From September 22 to 24, 2026, Beckhoff will demonstrate at IAAPA Expo Europe in London how motion control, lighting, audio and video can be brought together on a single automation platform – open, flexible and scalable. Product highlights include new solutions for shows running in exact sync across multiple sites and for pixel-accurate control of LED strips and matrices. Rounding out the trade show presence are the Economy Drive System for cost-efficient drive solutions and the powerful AI assistant TwinCAT 3 CoAgent.
Whether theme park, museum, aquarium or stage: the visitor experience emerges from the precise interplay of motion, light, sound and image – and therefore from a control task that has to run with uncompromising reliability in the background. With PC-based control, Beckhoff offers a platform that brings all disciplines together deterministically. The high-speed EtherCAT fieldbus delivers the precision and reproducibility that time-critical show sequences demand. Beckhoff hardware and software scale freely, and centralized and decentralized architectures are equally feasible. If requirements grow during operation, the automation system can be adapted without difficulty.
One platform for every discipline
TwinCAT forms the overarching software platform for all Beckhoff solutions, seamlessly integrating every automation technology – PLC, motion control, safety, measurement technology, vision, AI and robotics. Combined with the wide range of EtherCAT Terminal interfaces and support for all relevant industry-specific protocols for lighting (DMX, sACN, Art-Net™, PSN), audio (QSC, d&b audiotechnik and others) and multimedia systems (Pixera, Riedel, SMODE and others), every technical system in a project can be operated from a single controller.
Synchronization and pixel accuracy
A highlight at the booth is the EL6689 EtherCAT Terminal, which links EtherCAT distributed clocks to Global Navigation Satellite Systems and supports all active GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou). It enables worldwide system synchronization of < 100 ns under clear sky and < 1 µs indoors, thus meeting the requirements of IEC 61850, Class T5. For operators of distributed installations this means that multiple controllers, attractions or sites run on a shared time base – without a higher-level show control infrastructure having to handle synchronization.
The 4-channel EL2574 EtherCAT Terminal individually addresses up to 2,048 pixels without a separate LED controller. It supports a wide range of protocols and integrates directly into the show application. Chase lighting and animations, position markers and status indicators are therefore created as part of the PLC project rather than as a separate discipline. Eliminating dedicated controllers noticeably reduces hardware and interfaces, and the lighting effects run in exact sync with the motion control.
Drive technology and AI support
For motion tasks in attractions, scenery and kinetic installations, Beckhoff presents the Economy Drive System comprising the AM1000 synchronous servomotor, the AX1000 servo drive and the AF1000 frequency converter. The servo drive system covers up to 1 kW (230 V AC) and 1.7 kW (400 V AC) respectively, while the frequency converter extends to 5.5 kW. Rugged connectors speed up motor installation, and the compact design saves space in the control cabinet. Commissioning and diagnostics are handled plug-and-play via the TwinCAT tools – a major advantage for series products and for projects with tight maintenance windows.
With TwinCAT 3 CoAgent, Beckhoff offers a field-proven AI assistant for engineering and operation. Language-based code suggestions for PLC, HMI and I/O configuration shorten project planning. During operation, data analyses can be requested on demand. AI-supported fault diagnostics automatically generate repair instructions and thus minimize downtime – in an industry where every failure has an immediate impact on the visitor experience. TwinCAT 3 CoAgent is open and can be combined with various AI models.
