“Future motion control is open, scalable and data-driven”

Industrial automation is evolving at breakneck speed. And so it should: after all, the challenges facing machine builders and end users are considerable. Machines must be more energy-efficient, offer more flexibility, get to market faster and, if possible, also tick off all the requirements around cybersecurity and sustainability. “Motion control has therefore become even more crucial. But it is no longer purely mechanical like it used to be. It is becoming sophisticated, complex systems in which hardware and software come together. The future of motion control is open, scalable and data-driven,” summarises Jochen Weiland, vice-president motion control at Schneider Electric.

He works from the Marktheidenfeld site in Germany, Schneider Electrics Innovation Hub for motion control technology. There, he and his team regularly welcome customers from Belgium and the Netherlands to build that future together. “We believe hard in standardisation and open systems. For years, we have chosen open standards to build our automation architecture. Now we are redesigning our portfolio so that users can work in a single engineering environment, with a unified controller platform and I/O system and a system approach that encompasses the needs of machine builders and end users, regardless of their requirements. Both with existing and new technology. That will make it easy for users to scale up when they want to add more functionality to their machines.”

Seamless integration of motion and data

A first example of this new approach is already on the market: the innovative Modicon M660 controller. It received a particularly warm welcome from companies already using it. “Because the Modicon M660 is more than just the latest controller that delivers a bit better performance than the previous generation. It is a radically innovative approach where we combine motion control, edge computing and cyber security in one device. This ensures seamless integration of control, data processing and real-time communication. An approach, by the way, that came about based on customer feedback.” To make this possible, Schneider Electric is pioneering a 64-bit runtime system. “With this, we are taking another step forward in computing power and speeds.”

Digital twins

So an excellent basis for setting up even the most sophisticated motion-control application. But will you still get it programmed? Schneider Electric's answer to that question is the EcoStruxure Automation Expert - Motion Module. “The engineering environment of the future, because all the tools you need are already embedded in it. Because of that direct integration, you have all the data you need immediately available to build more digitised machines.” Weiland highlights two such tools: artificial intelligence and digital twins. “With a digital twin, a customer can engineer and already optimise a machine without having to build a prototype. For our customers who are already using it, it saves 30 to 60% of time. But it also requires less material, which in turn contributes to a healthy cost picture and a smaller carbon footprint.” What also sets EcoStruxure Automation Expert apart is its scalability. “The knowledge customers have already built up in it remains secured. But you can also easily add new software if you want to expand the machine with new functions later on.

New I/O system

Third element in the story is the I/O system. “In the old days, signals just went out as they came in. But today, your I/O system plays a central role in the complete data capture inside your machine and communication outside your machine. With the Modicon Edge I/O NTS, we have developed a solution that already meets the requirements of the Cyber Resilience Act. It allows you to connect 1 to 250 modules on one island, all based on Ethernet and OPC UA, and all cyber secure. Very flexible, and again very scalable, as you can even connect classic fieldbus devices without needing a gateway. 

Sustainability and efficiency

With these three building blocks in its portfolio, Schneider Electric is making a strong case for putting its customers on the road to an open, flexible and scalable future. “Not only with hardware and software, we see ourselves as a partner, also helping customers with advice, support and service to achieve improved machines. Because ultimately, sustainability goes hand in hand with efficiency. Choosing electrification with servo instead of pneumatics or hydraulics, for example, is not only good for lower energy consumption, but also improves accuracy and flexibility. So our servo technology, for which we will soon roll out a similar platform approach, can contribute to greater sustainability. This is what we want as a company. To move our customers, our people and our environment forward.”