XPlanar’s Software-based Rotation Increases Freedom of Movement in Flying Motion

April 29, 2021

The highly adaptive XPlanar system from Beckhoff now boasts software-based 360-degree mover rotation functionality in addition to other new impressive capabilities. XPlanar enables the contactless, parallel and individual transport of products, with movers flying freely in two dimensions over the XPlanar tiles and executing lifting movements with a stroke of up to 5 mm.

The purely software-based 360-degree mover rotation extends the familiar and highly flexible XPlanar movement range by a full degree of freedom. The XPlanar movers can rotate endlessly around their own axis while levitating at selected positions on the system. The rotation can be executed dynamically with a frequency of up to 10 Hz.

This new XPlanar capability makes a variety of groundbreaking adaptive manufacturing applications possible. For instance, mixing liquids or 360-degree inspection of objects is possible with this additional degree of freedom. Furthermore, the movers can leave the rotation positions with an orientation changed in 90-degree steps, so that the transported workpieces are correctly aligned in accordance with the remaining processing steps.

The 360-degree mover rotation is made possible due to in-house development and the deep integration of the XPlanar system into the PC-based control technology from Beckhoff. A simple update to standard TwinCAT software is all that is needed to implement this powerful new rotation function in existing systems. Special hardware products are not required.

For more information, visit www.beckhoff.com.

Related Articles

Editor’s Pick: Featured Article

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s u-control 2000: The Automation Controller

Weidmüller’s scalable engineering software, u-control 2000, adapts individually to your requirements. And, the u-control is powerful, compact and fully compatible with Weidmüller’s I/O system u-remote. This article looks at what makes u-control the heart of your automation.

Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are one of the main components of any automated system. A typical control system has inputs, outputs, controllers (i.e., PLCs), and some type of human interaction with the system, a human machine interface (HMI), for example.

Read More

Latest Articles

  • Labeling Cables and Wires

    February 3, 2026 Choosing the right wire marker or cable label Cable and wire labeling is critical in the identification, assembly, and repair of electrical control panels, wire harnesses, and data/telecommunications systems. It is an upfront cost that saves time and labor expenses when changes or repairs need to occur to the systems you work Read More…

  • ITC 101: Understanding NEMA Ratings for Electrical Enclosures

    February 3, 2026 Understanding NEMA Ratings for Electrical Enclosures NEMA Ratings are an essential classification system used across North America to define the environmental and mechanical protection provided by electrical enclosures. Developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), these ratings help engineers, installers, and specifiers identify the appropriate enclosure type for industrial, commercial, and outdoor Read More…