At The Battery Show Europe 2026 – held from June 9 to 11 in Stuttgart – Beckhoff demonstrated how flexible automation improves battery production processes. Beckhoff’s appearance at the exhibition focused on the virtualization of control technology and high-resolution measurement technology for test bench automation. These solutions provided machine builders and end users with the tools needed to increase output while reducing engineering and hardware costs.
The rapidly growing battery industry demands adaptable automation concepts for the entire supply chain. This spans from raw material extraction to cell production and recycling. Visitors to Beckhoff’s booth (Hall 1, Booth 1-G30) experienced how PC-based control creates the basis for flexible, resource-saving battery production.
Virtual Control Technology with TwinCAT for Linux®
Highlights at the event included real-time controllers with TwinCAT for Linux® and the vPLC virtual controller. Distributing TwinCAT runtimes and control functions across containers allowed manufacturers to tailor machine architecture precisely to specific requirements. It also enabled them to install software updates centrally.
High-Resolution Measurement for Battery Test Benches
Beckhoff presented the EL3008-0003 (8 x ±3 V) and EL3008-0005 (8 x ±5 V) EtherCAT Terminals. These devices are specifically intended for demanding tests on battery test benches and for monitoring individual cell voltages in batteries and fuel cells.
The high-resolution analog input terminals precisely measure stacked voltages up to 1,500 V CAT II. One major advantage results from the cascaded wiring: when measuring large cell stacks, the effort, installation times, and potential sources of error are significantly reduced.
Cost-Optimized Drive Systems for Material Transport
When it comes to handling, material transport, and positioning tasks in battery production, Beckhoff focused on its new economy drive system. This high-performance, cost-optimized drive family combines AX1000 servo drives with precisely matched AM1000 synchronous servomotors.
The system covers rated powers up to 1,000 W at 230 V AC and up to 1,700 W at 400 V AC. The corresponding AF1000 variable frequency drives address power ranges up to 5.5 kW. Robust connectors for fast motor installation and seamless integration into TwinCAT ensured accelerated commissioning and extensive diagnostic options.
Next-Generation HMI and Multi-Touch Panels
With the Next multi-touch panel generation, Beckhoff offered a future-proof visualization platform for battery production plants. The CP46xx and CP56xx Panel PCs feature 6-core Arm® CPUs or 2- and 4-core Intel Atom® processors. They cover display diagonals from 7 to 23.8 inches.
Modern touch technology with an extended viewing angle and anti-ghosting effects guaranteed safe, intuitive machine operation. The devices were available as built-in or IP65 support arm versions.