In order to increase industrial controller performance while increasing user flexibility, Beckhoff Automation introduced the CX2000 Embedded PC series.The CX2030 and CX2040 Embedded PCs implement powerful multi-core processors. With this impressive boost in performance, these embedded controllers cover performance areas previously reserved for larger, cabinet-mounted Industrial PCs including advanced multi-axis machinery and powerful graphical user interfaces.
The multi-core enabled CX2000 represents the second generation of the Beckhoff Embedded PC family; the first generation has been very successful with over 150,000 shipped units. The new CX2000 devices are equipped with Intel ® processors from the second generation of the 32-nm series (“Sandy Bridge“). Power-saving Celeron ® variants are also available, making fanless options possible. The Embedded PCs’ operating systems benefit from the fast, integrated graphic core as well as faster DDR3 memory. The first three devices from the CX2000 series include the following:
1. CX2020 | 2 nd Generation Intel ® Celeron ® @1.4 GHz, single-core 2. CX2030 | 2 nd Generation Intel ® Core™ i7 @1.5 GHz, dual-core 3.
CX2040 | 2 nd Generation Intel ® Core™ i7 @2.1 GHz, quad-core
The CX2000 housing concept combines a metallic basic housing with front panels made of a special screening plastic and can handle environments with temperatures ranging from -25 to +60 °C.
The basic CPU module from the new CX series always has one DVI port, four USB ports and two independent Ethernet ports. A factory-configurable internal slot referred to as a ‘magic interface’ can optionally perform the functions of an astoundingly wide range of interfaces. Fieldbus master and slave implementations are possible here, e.g. for EtherCAT (slave), PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, PROFIBUS, CANopen and DeviceNet, as well as serial interfaces (RS232/RS422/RS485).
