Beckhoff simplifies AI training

Things are going well for Beckhoff: last year, the company increased its turnover by 16% to 1.75 billion euros. The technology leader invests part of this, namely around 90 million euros per year, in research and development. The company presented the results in Hall 9, including further developments of TwinCAT and the MX system automation system as well as a new generation of EtherCAT analog terminals.

Everyone is talking about AI. However, it is difficult for many companies to implement it in an industrial environment - there is a lack of AI experts. Beckhoff has therefore set itself the goal of enabling everyone to successfully implement AI. The company is therefore expanding the workflow in TwinCAT 3 to include the automated creation of AI models. With the TwinCAT Machine Learning Creator no-code development platform, users can take over the entire process from data acquisition to the trained model themselves. Open standards, interfaces and best practices are used and the trained models are provided in the open standard format ONNX. These latency-optimized AI models for control applications are adapted for execution on Beckhoff IPCs and with TwinCAT products, but can also be used as ONNX models outside the Beckhoff product world.

The new generation of EtherCAT analog terminals (Fig.) in an HD (high-density) housing comprises seven terminals and covers a wide range of applications with up to eight channels and 16-bit resolutions. These include the EL4374, the first combined input/output analog terminal (10 V/20 mA or -20/0/+4 to +20 mA), with which a conversion rate of 2 kSps per channel can be used. The two inputs and two outputs can be individually parameterized for current or voltage operation via TwinCAT (via CoE). With a technical measuring range of ±107 % of the nominal range, the terminal also supports commissioning with sensor values in the limit range as well as evaluation in accordance with NAMUR NE43. The outputs can provide up to 107 % of the nominal value. Added to this is the high output power, which allows a load of up to 750 Ω at 20 mA.

With the MX modular automation system, Beckhoff is replacing the traditional control cabinet. The function modules can simply be plugged onto the baseplate and then only need to be screwed into place. A special application is the use of a higher-level DC power supply. The DC supply for complete production halls is based on the strategy of providing electricity from renewable energies in combination with storage technologies for machines and systems as a mains voltage of 600 V(DC). The MX system is already designed to be DC-ready in that it can distribute DC voltages and can also be used directly for protective extra-low voltage power supply lines or modules for controlling synchronous and asynchronous motors.