Deloitte’s 2025 Smart Manufacturing Survey discovered that almost half of manufacturers rank process automation among their top investment priorities over the next two years
With evolving customer expectations, machine builders have to balance performance, flexibility and cost while ensuring machines remain adaptable. The real challenge is not pushing for maximum performance, but choosing automation that keeps the machine simple and adaptable.
The hidden cost
Not all machines need the highest levels of control complexity or motion performance, but over-specifying machines can increase upfront costs, extend commissioning times, add unnecessary engineering effort, increase cabinet space requirements, spare parts inventories and maintenance demands.
Selecting a more basic, less flexible control platform can also create challenges as machine requirements evolve. Machine builders might need to replace hardware, migrate software, or redesign parts of the control system to add new functionality. As a result, introducing scalable architecture from the outset preserves engineering continuity and makes future changes simpler and less disruptive.
While a machine can be designed around current customer specifications, fixed functionaility can limit future development as new applications, performance requirements, and machine varients emerge. Designing systems with flexibility in mind enables OEMs to adapt machines more easily, without unnecessary complexity or costly redesigns.
Many automation suppliers split their portfolios into seperate controller families that limit functionality and constrain future scalability. Users can face a costly rip-and-replace exercise as machine requirements grow, replacing hardware and learning new engineering environments.
One solution is to keep control, motion, and safety within one automation environment. A machine can begin with a controller for basic positioning tasks and move to a high-performance industrial PC for more advanced motion control without changing the underlying software or communication architecture. This solution facilitates clearer upgrade paths for machine builders, enabling them to begin with a streamlined specification and add capabilities later.
Fit-for-purpose motion solutions
Beckhoff has developed a new range of products, such as the AX1000 economy servo drive, AF1000 variable frequency drive and ASI/AMI integrated stepper and servo drive, to provide optimised performance for applications that do not require the highest level of precision control, whilst offering the choice of flexible mounting options and system architectures.
The EtherCAT-connected AX1000 reduces the need for external components, helping OEMs optimise the footprint and cost of cabinet design. Designed for less complex machines, where maximum control or advanced motion if not required, the technology enables machine builders to match automation performance to the machines requirements while maintaining flexibility.
Retaining a consistent engineering environment through TwinCAT software, EtherCAT communication and PC-based control enables machine builders to streamline specification and add capabilities such as coordinated motion, enhanced safety, and greater data connectivity as requirements evolve.
A machine designed with more control and motion capability than the application needs can introduce unnecessary cost and complexity. Choosing automation that is right-sized from the outset helps machine builders to meet modern requirements while remaining prepared for the future.
