PC-based control technology
Since the foundation of the company in 1980, continuous development of innovative
products and solutions using PC-based control technology has been the basis for 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.
The Beckhoff PC Control philosophy and the invention of the Lightbus system, the Bus
Terminals and TwinCAT automation software represent milestones in automation technol-
ogy and have become accepted as high-performance alternatives to traditional control
technology. EtherCAT, the real-time Ethernet solution, makes forward-looking, high-per-
formance technology available for a new generation of leading edge control concepts.
Milestones
1982 P1000 – single-board motion controller
1986 PC Control – fi rst PC-based machine
controller
1988 S1000 – software PLC/NC on PC (DOS)
1989 Lightbus – high-speed fi eldbus utilising
optical fi bre
1990 All-in-one PC motherboard
1995 Bus Terminal – fi eldbus 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
1999 Fieldbus Box – the I/O system in IP 67
2002 CX1000 – modular Embedded PCs for
DIN rail mounting
2003 EtherCAT – real-time Ethernet fi eldbus
system
2005 TwinSAFE – the compact safety solution
2005 AX5000 – EtherCAT Servo Drives
2007 Industrial Motherboards – made in Germany
2008 XFC – eXtreme Fast Control Technology
2009 HD Bus Terminals – 16-channel terminals
in 12 mm
2010 TwinCAT 3 – eXtended Automation
Technology
2011 AM8000 – Synchronous Servomotors
with One Cable Technology
2012 2
nd
generation of Control Panels –
Panel PCs and Control Panels with
multi-touch technology
2012 XTS – eXtended Transport System
4
