Pack Expo 2007: Controller enhances I/O speed, power, accuracy to meet machine builder needs

Las Vegas, NV –If forced to choose one word to summarize today’s packaging industry, “dynamic” immediately springs to mind. As more consumer-oriented products vie for shelf space, manufacturers have become increasingly creative in how they present and package products. At the same time, “green” initiatives require manufacturers to develop new types of packaging media which makes a powerful impact on consumers without creating a negative impact on the environment. Add to this increased consumer awareness regarding the safety and quality of materials, and machine builders in particular are presented with a host of market conditions which present equal parts of challenge and opportunity.

Like the end-users they support, machine builders also are tasked with addressing the more “traditional” concerns of reducing costs, increasing efficiency and delivering greater performance… all within increasingly shrinking form factors and power consumption targets. This need is being pushed down to the automation and control technology level, and solution providers within this arena are rising to the occasion, unveiling a host of new products designed to help machine builders, end-users, and system integrators to respond to these rapidly-shifting market demands.

Beckhoff Automation

, for example, unveiled two new solutions which enable OEMs to create more powerful, more precise and higher performance machines.

The

eXtreme Fast Control (XFC) Technology

is an optimized control and communication solution, which makes it possible to achieve I/O response times of 100 microseconds or less.open standards, accelerating solution development and deployment.

For applications which require robust processing power in an ultra-small form factor, Beckhoff also introduced a new

Microsoft Windows CE-based

Embedded PC. Powered by

Intel’s IXP420 processor

with XScale technology, the

CX9010 is a DIN rail mounted, EtherCAT-ready PC

, which comes fully installed with TwinCAT automation software. The CX9010 features internal flash memory and a clock frequency of 533 MHz, as well as a heat sink for efficient cooling.

As a result of having access to such high-power, high-performance capabilities in multiple form factors, machine builders can become more creative and experience fewer limitations when developing new offerings… and that’s the best way to transform today’s market challenges into business opportunities.

Other Control Engineering Pack Expo coverage is available .

Also see the new blog on Control Engineering ‘s site:
Standard profits: Pack ISA-88 Part 5.

— Marc Moschetto,
Control Engineering
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