High-performance communication controller XFC

Ethernethigh-speeddata

With XFC technology (eXtreme Fast Control Technology) in 2008 Beckhoff presented an ultra fast control solution: XFC is based on optimized control and communication architectures comprising an advanced Industrial PC, ultra-fast I/O terminals with extended real-time characteristics, the EtherCAT high-speed Ethernet system, and the TwinCAT automation software. With XFC it is possible to achieve I/O response times < 100 μs. XFC represents a control technology that enables very fast and highly deterministic responses. It includes all hardware and software components involved in control applications: optimized input and output components that can detect signals with high accuracy or initiate tasks; EtherCAT as very fast communication network; high-performance Industrial PCs; and TwinCAT, the automation software that links all system components. Not long ago, control cycle times around 10 to 20 ms were normal. The communications interface was free-running, with corresponding inaccuracy of the determinism associated with responses to process signals. The increased availability of high-performance Industrial PC controllers enabled a reduction in cycle times down to 1–2 ms, i.e. by about a factor of 10. Many special control loops could thus be moved to the central machine controller, resulting in cost savings and greater flexibility in the application of intelligent algorithms. XFC offers a further reduction of response times by a factor of 10, and enables cycle times of 100 μs, without having to give up central intelligence and associated high-performance algorithms. XFC also includes additional technologies that not only improve cycle times, but also temporal accuracy and .