Products 2023

Compact multi-axis system: Modular, flexible and integrated

With ATRO, Beckhoff is presenting a new concept for robotics applications. This is a modular system from which the right robot kinematics can be put together extremely flexibly for any application. A highlight of the system is the internal media feed for data, power and fluids. This has been implemented in such a way that all axes are designed to rotate endlessly.

With ATRO, users can create almost any robot design for their application from the modules provided – from a simple 1-axis rotary indexing table application and delta kinematics, through to multi-axis articulated robots. Beckhoff's holistic perspective is decisive for simple commissioning and handling, because only the direct integration of the robot system into PC-based control enables a truly optimized complete solution for the machine or plant. This reduces the number of controls needed on one industrial PC, even with multiple robots.

ATRO kinematics are made up of active joints – the motor modules. The motor modules are available in different designs: straight modules in I-shape or angled modules in L-shape, which are designed in five power sizes. Each motor module forms a complete drive system for one axis of the robot. The only external components required are a power supply and a control, which significantly reduces the space required in the control cabinet. In addition to the active modules, there are connection modules without their own drive:
- base modules as a base including the media feed,
- link modules with I, L and Y-shapes for implementing individual robot configurations,
- system modules that can be used to integrate additional functions such as a camera.

Advantages through internal media feed
All modules are interconnected via the ATRO interface, which guarantees a rigid connection and also passes through the media that is fed in. Data, power and fluids (compressed air, vacuum or water) are thus guided internally through the modules in the ATRO kinematics. Conventional robotic solutions, on the other hand, route them externally and are therefore limited in rotation and use of the workspace. This limitation is completely eliminated with the Beckhoff solution – each axis can be rotated endlessly, which enables better Cartesian accessibility as well as short positioning paths. Furthermore, interfering contours, e.g. due to externally located cables and, especially in the case of cobots, interfering torques, are avoided by means of external media feed. In addition, the media are supplied again for a customer application via the ATRO interfaces, and almost any robotic tools can be easily integrated, such as sophisticated gripper systems.

System integration without limits
With ATRO, Beckhoff offers a highly flexible robot system that has all essential machine functionalities due to its deep integration into the TwinCAT automation software. These include, for example, image processing for sophisticated applications ("bin picking"), improvement of motion performance through machine learning or direct cloud integration for analysis and maintenance. The use of open interfaces and universal standards enables plug-and-play of the created robot configuration as well as simple engineering. This variety of functions concentrated in one control minimizes hardware costs and also ensures maximum synchronization of all components as well as low delays in data communication. This also includes the direct combination with intelligent transport solutions such as XTS and XPlanar. Other areas such as communication, functional safety and the actual application can be created with little effort. This not only enables the configuration of an extremely powerful overall solution with maximized system output, but also a previously unattainable reduction in machine footprint.

Beckhoff Vision offers machine builders and end users a complete image processing system that covers all the necessary components from software to illumination. Seamlessly integrated into EtherCAT-based control technology, it opens up significant competitive advantages for users, including highly accurate synchronization with all machine processes, reduced engineering and hardware costs, and simplified commissioning and support.
In addition to the TwinCAT Vision software, the Vision portfolio also includes:
– Cameras: The area-scan cameras generate high-quality image data using color and monochrome CMOS sensors with up to 24-megapixel resolution and 3.45 μm and 2.74 μm pixel pitch, in addition to offering transfer rates of 2.5 Gbit/s.
– Lenses: The robust, industrial C-mount lenses ensure easy handling and high availability while also offering a VIS and NIR AR coating, up to 2 μm resolution, and image circles of 11 mm (2/3") and 19.3 mm (1.2") respectively.
– Illumination: The multicolor LED illumination in three designs – area, ring, and bar illumination – produces constant illumination conditions for consistently high-quality images. It also creates the best possible contrast between the inspection feature and its surroundings – even in spectrally adjustable pulse mode.
– Complete units consisting of camera, illumination devices, and focusable lenses are also available.

The MX-System from Beckhoff is a flexible, space-optimized and intelligent system solution that can completely replace conventional control cabinets, thereby opening up entirely new possibilities in plant automation. As a modular control cabinet replacement that can also be decentralized on the machine if required, the MX-System saves engineering, assembly, installation as well as maintenance effort. This enables highly efficient processes for the manufacturers and operators of machines and systems – from the planning, setup and installation of the MX-System through to the maintenance of MX-System-equipped machines.

The basic concept of the MX-System is to standardize the electrical and mechanical interfaces for all electronic and electromechanical components. Implementing this idea results in two interfaces:

The data interface integrates each functional unit into an EtherCAT network and supplies it simultaneously with 24 V DC and, if necessary, also with 48 V DC.
A second interface has been defined as standard for the low-voltage range. These interfaces distribute the mains voltage of up to 530 V AC and a DC voltage of up to 848 V for the drive system.
This standardization allows all functionality traditionally found in a control cabinet to be mapped as a backplane system. Analogous to the interfaces, there are two different backplane types, which have the described interfaces in the form of connectors as essential features. The backplanes feature robust aluminum housings. The combination of backplane and housing is called a baseplate. In addition, there is a full range of function modules from the areas of IPCs, bus couplers, I/O, motion, relays and system power supply. These are simply plugged and screwed onto the baseplate. The combination of a baseplate and function modules results in an IP67-protected automation system that is optimized in terms of space utilization and can be mounted directly on the machine.

Advantages for engineering

The system architecture of a baseplate combined with function modules results in a modular solution that can be used to solve a wide range of automation tasks. A particular advantage is that the MX-System function modules integrate individual functions, such as line protection for outgoing lines. This facilitates project planning and significantly reduces the number of components. These advantages are evident in the fact that the number of pages in circuit diagrams and parts lists is reduced by up to 80%. Even in the engineering phase, the low installation space requirement of the MX-System creates further advantages because this facilitates simpler coordination between departments, as there is usually no need to design special installation spaces and brackets for the MX-System. Another important aspect is that the MX-System meets the requirements of relevant control cabinet standards and, in contrast to conventional control cabinets, it is also IEC, UL and CSA-compliant, making it a globally standardized solution.

Advantages for automation system setup

The principle of plugging function modules onto a baseplate and fastening them with screws not only revolutionizes control cabinet design but also completely replaces it in the form known today. Mechanical assembly of the control cabinet and its mounting plate are eliminated, as is time-consuming manual wiring. As a consequence, an MX-System can be set up within just one hour, including the necessary tests and checks. For a comparable control cabinet, the total setup time would be at least 24 hours. As a result, the MX-System also addresses the shortage of skilled workers, as it takes individual employees significantly less time to complete a given task. In addition, wiring errors no longer occur. From a logistical point of view, there are also clear advantages for control cabinet design, as the complete elimination of mechanical work steps means that assembly requires considerably less space. Processes such as external control cabinet design can be completely dispensed with.

Levitating 360-degree mover rotation extends scope of application for contactless and intelligent product transport.

The XPlanar planar motor system from Beckhoff enables the contactless, parallel and individual transport of products. The XPlanar movers can fly freely in two dimensions over the XPlanar tiles and execute lifting movements with a stroke of up to 5 mm. These system properties have now been enhanced by new software-based 360-degree mover rotation functionality.

The purely software-based 360-degreemover rotation extends the familiar and highly flexible XPlanar movement range by a full degree of freedom. The XPlanar movers can rotate endlessly around their own axis while levitating at selected positions on the system. The rotation can be executed dynamically with a frequency of up to 10 Hz and makes a variety of groundbreaking applications possible. For instance, the mixing of liquids or the 360-degree inspection of objects can be realized with this additional degree of freedom. Furthermore, the movers can leave the rotation positions with an orientation changed in 90-degree steps, so that the transported workpieces are correctly aligned in accordance with the remaining processing steps.

The 360-degree mover rotation is made possible by the deep integration of the XPlanar system into the PC-based control technology from Beckhoff. A simple software update is all that is needed to implement the new rotation function in existing systems. Special hardware products are not required.