At SPS IPC Drives 2017, Beckhoff presented all products and systems in its range of PC- and EtherCAT-based control technology in five technology forums. Consolidating control intelligence in software, PC-based control incorporates all functions – PLC, motion control, IoT and more – within a single platform. The focus of this year’s trade show presence was on TwinCAT Vision for seamless integration of machine vision capabilities into the central control system. With the new C6030 Industrial PC, Beckhoff introduced an addition to its ultra-compact IPC series: The device combines the ultra-compact design of the C6015 with a maximum of computing power. Another highlight on the Beckhoff booth was the AMP8000 distributed Servo Drive system that paves the way to modular machine concepts. The AMP8000 directly integrates a servo drive into a servomotor, effectly reducing the control cabinet and machine footprint.