Fast PC: Don’t go slow with embedded control

Beckhoff Automation CX1030 Embedded PC, with a 1.8 GHz Intel Pentium M processor, is the most powerful device in its family.

By Control Engineering Staff February 28, 2008

To provide automation and control applications with the most powerful PC-based controllers possible, Beckhoff Automation announced the CX1030 Embedded PC. The DIN-rail-mounted CX1030 is equipped with a 1.8 GHz Intel Pentium M processor and is currently the most powerful device in the Beckhoff Embedded PC family. It has a passive cooling module and an easily exchangeable fan cartridge located on the underside of the housing. The module contains 256 MB DDR RAM (standard), which is expandable to 512 MB or 1 GB.Operating without the use of a hard drive, the unit boots from Compact Flash cards are available in 64 MB as well as 1-, 2- and 4 GB capacities. The basic configuration includes a removable 64 MB Compact Flash card and two Ethernet RJ 45 interfaces connected to an internal switch. All other CX family components can be connected via the PC/104 interface that is available on both sides of the device.The module can run on Windows CE or Windows XP Embedded. the company says its TwinCAT automation software transforms a CX1030 system into a powerful PLC and motion control system that can be used with or without visualization. The CX1030 can also be used for interpolating axis movements with TwinCAT NC Interpolation.The company further says the combination of CX1030, EtherCAT, and TwinCAT enables very fast control processes in the sub-millisecond range. Thanks to Ethernet and Internet technologies, EtherCAT can scan 1,000 distributed I/Os in 30Additional system interfaces or fieldbus connections can be added to the basic CPU module. All CX1500 fieldbus modules can be used in combination with the CX1030. These provide the user the choice to use five other major fieldbuses:

DeviceNet

,

Profibus

, SERCOS ,

CANopen

, or Lightbus.See related item: Networking:

EtherNet/IP support added to TwinCAT software

.— Edited by C.G. Masi , senior editor Control Engineering Machine Control eNewsletter Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .