UR8FH

UR8FH computers with multi-core architectures are significantly different from traditional industrial PCs (IPCs). They have multiple processors (also called “packages”), each equipped with multiple cores. Their memory architectures also offer significant differences. A technology called NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access) provides each processor with its own dedicated memory. Beckhoff has implemented this design in its C6670 industrial server, which features two Intel Xeon packages, each offering 6, 12 or 18 cores and 64 to 2,048 GB of RAM. This enormous computing power can only be effectively utilized by fully utilizing the performance of each core through TwinCAT 3.1 software. Beckhoff’s control software is capable of mapping various machine and process workflows – ideal for parallelization and the distribution of different tasks as functional modules.

The UR8FH can perform individual automation tasks in the form of modules. Written in PLC or C++ code, these machine modules are assigned to individual tasks within the TwinCAT system and executed according to user-defined cycles. These tasks can then simply be distributed over the real-time core. In order to intelligently define the order of execution, individual tasks can be prioritized.The diagnostic function of TwinCAT 3.1, which is essential for achieving the highest possible level of system performance, analyzes the load on each core individually. Kernels can also be assigned exclusively to TwinCAT runtime processes, in which case they are called “isolated” because they do not perform any Microsoft operating system functions together with the TwinCAT RTOS. This makes it easy to separate Windows processes from real-time processes.