Interdisciplinary building automation

The demands placed on modern buildings in terms of energy efficiency, flexibility of use and digitalization are constantly increasing. Beckhoff is responding to this development with an open control architecture that dissolves the traditional boundaries between trades. A central element of the presentation at Light + Building 2026 in Frankfurt is therefore the TwinCAT 3 Building Automation software solution (TF8040), which integrates all building functions on one platform. Prefabricated templates for typical applications such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting and shading reduce the engineering effort immensely. At the same time, TwinCAT HMI enables modern visualization of operating and monitoring functions.

For lighting control, Beckhoff relies on the principle of "configuration instead of programming". The TwinCAT 3 Lighting Solution (TF8050) in combination with the EL6821 DALI interface enables comprehensive lighting management with scalable support for up to 200 lighting groups and 30 scenes. The interface integrates up to 64 DALI ballasts and 64 control devices in one compact terminal. This allows flexible topologies with decentralized I/O stations as well as simple diagnostics including operating hours counting of the light sources.

Further trade fair highlights

Beckhoff's MX system is a pioneering solution for the decentralized automation of technical building systems, for example in plant rooms. The plug-in modular system in a robust metal housing replaces the conventional control cabinet. This not only saves space, but also significantly simplifies installation and maintenance.

The new Next multi-touch panel generation will also be on show at the trade fair as a future-proof platform for building management. The cost-optimized device family offers display diagonals from 7 to 24 inches and includes control panels and panel PCs. With powerful Intel ^Atom® or ^Arm® CPUs, the latter combine high performance with intuitive operation and state-of-the-art touch technology.

With the ED series, Beckhoff presents a smart upgrade for its range of EtherCAT Terminals. The new models are mechanically fully compatible with the established EL series and are characterized by tool-free installation with push-in technology, which significantly shortens installation times in building technology. A decisive added value for facility management is the integrated diagnostics: status information can be called up directly via app using a DataMatrix code and Bluetooth dongle.