Product Description:

The CX2040-0100-1002 is an embedded PC produced by Beckhoff within the CX Embedded PC Systems series. Acting as the central control unit for PLC, motion, and visualization tasks, it consolidates real-time computing and fieldbus communication inside a DIN-rail package, allowing machine builders to eliminate separate industrial PCs and gateways. The platform is supplied without an operating system, allowing a dedicated Windows Embedded or TwinCAT/BSD image to be installed as required.

The unit uses an Intel Core i7-2715QE processor equipped with 4 cores; this parallel architecture allows deterministic multitasking among HMI, logic, and drive regulation threads. Each core operates at 2.1 GHz, providing sufficient cycle-time headroom for high-speed I/O scans. System data reside in 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, which supports large TwinCAT projects and cam tables without paging to flash storage. A retained NOVRAM segment of 128 kB safeguards counters and recipe data during a power loss. The electronics use a 24 V DC power supply, so the PC can draw power from the same control-cabinet bus that feeds sensors and actuators. Network connectivity is provided through 2 Ethernet ports, allowing time-critical EtherCAT traffic to remain separate from plant-level TCP/IP communication.

The housing measures 144 mm wide, 99 mm high, and 91 mm deep, allowing it to fit into cabinets with a depth of 100 mm while leaving space for wiring bends. Graphics output is supported by 128 MB of video memory, enabling local display of diagnostics without a discrete graphics processor. Four front-facing USB ports connect input peripherals or backup drives. A maximum power draw of 32 W simplifies thermal planning in fanless enclosures. The enclosure meets an IP20 protection rating, so the unit must be mounted inside a protected panel. A dielectric strength of 500 V provides electrical insulation between internal signals, the 24 V supply, and neighboring power lines.