Siedziba Główna Polska
Beckhoff Automation Sp. z o.o.
Integrated concept for control, drive and safety technology
Schauspielhaus Nuremberg, Germany
Simtec Systems GmbH, Germany
Beckhoff offers precisely scalable drive components for many different drive tasks: from the control of very simple drive processes, such as direction control or position detection, to complex servo sequences, such as those required for the highly synchronized motion control of the overstage and understage machinery or for animated figures. The range of products extends from compact motion technology with space-saving EtherCAT Terminals and servo terminals, which integrate a complete servo drive in the housing of a terminal block, to highly dynamic servo drives with up to 120 kW. This means that a suitable solution is available for every application with regard to design, performance and price. Up to 255 axes can be controlled by a Beckhoff Industrial PC with TwinCAT as the automation software. By combining several controllers, 1,216 axes can also be moved with high synchronization, as was realized during the kinetic installation "Kinetic Rain" at Singapore Airport.
With the universal and scalable safety solution - from safety I/O modules to drives - an integrated safety solution up to SIL 3 is available for almost all applications in the field of moving objects. A wide range of communication interfaces and support for all common fieldbus systems ensure the necessary openness of the controller for the connection of third-party devices. With a wide range of PC platforms in all performance categories and designs, as well as the multi-touch panels and the modular TwinCAT automation software, all components are available for the realization of various control desk concepts. The controller is rounded off by various data connection options as well as cloud connectivity.
The PC-based control technology from Beckhoff has proven itself worldwide since 1980 in the widest variety of industries and applications, from machine control and the automation of wind turbines to the entertainment industry. What was regarded 40 years ago as an outsider position has developed very quickly into a standard in the automation industry. Innovative product developments that underscored Beckhoff's PC-based control philosophy followed continuously and are regarded today as milestones in automation technology, such as the modular Bus Terminal system, the high-speed fieldbus EtherCAT or the Embedded PC. The basis for the universal usability of the Beckhoff control solution is its modularity, its scalability in terms of power and its openness toward other systems and tools.
PC-based control from Beckhoff represents a modularly constructed control solution that is fully scalable in all components and maps all automation functions in software: Safety technology, measurement technology, Condition Monitoring and robotics are also integrated into the control platform along with sequential control, motion control and visualization. The basic principle of PC-based control is very simple: it is based on a powerful Industrial PC, a high-performance fieldbus connection with the connected peripheral devices for sensors and actuators as well as TwinCAT, the real-time capable automation software for motion control and logic. The consistent use of mainstream technologies from the world of IT and their convergence to principles of automation technology have led to a continuous increase in performance and function as well as a considerable reduction in costs. The Beckhoff control platform is supplemented by an extensive portfolio of drive components.
With PC-based control, an extensive component construction kit is available to the system integrator for the automation of the various technical systems in the entertainment industry, such as moving objects, lighting technology, AV and media technology and building automation. Worldwide references from mobile and stationary stage and show technology, from unique applications and entertainment technology prove that PC-based control technology is ideally suited to the implementation of technically sophisticated stage and media shows.
Your advantage with PC-based control:
EtherCAT was launched by Beckhoff in 2003 and made available as an open automation technology standard. With cycle times well below 1 ms, outstanding synchronization accuracy, flexible topology selection, extensive diagnostics and simple configuration, EtherCAT is also ideal for use in the entertainment industry. More than 6,000 companies worldwide have joined forces in the EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG), the world's largest industrial fieldbus user organization. More than twenty of the most renowned companies in the field of entertainment are also members of the ETG.
Beckhoff supplies the largest number of EtherCAT-compatible automation modules for both I/Os and drive technology. Due to worldwide support for EtherCAT, a large number of EtherCAT-compatible sensors and actuators are also available on the market, ensuring a high level of investment security. The performance of EtherCAT also supports creative people and engineers in the field of entertainment technology in the realization of unique applications. For example, a customer application such as "Kinetic Rain", which features 1,216 precisely synchronized axes, can only be realized on the basis of EtherCAT. With EtherCAT, almost any event in a show, theater or amusement park can be synchronized, which is usually not possible with “black box” hardware in the way they are normally used. The development of the DMX terminal, which requires 512 bytes of process data, is also based on EtherCAT; as of today, this is not possible with any other fieldbus system.
The general advantages of EtherCAT are:
The eXtreme Fast Control (XFC) technology enables leading-edge, high-speed automation based on an optimized control and communication architecture. It consists of a modern Industrial PC, ultra-fast I/O terminals with advanced real-time features, the EtherCAT high-speed Ethernet system and the TwinCAT automation software. With XFC it is possible to realize I/O response times < 100 µs. Due to its speed, XFC technology is used by almost all Beckhoff customers in the entertainment industry.
The development of this fast control technology was also a prerequisite for the support of the SMPTE-Timecode standard by the Beckhoff controller. The SMPTE-Timecode is a standard defined by the SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) for absolute time data that are transmitted with media metadata. The SMPTE-Timecode is mainly used to synchronize the various tracks (sound/noise, language, special effects, texts, etc.) in a media production.
EtherCAT I/O Terminals automate any functionality in the entertainment industry
In 1995, Beckhoff launched the Bus Terminal, which has since become one of the most important technology standards in automation technology. That was followed in 2003 by the development of the fast EtherCAT communication system. Launched by Beckhoff as an open system, it became a global standard in automation within a few years. With around 100 signal types, an extensive EtherCAT I/O Terminal portfolio is available to users that is extremely well suited for automating every functionality in stage and show technology in terms of both its performance and variance. The Bus Terminals allow a variety of simple building bus systems to be integrated into the controller.
In contrast to the Bus Terminals, in which the fieldbus signal is converted in the Bus Coupler to the internal, fieldbus-neutral terminal bus, the EtherCAT protocol is completely preserved up to the individual terminal with EtherCAT Terminals. The EtherCAT I/Os enable DMX to be integrated into the controller. EtherCAT Terminals are used in almost every entertainment application.
For the first time, the MX-System enables completely control cabinet-free automation solutions in machine and system engineering. The combination of baseplate and function modules resulting from the modular system combines all the tasks and features of a control cabinet: power supply, fuse protection and distribution, generation and monitoring of auxiliary voltages, sequence control with inputs and outputs, control of motors and actuators, and the connection level for the field devices. The full system integration of all machine functionalities is achieved via freely selectable IPC, coupler, I/O, drive, relay, and system modules, which can be configured and combined according to the specific application.
The consistently systemic approach of comprehensively coordinated assemblies, certified to international standards, enormously reduces the effort required for planning, assembly, machine installation, and maintenance. Since considerably fewer components are required than in traditional control cabinet design to implement the same requirements, the entire MX-System is significantly more compact than previous solutions. The system footprint is reduced, and system availability and flexibility are also increased. In each life cycle phase of a control system, the MX-System offers significant advantages over the classic control cabinet.
The advantages of the MX-System for the entertainment industry at a glance:
So that the system integrator can ensure the safety of stage equipment, Beckhoff provides TwinSAFE, a certified safety solution that is scalable in terms of both software and hardware. The I/O components are available in Bus Terminal, EtherCAT Terminal, EtherCAT plug-in module and EtherCAT Box Module form factors and can be used for applications up to SIL 3 according to EN 61508:2010 and Cat 4, PL e according to EN ISO 13849-1:2016-06. The possibility to transmit the safety-relevant signals over a standard bus system gives rise to substantial advantages in terms of planning, installation, operation, maintenance, diagnostics and costs. The safety application is configured or programmed in the TwinCAT software and then transferred via the fieldbus to a TwinSAFE logic component. It forms the core of the TwinSAFE system. All safety devices in the system communicate with the logic component. Through the fieldbus-neutral safety protocol (FSoE/Safety-over-EtherCAT), TwinSAFE devices can be integrated into any fieldbus system. For this purpose, they are integrated into existing networks with K-bus or EtherCAT or can be used - as an IP67 module - directly in the machine or plant. These safety I/Os form the interfaces to the safety-relevant sensors and actuators. In the field of drive technology, too, solutions without safety functionality are hardly conceivable anymore. Beckhoff therefore started integrating safety functions into its drive systems at an early stage – in both standard and compact drive technology.
Beckhoff focuses on modularity and scalable power in compact drive technology: Various connections in the format of a K-bus or EtherCAT Terminal (IP20) support the connection of AC and DC motors as well as stepper and servomotors of different performance classes. The Beckhoff EtherCAT Box Modules in IP67 for stepper and DC motors are available for use without a control cabinet. The compact drive technology is used in particular in amusement parks, for example for animated figures as well as in kinetic applications; smaller auxiliary axes are used in almost all entertainment areas.
Launched with the C6015, the series of ultra-compact Industrial PCs has positioned itself extremely successfully on the market due to its flexible application possibilities. As a sturdy control cabinet Industrial PC with an Intel® Atom™ CPU with up to four cores and a clock speed of 1.91 GHz, the C6015 is suitable for automation, visualization and communication tasks. The small dimensions of 82 x 82 x 40 mm and the flexible mounting options make the fanless multi-core PC the ideal controller for applications with high performance requirements and minimal mounting space in almost all areas of the entertainment industry. The interfaces for transferring electrical signals, IP, image and audio signals, which are available by default, make the C6015 suitable for cost-effective control of media walls, for example.
In combination with the Motion Control solutions of the TwinCAT automation software, Beckhoff Drive Technology represents a complete drive system for positioning tasks in almost every application in the entertainment industry. The AX5000 and AX8000 servo drive series offer maximum performance and dynamics with powerful EtherCAT system communication. Both drive systems can be equipped with safety technology up to SIL 3/PLe and are suitable for the realization of stage applications with outputs of up to 120 kW. For example, the servo drives from the Beckhoff AX5000 series are used to control the movement of the spectacular stage effects in the Broadway musical "Hamilton".
The AX5000 is designed for optimum functionality and cost-effectiveness. The integrated, fast control technology supports highly dynamic positioning tasks. EtherCAT delivers high-performance system communication that enables ideal interfacing with PC-based control technology and supports coupling with other communication systems. The two-channel servo drive with variable motor output allocation optimizes both the form factor considerations and the costs per drive channel.
The AX8000 multi-axis servo system, based on EtherCAT, enables high-precision positioning and machining operations with extremely short control cycles. Its compact size reduces the space required in the control cabinet. The multi-axis servo system can be easily expanded into multi-channel drive solutions by connecting the required number of single or two-channel axis modules to the central power supply module. The AX8000 supports OCT, the One Cable Technology for power and feedback from Beckhoff, and pairs with the AM8000 (standard) and AM8500 (increased inertia) servomotors.
The synchronous servomotors from the AM8000 series are characterized by high dynamics and energy efficiency. Due to their low rotor moment of inertia and a very high overload capacity, they are suitable for the realization of highly dynamic applications. The seven flange sizes with up to four lengths cover a wide torque range from 0.2 to 129 Nm. They are equipped with One Cable Technology to reduce material and commissioning costs.
The AM8500 series expands the Beckhoff servomotor range by a complete series with increased rotor moment of inertia and covers a wide power range with four sizes, each with three lengths, with standstill torques from 1.37 to 41 Nm. Due to the high rotor inertia, the AM8500 is suitable for areas with high external inertia. It tends to oscillate less quickly and is much simpler to adjust to the application on the servo controller.
The new Beckhoff panel generation with industry-standard multi-touch display offers a feature-laden solution for any application. Even for single-touch users, this new panel generation offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio and represents an economical alternative to other systems.
Highlights:
The compact DIN-rail-mounted PCs from the CX series with directly connectable I/O level offer a space-saving industrial controller in the control cabinet. Beckhoff's extensive range of embedded controllers includes a device tailored to the budget, performance class and complexity of the control task for each application. In addition to the CPU, the individual devices from the CX series differ by the available system interfaces and power supply variants and can be plugged together and extended as a modular control system depending on the task in the entertainment sector.
The CX family includes several basic CPU modules with different processors for adaption of the performance to suit the respective control task. As a result, different applications can be implemented on the same hardware, such as a PLC and Motion Control system with a DVI/USB interface or a multimedia system with an audio interface.
The most powerful devices from the CX series are the CX20x2s, which are equipped with Intel® Xeon® processors and a separate graphic unit. They can be used to realize even sophisticated visualizations.
TwinCAT automation software integrates real-time control with PLC, NC and CNC functions in a single package. All Beckhoff controllers are programmed using TwinCAT in accordance with the IEC 61131-3 programming standard. In addition to IEC 61131-3, TwinCAT 3 also offers C/C++, MATLAB® and Simulink® as programming languages.
TwinCAT 3 highlights
TwinCAT Kinematic Transformation integrates robot control into standard automation software, so that PLC, motion control and robotics functions can be executed on a single Industrial PC. The entire configuration of programming is carried out in TwinCAT, significantly reducing the engineering time and costs. 6-axis kinematics is also available in addition to Cartesian gantry, serial 2-D kinematics, 2-D parallel kinematics and 3-D Delta kinematics. The desired kinematics can be conveniently selected and parameterized in the TwinCAT System Manager. The kinematic channel is used to parameterize the robot type (e.g. delta or SCARA) as well as the bar lengths and offsets. Values for mass and mass inertia can be specified for dynamic pre-control. In addition, this TwinCAT software library includes tracking functionalities for synchronizing a robot with a moving object, so it can pick up workpieces from conveyor belts or inclined turntables, for example.
The seamless integration of robot kinematics into the control system not only avoids the need for an additional robot CPU, it also ensures optimized interaction and synchronization with the PLC and existing motion control functions: direct interfaces replace the complexities and inefficiencies of communicating between different controllers and systems. This results in much higher performance and improved system accuracy.
TwinCAT HMI makes consistent use of widely used IT standards such as HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. Through the integration of a fully graphical editor with an extensive toolbox in the familiar TwinCAT 3 engineering environment, it is possible to create extensive visualizations with little effort. Customer-specific functions that are not part of the visualization toolkit can be implemented using the IT standards mentioned above or via higher-level programming languages. The visualizations created are platform-independent and responsive on the client side. The powerful underlying architecture makes numerous application scenarios possible: from local panel solutions to multi-client, multi-server and multi-runtime configurations.
Instead of using proprietary systems, Beckhoff relies on IT standards:
PC-based control offers automation solutions for all stationary performances.
PC-based control automates unique installations involving light, water and kinetics.
PC-based control supports entertainment technology – from amusement parks to TV studios.
