6th Bosch Rexroth trade press conference on ctrlX AUTOMATION at Bosch Blaichach
Bosch Rexroth presented interesting news and new partners at the sixth ctrlX AUTOMATION trade press conference on September 26. The open, Linux-based automation platform is growing through extensive further developments by the manufacturer, but also through partners with complementary offers and a ctrlX OS Store that is also growing. The innovations will be presented to the public at SPS: Hall 7, Stand 450.
The trade press conference took place at the Bosch site in Blaichach. This leading plant for the production of ABS/ESP and other high-tech systems for active driving safety relies on the ctrlX Core control platform for production. It replaces the previous solutions with industrial PCs on Windows 7. 900 controllers are already in use. At the end of the conference, there was a very informative factory tour, especially on the use of the platform in practice.
However, the great potential of ctrlX AUTOMATION does not lie in its own control system. It lies in the overall concept of the platform and, above all, in the hardware-independent software, which was therefore the focus of this conference. The presentations focused on the development of ctrlX OS, the company’s own operating system based on real-time Linux, and on the ctrlX World partner network.
ctrlX OS at the center, a number of OEMs in the next circle, and an already considerable number of ctrlX World partners in the market. (Image from presentation slide: Sendler)
New OEMs for ctrlX OS
Steffen Winkler, Sales Manager of the Automation & Electrification Solutions business unit at Bosch Rexroth, explained the goal pursued with ctrlX OS as follows:
“Our aim with ctrlX OS is to create a genuine alternative to proprietary platforms and to establish an open, world-leading automation ecosystem. Together with our existing partners WAGO, Nokia, Dell Technologies and congatec, we are now taking the next step.
ctrlX OS will be established even more strongly than before as a universal, manufacturer-neutral operating system for a wide range of industrial applications.”
After ctrlX OS 2022 was offered as an open operating system, there were the four OEMs mentioned above, including WAGO, a competitor, whose devices run on this operating system.
At the press conference, another interested company introduced itself, which has recently been evaluating the integration of its systems: Eaton, a provider of energy management solutions for use in data centers, utilities, industry, retail and other sectors. Christian Zingg, Director Business Development & MD St. Gallen, called ctrlX OS “the smartphone of automation”. Bosch Rexroth and Eaton will be presenting initial applications at their stands at SPS and will decide on the next steps together after the trade fair. (An interview with Christian Zingg will follow shortly)
ctrlX World from IT und OT
The ctrlX World partner network embraces currently more than 100 companies.
Steffen Winkler: “A particular focus of ctrlX World is on solutions for the convergence of IT and OT. We want to make it easy for users to link the various systems and technologies together and thus pave the way for the smart factory of the future.”
Three new partners introduced themselves: the pneumatics manufacturer SMC, Pepperl + Fuchs with sensors, IO-Link masters and RFID systems, and ServiceNow with cloud-based process design and optimization of operating procedures.
Steffen Winkler: “Users can implement advanced solutions more quickly – for example through simple IT/OT integration, from the actuator and sensor to the control function and integrated service platform.”
Steffen Winkler with three speakers from his team. (from left: Steffen Winkler, Carina Heil, Lead Business Operations ctrlX OS, Hans Michael Krause, Director Ecosystem ctrlX World, and Henning Förste, Regional Sales Engineer, Elmo Motion Control, Photo: Sendler)
It is becoming more difficult to put the entire automation platform portfolio on one slide (photo Sendler)
To ensure the long service life of its automation solutions, Bosch Rexroth has published Long-Term Support (LTS) Release 2.6 of ctrlX OS. It offers improved allocation of processor cores and optimized backup and restore functions. At the same time, it brings modularization of the software and engineering toolbox ctrlX WORKS and other enhancements.
ctrlX OS Store: more than 80 apps in 16 main categories
The digital marketplace at Bosch Rexroth is called the ctrlX OS Store. The offering now comprises more than 80 apps in 16 main categories, ranging from Communication and Engineering, Factory IT, HMI and IoT to Sense, Vision and Service.
The marketplace not only offers easy access to all apps from various manufacturers in one-stop shopping. Bosch Rexroth also guarantees that every single app is tested according to strict guidelines.
New products from Bosch Rexroth in the store include: Model Connect for model-based development of control code, which supports MATLAB and Simulink in the first version; ctrlX MOTION App has been expanded to include an API that now supports 128 drives.
Bosch Blaichach production: Shorter cycle times, efficient communication
The advantages of the open automation platform could then be seen live during the factory tour. All assembly cells in the hall are equipped with the same control system, as is the AGV transport system, which moves material and components from cell to cell under the hall ceiling. This turns the interlinked assembly cells into continuous assembly lines.
Niels Wefer, head of the special machine construction department in Blaichach, on replacing Windows 7 industrial PCs with ctrlx OS Core: “We were impressed by the open system architecture of ctrlX AUTOMATION, which is reflected in the ctrlX Data Layer and open interfaces.” And: “We were impressed by the broad scope that ctrlX Core offers. It can be used to implement a wide variety of applications. These range from simple process controls to highly automated assembly lines. We can always adapt the solution to our requirements.”
Further details on the ctrlX AUTOMATION offer from Bosch Rexroth can be found in the Smart Automation market overview and especially on the exclusive Bosch Rexroth subpage.