Page 24 - EngineerIT August-September 2025

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Smarter, faster, greener: how Beckhoff

is shaping tomorrow’s factories

he story of automation has always been about
efficiency: in the beginning, automation looked to
Treplace labour, before moving on to connecting
machines, and now it’s about re-imagining how
industries operate – and who gets to shape that future.
Beckhoff, a family-owned German company with a
global footprint, is playing a crucial role in moving
automation into new spaces, new sectors, and new
ways of working.

When AI writes code with you
AI started out as a concept and is now becoming a
tool. Within Beckhoff’s TwinCAT environment, TwinCAT
CoAgent uses generative AI to assist engineers in AI-assisted engineering with TwinCAT CoAgent
creating code, cutting down development time, and
helps to reduce faults. AI is not a replacement for
Counting every kilowatt
human expertise; instead, it’s a way for teams to
Sustainability has become a deal-breaker in investment decisions.
experiment faster and solve problems in real time.
Beckhoff has responded with real-time measurement tools that
show exactly how much energy machines consume, where spikes
A skills gap you can’t YouTube away
occur, and how performance can be improved. With energy data in
More engineers are learning through online platforms
hand, companies can protect equipment and make efficiency a daily
than in traditional classrooms. This has opened doors
practice rather than an afterthought.
for many, but Beckhoff stresses that theory is only
half the picture. “You can write code online, but you
Beyond machines: Convergence in action
need to understand how it behaves in a factory,” says
From frictionless XPlanar conveyors to industrial PCs that power
Gareth Taylor, Regional Branch Manager. Beckhoff’s
cloud dashboards, Beckhoff technologies are appearing in sectors far
model blends training, co-development, and live
beyond traditional factories. Media, logistics, buildings, and renewable
support to help new talent gain the hands-on insight
energy are all bringing automation into new territory. This convergence
that keeps automation running.
focuses less on the machinery itself and looks more at the big picture:
redesigning entire industries.
The MX-System is changing design
The MX-System is changing how factories are laid
The human difference
out. By eliminating the need for bulky control cabinets,
For Beckhoff, technology is only half the story. It’s clear that clients
Beckhoff allows OEMs and system integrators to reduce
value people the most: real engineers, accessible support, and long-
wiring, cut down on footprint, and design production
term partnerships. Instead of pushing products, Beckhoff co-creates
spaces that are leaner and easier to maintain. For
with OEMs and system integrators, tailoring solutions and keeping the
industries under pressure to do more with less space,
human touch alive in a sector often dominated by faceless systems.
modularity is becoming the new design language.
Looking to 2025 and beyond
Industry 4.0 has proved that it’s not just a passing trend and has
become a key element on the industrial scene. For Beckhoff, the next
chapter will be shaped by convergence, sustainability, and the ability
to design smarter systems without losing the value inherent in human
expertise. This vision is grounded not only in speed and precision but
in partnership and continuous innovation.
Contact Beckhoff today:
Beckhoff Automation (Pty) Ltd
7 Ateljee Street, Randpark Ridge, Randburg, Gauteng, 2169
+27 11 795 2898
info@beckhoff.co.za
www.beckhoff.com/en-za/

24 | EngineerIT August/September 2025