Company Boosts Computing Power for Applications Including Multi-axis Control, Machine Learning
With 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, the new Beckhoff Automation C6040 ultra-compact Industrial PC controllers help engineers tackle tough applications, such as multi-axis motion, machine learning and vision, with reduced space requirements.
Posted: October 18, 2023
With the new C6040 ultra-compact Industrial PC (IPC), Beckhoff is adding further scalability in terms of power and interface options to its proven C60xx series. Leveraging 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors with up to 16 cores, the controller is ideal for handling extremely complex automation projects in one ruggedized controller measuring just 132 x 202 x 76 mm.
As such, the C6040 enables a range of new applications for the popular C60xx family. This includes even greater capabilities for sophisticated multi-axis motion, complex HMI applications and systems with extremely short cycle times. That reaches all the way up to onboard machine learning or machine vision integrated into the standard automation software and hardware from Beckhoff.
With its other 12th-generation processors, Intel® classifies the different CPU types into performance or efficiency cores exclusively. However, the Intel® Core™ i7 and i9 processors used in the C6040 are the first to be installed in a hybrid architecture. This means that four additional efficiency cores are added to the Core™ i7 and eight to the Core™ i9 processors. This unique combination of performance and efficiency cores allows applications to be implemented on a total of 12 or 16 processor cores.
Performance cores are primarily suitable for high-performance, single-thread applications. However, many additional threads can be executed in real time or in user mode on the additional efficiency cores.
Beyond that, each individual core can be configured individually via the clock frequency. The additional power supply integrated on the motherboard, which is developed and produced by Beckhoff in-house, offers ample power reserves to fully utilize the enormous computing capabilities of the processors.
