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As a replacement for conventional control cabinets, the MX-System from Beckhoff offers some efficiency advantages for automation engineers. The cabinet-free automation solution also provides potential to address the protracted shortage of skilled workers in manufacturing and other high-tech industries. Better future-proofing in these areas benefits not only machine and system engineering companies but also end users.
The MX-System is a uniform modular automation system that can be used to replace traditional control cabinets with pluggable function modules in many industrial applications. This IP67-rated system is waterproof and dustproof and can be mounted directly on machines. This is achieved via a robust aluminum baseplate with integrated module slots and EtherCAT for communication and integrated distribution for different voltages. Its extensive portfolio of function modules includes the mains connection, drives, power supplies, industrial PCs, and I/O modules.The MX system can cover the full range of functions currently handled by conventional control cabinets.
A range of function modules can be plugged into the baseplate and screwed into place with a simple hand tool. This eliminates the need for any mechanical assembly of the control cabinet and its mounting plate, and manual field wiring.
This is reflected in the time required to set up the MX-System: including the necessary tests and checks, an MX-System can be set up in one hour, in contrast to at least 24 hours for a comparable control cabinet. This is how the MX-System counters the shortage of skilled workers, as individual employees are less tied to laborious installation tasks and can move on to the next project. A further advantage is the straightforward plug-in of the function modules, which means they do not need to be connected by specialized electricians—a bonus for companies lacking the necessary expertise in this area.
