Interview with Steffen Winkler, Sales Manager Business Unit Automation & Electrification Solutions, Bosch Rexroth
ctrlX AUTOMATION is an open, Linux-based automation platform with ctrlX OS as a real-time capable operating system, the ctrlX OS Store with currently more than 80 apps in 16 main categories, and the partner network ctrlX World with more than 100 partners. A comprehensive ecosystem that has gained an important position in the world of industrial automation in just a few years.
In an interview with Industrie-Digitalisierung, Steffen Winkler explains the background and strategy.
Successful start in difficult times
Steffen Winkler, Sales Manager Business Unit Automation & Electrification Solutions, Bosch Rexroth (Photo Sendler)
Ulrich Sendler: Mr. Winkler, when did you start developing ctrlX AUTOMATION? And what was the trigger?
Steffen Winkler: We started thinking about a new automation platform back in 2017. We launched ctrlX AUTOMATION on the market in 2020. The original aim was to renew our automation portfolio at the time, while at the same time we wanted to reposition ourselves in the market and evolve from a specialist for motion & drives to a provider of comprehensive automation solutions.
Ulrich Sendler: Why on the basis of Linux?
Steffen Winkler: We did thorough research and looked at many future scenarios. We opted for Linux because it has many features that are very important to us: Real-time capability, security, the microservices architecture. We wanted to make the development and maintenance of our own software easier. It was clear to us that this would not be possible with another closed system, no matter how good it was.
Our motion and CNC control systems, for example, were monoliths that had grown over many years and required extensive maintenance. We urgently wanted to switch to a microservice-based architecture in order to be able to develop faster, better and in a more decentralized way. And that was Linux.
Ulrich Sendler: I hear from some companies that there is often a lack of support for such decisions at senior management level. What was it like in your case?
Steffen Winkler: Our start at SPS 2019 was phenomenal. We were thrilled by the very positive response. But then a difficult time began with corona. There were no trade fairs or personal communication with customers. And although we had quickly and successfully switched to digital alternatives, there were also supply bottlenecks for chips and numerous electronic components. However, we then realized that our modern hardware architecture presented us with fewer procurement challenges than the old systems.
The overall difficult economic situation was also a challenge internally, as we had to invest a great deal at this time. But at the time, the enormous importance of the system for the entire company was recognized. At the Bosch plant in Blaichach, we demonstrated it at the trade press conference in September: it is a real competitive advantage. And this was recognized. We were able to invest more and this accelerated development even further.
Great interest also in new areas
Ulrich Sendler: From today’s perspective, has the development already paid off?
Steffen Winkler: We feel that we have taken the right path. The investment in the platform was absolutely right. The popularity of over 100 partners and more than 2000 customers to date is clear proof of this.
Ulrich Sendler: Have you already reached new markets with the platform?
Steffen Winkler: ctrlX AUTOMATION opens up access to new markets for us, even outside of mechanical engineering. Our “claim” today is “industrial automation” and not just factory automation. The new platform has also been in use for several years in building automation, energy technology, infrastructure and warehouse logistics. These are all areas in which we were not previously active.
We have sold the most ctrlX CORE controllers in these new fields of application in building automation to date. A current example from the energy technology sector is Siemens Energy. This shows that we have a key to opening up new markets with the ctrlX AUTOMATION platform.
Over a hundred partners are already using the ctrlX AUTOMATION platform in numerous fields of application (photo Sendler).
Our control systems for motion, robotics and CNC have already covered a large market in factory automation. However, the appeal of the new platform means that we are now attracting a great deal of interest in completely new areas.
Ulrich Sendler: Your partner network ctrlX World has also been growing since the development of the platform began. What is special about it?
Steffen Winkler: The ctrlX World partner network is expanding the ctrlX AUTOMATION solution kit to include hardware and, in particular, software in the form of apps. Pepperl + Fuchs, for example, are adding an IO-Link master and an RFID scanner to the range of solutions. Together we ensure – and this is the principle of ctrlX World – that a user can easily integrate and use this combination in their application.
For the user, this is fully integrated from an engineering perspective. For example, the IO-Link master has its own node in the interface of our ctrlX Data Layer, which becomes visible when the device is connected and recognized by the system. Similar to when you connect a USB device to the PC, and after a few seconds the device appears in the Explorer. In the past, you would have had to write a PLC function block that addresses the IO-Link master, reads out data and provides data – that was very time-consuming.
This partner world is open to everyone. We simply ensure that a genuine customer benefit is created. At ctrlX World, there is at least one real use case behind every logo, sometimes even several. We look to close gaps in the range of solutions in this ecosystem. Last year the focus was on robotics, this year on vision.
Promising candidates for partnership
Steffen Winkler with the ctrlX team and numerous partners (photo Sendler).
Ulrich Sendler: How does the ctrlX World partner network differ from the comparatively small network of partner companies for the ctrlX OS operating system?
Steffen Winkler: We take a very targeted approach to partnerships for our operating system. Our focus is on suppliers of automation components who provide a complementary offering in order to expand the solution portfolio for users. We are looking for partners with a strong market presence, preferably in markets where we have little presence ourselves. There is no fixed size for our partner network. It is important that the offer fits into our market and technology environment and offers potential. We are currently in talks with several promising candidates.
Ulrich Sendler: Openness is one of the key buzzwords for platforms such as ctrlX AUTOMATION. What does openness mean for Bosch Rexroth? How does collaboration on the platform work?
Steffen Winkler: For Bosch Rexroth, openness in the context of ctrlX AUTOMATION means that we are creating a platform that offers users maximum flexibility. Openness means that ctrlX AUTOMATION is completely manufacturer-independent and that both our own solutions and those of third-party providers can be integrated. Customers are free to choose which components and software solutions they want to integrate into their automation projects.
Collaboration on the platform works through our open ecosystem – ctrlX World. Here we work closely with partner companies who integrate their solutions and apps into our system. The partners expand our offering with complementary products that increase the added value for the user. Developers can create their own apps based on ctrlX OS and make them available via our system. This openness promotes innovation and makes it possible to implement customized automation solutions quickly and efficiently.
Dock and communicate well instead of another system
Ulrich Sendler: With the open, Linux- and microservice-based platform, you are opening up new doors for the interaction between OT and IT. How do you see the future of the relationship between ctrlX AUTOMATION and corporate IT such as ERP, PLM and MES?
Steffen Winkler: We have no intention of reinventing such solutions. There are many, many such systems in the industry, especially in the MES sector, some of them industry-specific, some of them developed and marketed by individual machine manufacturers themselves. We are not going to develop another one. Our strategy is to dock on as well as possible, which is why some of these providers are also ctrlX World Partners. Connectors in the form of apps make it easy to exchange data with such systems – both in terms of architecture and IT security.
ctrlX OS is ready for the security requirements of the coming years (Photo Sendler)
In the long term, the pressure on the middle software layer such as MES will increase. My personal view: sooner or later it will disappear because it is no longer necessary.
The great value of the ecosystem
Ulrich Sendler: Do you also support your customers’ app business with your platform?
Steffen Winkler: Absolutely. We develop apps ourselves – our own applications currently make up around half of the apps in the ctrlX OS Store. We also offer the apps of our ctrlX World partners via the store. These are comprehensively validated, tested and checked for security and performance by us. We also provide the complete infrastructure, including monetization options.
This is a decisive advantage, especially for OEM partners such as WAGO. They benefit not only from the operating system and the app-based concept, but also from access to the ctrlX OS Store, a license server and a growing community of several thousand users. The neutrality of the platform elements ensures simple and flexible use.
Machine manufacturers who develop their own apps also benefit. These apps can either be offered exclusively to their customers or published in the store.
With ctrlX AUTOMATION, we are opening up new business models. The manufacturer can offer additional services throughout the entire life cycle of a machine. New software solutions can be added at any time – similar to smartphones. This makes it possible to use software in five years’ time that does not yet exist today. Our platform provides the tools to implement such future-proof solutions in industry.
Steffen Winkler opens the 6th trade press conference on ctrlX AUTOMATION (Photo Sendler)
Ulrich Sendler: At the press conference in Blaichach, you said that the share of software in Bosch Rexroth’s business is increasing. Is this also due to new business models?
„Never before offered in the industry“
Steffen Winkler: ctrlX AUTOMATION, ctrlX OS, ctrlX World – this is of course a new business model for us. The proportion of software that we sell is increasing – that’s right. The business is scaling because more and more devices are running on ctrlX OS, and not just our own. Further scaling is taking place via the apps in the store.
That sounds like nothing special. But as far as we know, it has never been offered in this form in the industry before.
Ulrich Sendler: There is a shortage of staff everywhere. Is this an obstacle to the further development of ctrlX AUTOMATION?
Steffen Winkler: The shortage of skilled workers is certainly a challenge, but we do not see it as an insurmountable obstacle to the further development of ctrlX AUTOMATION. ctrlX AUTOMATION offers an open and flexible environment that enables developers to implement their ideas and solutions quickly. This open concept not only attracts new talent, but also encourages collaboration in our ever-growing partner community.
Another advantage is our international approach. We work in a global R&D network with locations around the world. This gives us access to a broad talent pool and enables us to bring together expertise from different regions. This global collaboration allows us to drive innovation faster and incorporate different perspectives into our developments. In addition, we benefit greatly from the partner community, which makes a significant contribution to the further development of the platform. This is the principle of our open platform: we not only use our own resources, but also the ideas and solutions of our partners to achieve the best results together. This enables us to mitigate the shortage of skilled workers and continue to innovate at a high level.
Ulrich Sendler: What role does AI play in connection with ctrlX AUTOMATION?
Steffen Winkler: An increasingly important role. We already have the first applications in use, for example at our customer Kohlbacher, who has developed an AI-based solution based on ctrlX AUTOMATION together with us. This application uses process data from the sharpening of saw blades to optimize the straightening processes – a step that was carried out manually by so-called “saw doctors” before automation. AI has also changed a lot in software development and engineering recently, for example in the creation of PLC code. Industrial users increasingly expect the same intuitive operation that they are familiar with from the consumer world. In the near future, for example, an AI assistant could respond to the question “How do I rectify error XY in the ctrlX DRIVE power unit?” in a matter of seconds and provide the appropriate steps to rectify the error instead of having to trawl through lengthy documentation or call the hotline. This type of intelligent support will soon be a clear expectation in the industry.
Ulrich Sendler: Finally, can you give us an outlook on what we can expect from your company in the coming years?
Steffen Winkler: The automation kit ctrlX AUTOMATION, the partner network ctrlX World and ctrlX OS, which we also share with other automation companies – there will be intensive further development in these three areas. And AI will certainly be one of the technological topics that we will focus on, and in many possible fields. I don’t want to give any more away yet.
(Bosch Rexroth will be presenting its current automation platform from November 12 to 14 at the SPS in Nuremberg, Hall 7 Stand 450).