Beckhoff Embedded PC

Due to the design and the features of an industrial PC control, the CX1000 can be used in a wide range of applications. Existing applications include mechanical engineering (automatic sawing machines, automatic assembly machines, paper cutting machines, screwdriver control, packing machines, sheet metal processing, handling equipment), process technology (water treatment, power generation, consumption logging), building services (room control, access control) and

Wide range of applications

The Beckhoff OPC server is available for interfacing with SCADA software on both operating system variants Windows CE or Windows XP Embedded. In other words, the CX1000 also offers unproblematic visualisation and simultaneous control in real-time on a single system.

The decision about which operating system version and which TwinCAT version to use in conjunction with the CX1000 system is depending on the application. If the focus is on comprehensive visualisation, or if advanced Windows NT/2000 programs already exist, Windows XP Embedded is the right operating system, since these programs do not have to be adapted. If, however, no visualisation is required or simple visualisation is sufficient, if short start-up times are required and the total costs should be low, Windows CE as an operating system that is gentle on resources is ideal. Both versions have similar networking capabilities, since the Windows sockets enable comfortable IP communication via Ethernet. Furthermore, TwinCAT transforms every CX1000 system into an ADS device that can communicate with every other TwinCAT device in the network via this protocol. These communication options enable the creation and networking of complex heterogeneous control networks using Beckhoff PCs, CX1000 devices and Bus Terminal Controllers.

Operating systems

TwinCAT offers convenient network search functions for the selection and commissioning via Ethernet: All CX1000 stations available at the Ethernet are scanned in. Even their periphery is detected, including all terminals and fieldbus modules. It is also possible to load the programs and settings that are active in the target device into the programming station, and to modify and subsequently re-activate them. This ensures that the current software version is used at all times.

A CX1000 unit is programmed via a laptop or a desktop PC, which is connected to the CX1000 via Ethernet (network or crossover cable). The programs are developed on the laptop with a standard TwinCAT software licence and then loaded into the target device.

Remote programming via Ethernet

In combination with the TwinCAT automation software, the CX1000 Industrial PC becomes a powerful IEC 61131-3 PLC with up to four user tasks. Additionally, Motion Control tasks can also be executed. Depending on the required cycle time, several servo axes can be controlled. Even special functions such as flying saw, electronic gearbox and cam plate can be realised. The CX1000 thus becomes a controller that covers PLC, Motion Control and visualisation tasks with a single hardware. Under Windows CE, thanks to the real-time capability of the operating system, user tasks written in high-level languages can be processed in real-time in parallel with TwinCAT.

The software

The range of optional modules for the CX1000 is complemented by fieldbus connections for PROFIBUS, CANopen, DeviceNet, SERCOS interface and Lightbus, all as master and slave versions.

All power supply variants have an illuminated, low-glare LCD-display with FSTN technology and 2 rows x 16 characters for displaying status messages. The application programs can also use the display for displaying application-specific texts. 8 kbyte of non-volatile memory for remanent data are also included.

Three different types of power supply are available:

Power supply with integrated terminal bus and IP-Link interface

Further system interfaces for serial communication (2 x RS232 or 2 x RS422/485) as well as audio signals are available separately.

The CPU module is available in several variants. These relate to:

The modules of the CX1000 series system are connected with each other via the standardised PC/104 bus (16 bit). The individual system components are modules with a width of 19 mm (single) or 38 mm (double) that can be arranged in series. The basic unit consists of a CPU module (CX100x-0xxx) and a power supply module (CX1100-000x).

The components

The CX1000 system covers the whole range of Beckhoff control technology both in terms of price and performance: The product range is designed for tasks requiring the characteristics and computing capacity of Industrial PCs, but whose budget does not stretch to full-blown Industrial PCs. The system only uses those components that are actually required. For example, a CX1000 can be operated in headless mode, i.e. without display or keyboard; in this case, the associated interface is not required. Whilst the resulting control system has no visualisation, it does have communications capability via the built-in Ethernet and RS232 interfaces. If local visualisation is required, this can be implemented via a DVI (digital video interface), to which all Beckhoff Control Panels and all commercially available monitors with DVI input or VGA input can be connected. The touch screen signal is read via one of the two available USB interfaces.

 Embedded PC series CX1000