For a long time, control cabinets have been an integral part of machines and systems, and it is almost impossible to imagine machines and systems without them. However, the planning, development and wiring of control cabinets takes a lot of time and is also prone to errors. Approaches already exist to build automated control cabinets, thus increasing the resources required and also the reliability. However, even then, the problem remains that control cabinets require valuable production space on the machine.
These challenges can also be met with solutions such as decentralised terminal boxes, drives or, for example, Beckhoff EtherCAT Box modules, which can be mounted directly on the machine outside the control cabinet. None of these concepts, however, claims to replace the complete control cabinet and integrate the entire world of automation technology into the machine in a compact and robust way. After all, almost every machine still requires one or more separate control cabinets.
With the new MX-System, Beckhoff Automation is addressing these challenges with control cabinets that can be reduced to a minimum or even substituted with the holistic, modular and plug-in approach. This means that machines and systems can be designed and controlled entirely without control cabinets.
The MX-System exemplifies system integration of all machine functionalities, as it harnesses all the advantages of PC- and EtherCAT-based control technology at the same time. The compact system is made of metal and is not only dustproof and waterproof due to its high-quality workmanship, but also robust and resistant, which allows it to be placed directly at the machine.
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