Beckhoff UK to Showcase Cabinet-Free MX-System Automation at MACH 2026

[Erkan Teskancan]

## Beckhoff UK to Showcase Cabinet-Free MX-System Automation at MACH 2026 Exhibition

Beckhoff UK will introduce its latest automation technologies at the MACH 2026 exhibition, held from April 20-24, 2026, at the Birmingham NEC. The company will demonstrate to visitors how it simplifies machine design and enhances performance with cabinet-free automation solutions and advanced transport systems.

### Cabinet-Free Automation with MX-System

The highlight product at the exhibition will be the MX-System, a modular automation platform that eliminates the need for traditional control cabinets. This system integrates industrial PC (IPC), I/O systems, drive technology, and control components onto a mounting plate directly on the machine, enabling:

• Reduced panel installation time
• Simplified installation
• Decreased wiring complexity
• Creation of more modular machine architectures

### Advanced Transport Solutions with XTS and XPlanar

Beckhoff UK will also introduce the following innovations alongside the MX-System:

• XTS (eXtended Transport System): Provides linear transport with individually controlled movers, supporting assembly, inspection, and part transfer operations.
• XPlanar system: A contactless planar transport solution capable of precise positioning with six degrees of freedom.

These systems offer flexible transport solutions for modern machine processing and manufacturing environments.

### Integrated Automation Architecture

Beckhoff's approach combines PC-based control, EtherCAT communication, motion, robotics, and safety applications on a single scalable platform. This unified architecture allows machine builders to:

• Accelerate development processes
• Easily expand the system
• Simplify reconfiguration

### Supporting Next-Generation Machine Design

According to Neil March, Product Specialist at Beckhoff UK, manufacturers are moving towards cabinet-free automation because this approach provides:

• A smaller footprint
• Cleaner machine layouts
• Greater system flexibility

Visitors to MACH 2026 will be able to experience how the MX-System seamlessly works with XTS and XPlanar, offering fully integrated automation solutions.