 0.5 A, are short-circuit proof and protected against inverse polarity. The sum current of all outputs is limited to 4 A. The connected sensors are supplied with power via U_S and are limited to 4 A. The signal state is displayed by LEDs; the signals are connected via screwable M12 connectors.

The EP8601-0022 EtherCAT Box offers a combination of different inputs and outputs and nine different signal types. In addition to the digital inputs and outputs, there is also one analog input and one analog output which are configurable as a current or voltage signal with 12-bit resolution. The digital inputs with configurable filter times can also be used for 24 V HTL encoders with A, B track incl. latch and gate function or as an up/down counter with a counting frequency of up to 100 kHz. Two of the digital outputs can be used as a PWM signal that can be modulated in both pulse width and frequency in the range of 20 Hz to 25 kHz.

The EPX1058-0022 EtherCAT Box acquires signals from NAMUR field devices according to IEC 60947-5-6. The sensors are supplied with a voltage of 8.2 V and return a diagnosable current signal. In this way, a wire breakage or short circuit can be detected in addition to the switching state. The LEDs indicate signal or any error states, channel by channel.

The EPX3158-0022 EtherCAT Box allows the direct connection of intrinsically safe field devices located in hazardous areas classified zone 0/20 or 1/21. It supplies measuring transducers located in the field and transmits their analog measuring signals electrically isolated to the automation device. With a technical measuring range of +107 % of the nominal range, the box also supports commissioning with sensor values in the limit range and evaluation according to NAMUR NE43. The error LEDs indicate an overload condition and wire breakage.

The EPX3184-0022 EtherCAT Box allows the direct connection of intrinsically safe HART-capable field devices located in hazardous areas classified zone 0/20 or 1/21. It supplies measuring transducers located in the field and transmits their analog measuring signals electrically isolated to the automation device. Overload and open-circuit detection are signaled by the error LEDs, furthermore LEDs inform about the status of the HART communication and signal any communication errors. The EtherCAT Box indicates the signal state by means of light emitting diodes.

The EPP1819-0005 EtherCAT P Box with digital inputs acquires binary control signals from the process level and transfers them, with electrical isolation, to the controller. The signal state is displayed by LEDs; the signals are connected via screwable 4-pin M8 connectors. Thus, sensors, ideally with antivalent channels (NC/NO, change-over), can be connected directly by means of a 4-pin cable.

The EPP2596-0002 LED strobe control box contains a flexible power supply unit that supplies the LED with the required current and voltage. Applications from continuous light to short light pulses in the kHz range are thus possible. Each individual flash can be triggered in a controlled manner by the control system via the distributed clocks/timestamp function. The EPP2596-0002 has a trigger output for triggering cameras and high-quality, fast current and voltage control, so that line scan cameras, for example, also benefit from constant illumination. Extensive real-time diagnostics, e.g. for input current/voltage and output current/voltage allow detailed monitoring of the LED light intensity. Thus, overdrive applications with short high-current pulses through the LED are possible. If the set load corridor is exited, e.g., due to load errors, the EPP2596-0002 switches off to protect the LED (resettable).

The EPP3184-0802 EtherCAT P Box allows the direct connection of HART-capable field devices. It supplies measuring transducers located in the field and transmits their analog measuring signals electrically isolated to the automation device. Overload and open-circuit detection are signaled by the error LEDs, furthermore LEDs inform about the status of the HART communication and signal any communication errors.

The EPP3504-0023 EtherCAT P Box is designed for the evaluation of measuring bridges in full-bridge, half-bridge and quarter-bridge configuration. It also supports the potentiometer, Pt1000 (RTD) and ±10 V measuring ranges. It is derived from the ELM3504 EtherCAT Terminal and features a sampling rate of 10,000 sps, internal switchable supplementary resistors, and an integrated, parametrizable bridge supply. It also features the same technological properties as the ELM3x0x terminals – i.e., all parameters can be set via EtherCAT using the CoE directory. The EPP3504-0023 is designed for use in close proximity to the measurement site in a protected environment and is therefore equipped with IP20 bridge connections.

The EJ2564 EtherCAT plug-in module controls LEDs with integrated series resistor via an adjustable (ground switching) PWM signal. Common anode RGBW LEDs can be controlled with the four channels. The operation with four LEDs of the same color is also possible with the module. The module has a flexible input voltage of 5…48 V DC. The output voltage corresponds to the input voltage. For the operation of multicolor LEDs the color portion per channel is adjustable. Thus any color mix can be realized. In addition to the color mixing per channel, the adjustment of the total brightness over all channels is also possible. Another parameter that can be adjusted is the frequency. By setting the frequency in a range of 1…16,000 Hz, stroboscopic effects can be avoided. Furthermore, visible flashes can be realized by the low frequencies.

The EJ5021 EtherCAT plug-in module is used for the direct connection of a measuring probe or encoder with sinusoidal, differential voltage output 1 V_PP. Input frequencies of max. 250 kHz can be evaluated. The current counter reading can be zeroed (reset) or stored separately via the C track of the encoder, which is also called reference mark. The 5 V supply to the encoder is provided directly via the signal distribution board (U_P). The EJ5021 features amplitude and frequency error detection of the input signals.

The SCT5564 differential current transformer can be used as a residual current monitor (RCM). The SCT5564 type B/B+ can measure DC and AC residual currents with frequencies up to 100 kHz ranging from 0 to 2 A. With its selectable settings, the RCM is a flexible platform for differential current measurement that is suitable for many applications. It can be used when planning an industrial plant or when expanding the plant with new, modern DC-based loads or high switching frequencies, which can increase the leakage current in the plant.

The DC supply module is used for DC link expansion (DC voltage) of an upstream AX8000 system. If, for example, the width of the control cabinet is not sufficient for mounting all AX8000 modules, a new series can be started with the AX8600 DC supply module. The AX-Bridge of the last module in the upstream system is connected to the AX8600 in the next series via the DC link connection cable ZK4875-900x-xxxx. This can be repeated up to the maximum permitted total DC link capacity.

The AMP8031 permanent magnet-excited three-phase synchronous motor with integrated servo drive can be equipped with either multi-turn or single-turn encoders. With One Cable Automation, the EtherCAT P single cable solution, it features a simple, convenient and fail-safe connection to the AMP8600 distributed power supply module or the AMP8800 decentralized distribution module.

The AMP8032 permanent magnet-excited three-phase synchronous motor with integrated servo drive can be equipped with either multi-turn or single-turn encoders. With One Cable Automation, the EtherCAT P single cable solution, it features a simple, convenient and fail-safe connection to the AMP8600 distributed power supply module or the AMP8800 decentralized distribution module.

The AMP8033 permanent magnet-excited three-phase synchronous motor with integrated servo drive can be equipped with either multi-turn or single-turn encoders. With One Cable Automation, the EtherCAT P single cable solution, it features a simple, convenient and fail-safe connection to the AMP8600 distributed power supply module or the AMP8800 decentralized distribution module.

Synchronous servomotor with integrated servo drive and increased rotor moment of inertia for the realization of modular machine concepts without a control cabinet with high requirements on synchronism and control quality.

The servomotor AM8721 with anodized housing is designed for applications in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. It is suitable for drive solutions with highest demands on dynamics and performance in the 100…480 V AC voltage range. The motor is equipped with an OCT direct cable outlet and the standstill torque is 0.50 Nm. The servomotor with flange code R2 (77 mm) and motor length 1 has a shaft diameter b=9 k6 and a free shaft end of d=20 mm.

The servomotor AM8722 with anodized housing is designed for applications in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. It is suitable for drive solutions with highest demands on dynamics and performance in the 100…480 V AC voltage range. The motor is equipped with an OCT direct cable outlet and the standstill torque is 0.80 Nm. The servomotor with flange code R2 (77 mm) and motor length 2 has a shaft diameter b=9 k6 and a free shaft end of d=20 mm.

The servomotor AM8723 with anodized housing is designed for applications in food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries. It is suitable for drive solutions with highest demands on dynamics and performance in the 100…480 V AC voltage range. The motor is equipped with an OCT direct cable outlet andthe standstill torque is 1.20 Nm. The servomotor with flange code R2 (77 mm) and motor length 3 has a shaft diameter b=9 k6 and a free shaft end of d=20 mm.

EnDat 3 encoder with SIL 3 safety integration

The AL806B linear servomotor is suitable for highly dynamic and powerful linear axes with a pole pair distance of 24 mm. The optimized product design and the modular coil concept enable maximum force density in the smallest mounting space. The length of the primary part is 590 mm. The AL806B attains a maximum velocity of 3 m/s with a peak force F_max of 4950 N. Cooling is by water.

The AL8200 magnetic encoder system (MES) is an analog feedback system that can be used in combination with the AL8000 linear motor series and the AX5000 servo drive. The MES uses the magnetic field of the permanent magnets on the magnetic plate as a measuring standard. With the help of built-in electronics, it provides incremental transducer signals for commutation as well as speed and position control. The MES provides one sine wave (1 V_PP) per 24 mm pole pitch and a precision of 1/10 mm.

The AA3100 are powerful spindle drives for the replacement of pneumatic or hydraulic drives for compact drive technology. Optionally available with holding brake and other spindle pitches.

Compact, integrated servo drive as EtherCAT slave with DS402 profile

XTS movers become process platforms with NCT

The NCT electronics form the basis for an application-specific adaptation of the NCT technology in third-party applications. In combination with a housing unit, an XTS mover and the AT2100 or AT2102 motor modules, a regulated 24 V DC power supply and synchronous real-time data communication are available on the movers. The scope of delivery consists of either the NCT electronics in a housing (AT8200) or a mounted variant with a mover (AT8300). The basic electronics used already offer a wide range of options for integrating sensors and actuators – digital inputs and outputs, analog inputs, PWM outputs and an RS232 interface. The basic functionalities can be complemented with application-dependent electronics. All functions can be controlled centrally via TwinCAT, ensuring high usability with short training times.

As a mechatronic XTS unit, the XTS starter kits with NCT functionality provide a plug-and-play solution for fast and effective introduction to XTS. With NCT, a power supply and synchronous real-time data communication are available on the moving XTS movers. The movers can be expanded into mobile handling and processing stations. In addition to the previous application that was purely for product transport, NCT also enables process sequences directly on the mover. The XTS starter kits with NCT functionality make it particularly easy to test the use of different sensors and actuators. Mechanical tests and the programming of your own motion profiles are simple to accomplish. The starter kit is available in three different lengths with different numbers of movers.

New XTS software functions manage changing mover counts and flexible routing

The APM4230-0000-0000 XPlanar mover is the smallest rectangular mover in the APM4xxx family and is compatible with all tiles of the type APS4xxx. With a payload of up to 800 g, the mover is ideal for handling small and elongated products with a high packing density.

The APM4350-0000-0000 XPlanar mover is the largest rectangular mover in the APM4xxx family and is compatible with all tiles of the type APS4xxx. With a payload of up to 3 kg, the mover is ideal for handling large and elongated products. Also more complex workpiece carriers and attached parts can be used to implement the individual requirements.

The APM9001-0000-4xxx XPlanar bumpers with ID function enable the identification of the APM4xxx-0000-0000 XPlanar movers. By mounting the ID bumper, the individual serial number of each XPlanar mover can be read out. Beyond the XPlanar tile no additional hardware is required. A gapless tracking of movers and products becomes possible – even after a power supply failure. In addition, reference runs for system startup can also be eliminated with appropriate application programming.

Redundant designs of automation technology ensure your plant availability.

The combination of TwinCAT 3 IoT OCPP and EtherCAT Terminal EL6761 creates a universal solution for charging infrastructure communication.

The following TwinCAT 3 Connectivity Functions have received additional extensions or are available as new version.

Automatically create data reports from TwinCAT 3 Analytics and Scope

The documentation of machines and products is required by law (e.g. Machinery Directive, Product Safety Act) and therefore necessary for every machine. Documentation must also be consistent with the current technical state of the machine: If, for example, there are changes to the machine's PLC code, these must also be recorded in the documentation. To ensure this requirement, documentation can be generated from the current state of the PLC code.

TwinCAT 3 Controller Redundancy provides an extension to enable redundant processing of TwinCAT 3 PLC programs on two industrial PCs and increases availability in the process.

MATLAB®/Simulink® is a widely used development environment in the scientific field and is used, among other things, for the description of dynamic systems. From this environment, it is possible to generate C++ code that implements the behavior described. TwinCAT 3 runtime modules can be generated using TE140x products.

The TwinCAT 3 Target for FMI provides an interface for simulation tools that support the Functional Mockup Interface (FMI). The interface enables the generation of TwinCAT 3 runtime modules. These modules can be executed using TF1420 TwinCAT 3 Runtime for FMI.

The IoT product portfolio is extended by the implementation of a WebSocket client, providing a further protocol for communication from the TwinCAT 3 PLC in addition to HTTP and MQTT. The control also features a WebSocket server, which acts as both a WebSocket client and a WebSocket server. The WebSocket protocol is suitable for a bidirectional connection between server and client, and is used in web communication when the server wants to actively send data to the client, such as in live tickers for sports events, support chats, or even messaging services.

The Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is added to the IoT product portfolio based on the WebSocket protocol. OCPP standardizes the communication between charging stations for electric vehicles and the associated central management systems (CSMS). OCPP versions 1.6 and 2.0.1 are used here on account of their market relevance.

The TF8540 software library brings together our many years of expertise in plastics, seamlessly integrating important industry-specific control functions into the established TwinCAT Engineering environment. The TF8540 enables comprehensive software-based temperature control in plastics processing operations. It includes a software temperature controller that is specifically designed to handle sluggish controlled systems in plastics applications. The software temperature control supports virtually any number of controlled systems, while the integrated auto-tune function that determines the control parameters for thermally coupled heating zones enables optimum process adaptation. The software library also facilitates intelligent band heater monitoring by means of current or power measurement with a minimal number of sensors.

The TF8550 software library brings together our many years of expertise in plastics to form a TwinCAT HMI package developed specifically for the plastics industry. The TF8550 not only offers visualizations and comprehensive HMI applications with minimal development effort, but can also be seamlessly integrated into the other technology packages. Based on the TF2000, the TF8550 provides intuitive user guidance for HMIs found in plastics machinery by means of industry-typical graphic objects and an extensive range of user-friendly functions for specific plastics processes. Graphic objects can be configured for visualization in extrusion lines (temperature input/display), in blow molding technology (wall thickness editor, arrow diagram), for injection molding machines (table editor, graphic actual value/setpoint display), and much more besides. The interactions and HMI layout of the TF8550 are based on the requirements of the plastics market and are continuously being expanded. What’s more, the overall look and feel can even be configured to suit customer-specific HMI brand design.

The TF8560 technology package combines our many years of motion expertise from the plastics industry. It includes field-proven, pre-developed standard blocks for typical motion applications in plastics machinery. The available motion functions are specially prepared to offer an integrated safety solution with TwinSAFE, while the standard blocks significantly reduce development and commissioning times. The TF8560 supports intuitive axis commissioning and virtual commissioning by means of integrated simulations.

LabVIEW™ is a graphic system development software developed and marketed by National Instruments™ (NI™), which has established itself in particular in data-focused applications in measurement and testing technology. Applications created in LabVIEW™ can be converted using the LabVIEW™ Real-Time module into stand-alone applications that run on NI™ real-time systems, such as the CompactRio or PXI controller. NI™ also provides an EtherCAT master for these real-time systems in the software NI™ Industrial Communications for EtherCAT.