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Beckhoff Automation (Pty) Ltd

Company Profile
Beckhoff supplies open automation systems based on PC Control technology. The product range covers Industrial PCs, I/O and Fieldbus Components, Drive Technology and automation software. Products that can be used as separate components or integrated into a complete and seamless control system are available for all industries. The Beckhoff “New Automation Technology” philosophy stands for universal and open control and automation solutions that are used worldwide in a wide variety of different applications, ranging from CNC-controlled machine tools to intelligent building automation. Since the company was established in 1980, continuous development of innovative products and solutions using PC-based control technology has been the foundation of the continued success of Beckhoff. Many automation technology standards that are taken for granted today were conceptualised by Beckhoff at an early stage and successfully introduced to the market:
– 1982: P1000 – single-board motion controller – 1986: PC Control – first PC-based machine controller – 1989: Lightbus – high-speed fieldbus utilising optical fiber – 1990: All-in-one PC motherboard – 1995: Bus Terminal – fieldbus technology in terminal block format – 1996: TwinCAT – real-time software package under Windows with PLC and Motion Control functions – 1998: Control Panel – remote IPC Control Panels – 2002: CX1000 – modular Embedded PCs for DIN rail mounting – 2003: EtherCAT – real-time Ethernet fieldbus system – 2005: TwinSAFE – safety solution for the Bus Terminal system – 2005: AX5000 – EtherCAT Servo Drive
The Beckhoff PC Control philosophy and the invention of the Lightbus system, the Bus Terminals and TwinCAT automation software represent milestones in automation technology and have become accepted as high-performance alternatives to traditional control technology. EtherCAT, the real-time Ethernet solution, makes forward-looking, high-performance technology available for a new generation of leading edge control concepts.
Worldwide presence on all continents The central divisions of Beckhoff, such as development, production, administration, distribution, marketing, support and service are located at the Beckhoff Automation GmbH headquarters in Verl, Germany. Rapidly growing presence in the international market is taking place through subsidiaries in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, as well as Australia, Brazil, China, Canada, South Africa and the USA. Through worldwide co-operation with partners, Beckhoff is represented in more than 60 countries.
Beckhoff | The Automation Company Beckhoff offers comprehensive system solutions in different performance classes for all areas of automation. Beckhoff control technology is scalable – from high-performance Industrial PCs to mini PLCs – and can be adapted precisely to the respective application. TwinCAT automation software integrates real-time control with PLC, NC and CNC functions in a single package. All Beckhoff controllers are programmed using TwinCAT in accordance with the globally-recognised IEC 61131-3 programming standard.
Beckhoff | The IPC Company Beckhoff supplies the right Industrial PC for every application. High-quality components based on open standards and the rugged construction of the device housings mean that the Industrial PCs are ideally equipped for all control requirements. Embedded PCs make modular IPC technology available in miniature format for DIN rail mounting. In addition to their application in automation, Beckhoff Industrial PCs are also ideally suited to other kinds of tasks – wherever reliable and robust PC technology is required.
Beckhoff | The I/O Company Beckhoff has the right technology for every signal and every fieldbus. Beckhoff supplies a complete range of Fieldbus Components for all common I/Os and over 15 major fieldbus systems. With the Bus Terminals in protection class IP 20, and the Fieldbus Box modules in IP 67, a complete range is available for all important signal types and fieldbus systems. In addition to classic fieldbus systems, high-performance EtherCAT technology opens up great, new potential for control technology.
Beckhoff | The Motion Company In combination with the Motion Control solutions offered by the TwinCAT automation software, Beckhoff Drive Technology represents an advanced and complete drive system. PC-based control technology from Beckhoff is ideally suited for single and multiple axis positioning tasks with highly dynamic requirements. The AX5000 Servo Drive series with high-performance EtherCAT system communication offers maximum performance and dynamics.
Product Details
 | Robust industrial design PCs with highest performance components |
 | Operating and display elements form an independent unit, separate from the control level. |
 | The C61xx series of Industrial PCs has been designed for control cabinet installation. The Industrial PCs of this series and the Beckhoff Control Panel as operating unit make an ideal combination, representing a powerful platform for machine construction and plant engineering applications, for example with the TwinCAT automation software under Windows 2000 or Windows XP. |
 | With the CX series of Embedded PCs, Beckhoff has combined PC technology and modular I/O level to form a DIN rail unit in the control cabinet. |
 | Beckhoff has expanded the “Industrial Motherboards” line of business into an independent product segment, with in-house board development, design and production. Beckhoff can thus offer Industrial PCs and Embedded PCs in all performance classes with motherboards developed in-house. |
 | Beckhoff provides an extensive range of fieldbus components for all common I/O and fieldbus systems. With the bus terminals in protection class IP 20, and the Fieldbus Box modules in protection class IP 67, the complete range is available for all relevant signal types and fieldbus systems. |
 | The I/O signals are wired in a decentralised way to fieldbus devices or centrally to the controller. The available manufacturer-specific fieldbus devices with fixed input/output configurations and design often make it necessary to use an entire group of devices with similar functions. |
 | Light up the dark with the Beckhoff Lightbus system by replacing complete cable routes with one single fibre optic conductor. |
 | The PCI Fieldbus Cards from Beckhoff are characterised by outstanding features. They are tailor-made for TwinCAT, the software solution for PC-compatible control technology. |
 | The M1200 is a Lightbus interface card for the integration of customer specific electronics into the Lightbus system. The M1210 interface module features an integrated 24 V DC/5 V DC switched/mode power supply and a card carrier for simple installation. |
 | Beckhoff completes its offer of fieldbus components with the PCI-based PC Fieldbus Cards for Lightbus, PROFIBUS, CANopen, DeviceNet, SERCOS interface and Ethernet. |
 | The Digital Servo Drives combine the most modern power electronics with a compact practical size. The characteristics such as small dimensions, integrated EMC filters up to AX2020 and plug-in connectors allow simple and cheap installation into control cabinets. |
 | The AM2000 series of brushless synchronous servomotors are of outstanding quality; they are highly dynamic, the rotors have low moments of inertia, they have excellent rotational characteristics and impressive overload capacity. |
 | The 3-phase synchronous Linear Servomotors from the AL2000 range have both a primary and secondary section. The primary section contains a grooved, laminated core with inlaid copper windings. It is generally used as the moving part. |
 | Stepper Motors are synchronous motors with a high number of poles, which can therefore be regarded as direct drives. Advantages include high holding torque and very good positioning capability. |
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The compact, high-precision planetary gear units for the Synchronous Servomotor range are used mainly in applications where large mass inertia has to be overcome, or where the inertia ratio between load and motor prevents dynamic motion. |
Product News
 | Beckhoff is expanding the ‘Economy’ built-in series with new versions featuring a compact 5.7-inch display: the CP6207 built-in Panel PC with Intel® Atom™ CPU, CP6607 built-in... Read More
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 | Flexible utilisation of the digital channels: The EtherCAT Box EP2338 has eight freely selectable digital inputs or outputs in one device. Read More
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 | CX8000 Embedded PC: programmable controllers with 32 bit CPU, which serve both to execute PLC programs and to function as slave devices in a higher-level fieldbus system. Read More
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 | Condition Monitoring functions can be integrated simply and cost-effectively in the PC-based control system using the EL3632 EtherCAT Terminal. Read More
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 | “TwinCAT Kinematic Transformation” for pick-and-place applications; robotic and Motion Control functions can be optimally synchronised using TwinCAT NC PTP or NC I. Read More
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 | The AX5000 EtherCAT drive series is being expanded with Servo Drives rated up to 170 A. The AX5000 drives are designed in three sizes with rated currents of 60 A, 72 A, 90 A, 110... Read More
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 | PC-based Control consistently used: TwinCAT with integrated Safety. Read More
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 | The new IPC series C66xx offers high flexibility and small device dimensions at a very competitive price. Read More
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 | Robust and compact: IP 67 modules with direct EtherCAT interface. Read More
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 | The safety solution for the EtherCAT Terminal system enables the implementation of a simple, flexible and inexpensive local safety controller. Read More
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 | Control Panel with high computing power and low energy consumption: The robust CP77xx Panel PC series from Beckhoff integrates a TFT display and a PC in a slimline, water- and... Read More
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 | CP-Link 3 is a software solution based on standard technologies for flexible connection of Ethernet Panels and Panel PCs with an Industrial PC. Read More
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 | The EtherCAT Terminal system from Beckhoff takes optimum advantage of the technological features of EtherCAT. To this end, this I/O system has been complemented with an additional... Read More
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 | The EL6688 EtherCAT Terminal enables high-precision external synchronisation according to the IEEE 1588 standard. Read More
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 | Extremely compact: Beckhoff C6915 control cabinet PC with Intel® Atom™ processor. Read More
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 | The CX5000 Embedded PC series with Intel® Atom™ processor. Read More
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 | Various Beckhoff IPC series with 3½-inch motherboard are available with Intel® Core™2 Duo processors: CP62xx, CP72xx and C69xx. Read More
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 | As a leading manufacturer of PC-based automation components and systems, Beckhoff has received the 2008 Windows Embedded Partner Excellence Award in recognition of its innovative... Read More
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 | Graphic display of curves is essential for optimising controllers and setting drive axes. In order to be able to utilise the extended graphics features of new PC generations,... Read More
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 | With its new digital multimeter terminals, Beckhoff has added enhanced measurement technology functions to its leading edge I/O system. Using the digital multimeter with fieldbus... Read More
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