B&R Industrial Automation, the machine automation division of ABB, has announced that the company will be presenting a completely new servo drive at the SPS Smart Production Solutions trade fair. In an exclusive interview, Wilfried Guerry, Global Product Manager for Drive Technology at B&R, reveals how the new technologies can solve key challenges faced by machine builders. The main focus is on space savings, speed, sustainability and energy efficiency, but also on cybersecurity and build in predictive maintenance functions. He also explains how the manufacturer's new approach ensures procurement security and flexibility as well as counteracts the shortage of skilled workers.
Wilfried, what exactly characterizes B&R's new drive technology compared to existing solutions on the market?
The new B&R product family “ACOPOS M4” combines performance, sustainability, simplicity, and intelligence in a single platform. A consistent 50-microsecond on all control loops, including local I/Os and SPT (Smart Process Technologies), enables higher machine speed, increased throughput, and superior product quality. All motion path generation and CAM synchronization is generated locally within the servo drive are executed locally within the servo drive, independent of PLC or network cycle times. On the power supply module, a multilevel power stage improves energy efficiency, while we designed the product to reduce production CO2 emissions and increases the use of recycled materials such as aluminum, copper, gold, and tin. The platform also offers the Digital Product Passport in line with upcoming EU regulations.
Each servo drive features local AI to detect mechanical changes, apply corrective actions, and predict potential failures. This decentralized intelligence reduces network load and ensures fast system response time.
The compact drive design is 30 to 50 percent smaller than comparable solutions, reducing electrical cabinet space and wiring effort. External components such as EMC filters, regenerative chokes, or braking resistors are not needed. The platform supports open communication, PLCopen motion blocks, and various motor and encoder types. This includes synchronous, asynchronous, torque, and linear motors. It reflects the company's commitment to openness and standards.
On which technological platform is the new development based? What is special advantage does this offer for machines and plant engineering?
We have decided to take a completely different approach to the technology we are using here, particularly with regard to the power stages. The new “ACOPOS M4” power supply module is built using multilevel power stage technology. It represents a significant advancement in terms of both performance and efficiency compared to conventional IGBT or SiC-based designs. The power stage is based on Mosfet technology using standard, widely available components. This ensures long-term supply security and reduces the dependency on single-source suppliers.
The multilevel topology eliminates the need for several external components. This saves up to 60 percent of space in the control cabinet, resulting in more compact and efficient machines. In terms of inverter modules, we have doubled the power density of our modules. It is now possible to connect up to four motors to a single servo drive module. The multilevel design generates up to 40 percent less heat dissipation inside the electrical cabinet. This minimizes the need for air conditioning, contributing to both lower operational costs and smaller cabinet designs.
Which technical functions in the new drive technology specifically aim to reduce energy consumption?
Energy efficiency was a key design goal of the new drive platform. A multilevel power stage achieves up to 99 percent efficiency. In addition to the reduced cooling requirements in the control cabinet mentioned above, energy recovery during braking phases is also fully supported. The recovered energy is fed back into the grid. This reduces the overall energy requirement.
Integrated software functions monitor energy flows from the mains to the servo drive, DC bus, and regeneration path, enabling detailed analysis of consumption per production cycle. It can be used to optimize motion path and energy profiles, helping machine builders and users increase production batch energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Modularity, interoperability, and user-friendliness: How are these three features technically implemented in the new solution?
Machine builders spend up most of their budget on software development, diagnostic and maintenance. “ACOPOS M4” is fully integrated into the existing B&R Automation Studio and “mappMotion” software framework. Unlike many competing solutions, it does not require separate or dedicated software suites for new product families. Engineers can simply update their existing machine software to the latest release, after which the new platform is ready to use, almost plug and run. Existing projects can be reused, reducing engineering time and accelerating time-to-market. The process is fast, seamless and intuitive, with no need to rewrite application code. This shortens development time and time to market for our customers.
From a hardware perspective, the new system takes modularity to the next level. Components can be easily combined and scaled to match the needs of any machine architecture. This flexibility enables OEMs to build systems that are both tailored and future-proof. Finally, we have significantly expanded the range, offering servo drives of up to 200 kilowatts. This opens the door to new applications and higher power segments, all within the same unified ecosystem.
To what extent does the new solution address current requirements such as shorter product cycles and increasing product variety?
The new solution addresses shorter product cycles and increasing product diversity. With a control loop cycle time of just 50 microseconds, the system significantly boosts throughput while maintaining or improving quality. Its fast response enables precise synchronization and control especially in dynamic production environments, regardless of product type. Intelligent algorithms integrated in the servo drive detect process changes and automatically adjust control parameters in real time. This is a unique advantage of our servo drive platform. Also, with refined diagnostics, we want to take this capability to the next level of development. It drastically reduces testing and tuning changeover times. It ensures optimal tuning from the very first product, without manual intervention or compromises in speed or quality.
For which industrial applications or sectors is the new drive technology particularly suitable?
Our core activities include consumer packaging, printing, and plastics. The new drive is generally suitable for most machine applications, but especially for metal, energy, and pharmaceuticals.
Can you give a specific example where setup times or commissioning times can be significantly reduced by the new solution?
A key advantage of the new solution is its ability to significantly reduce setup and commissioning time through intelligent, automated functions. The built-in autotuning optimizes control loop parameters during commissioning and live operation. Parameters can be applied automatically or monitored for predictive maintenance.
Our “ACOPOS M4” is intelligent. It can correct load unbalance, play in mechanics and many others common issues OEM are facing. For exemple, the system detects mechnical vibrations in real time, tracking resonance frequency and self-adjusting filters to maintain performance and mechanical stability. Speed feedforward parameters can also be evaluated and fine-tuned during operation, enhancing dynamics without production stops. Diagnostic and maintenance tool interface are accessible via a web browser, eliminating the need for dedicated tools and simplifying setup across machines and projects.
Have you already received any customer feedback from any pretests?
We have presented this solution to almost all of our key customers, and the feedback has been really great. They are all enthusiastic and recognize the value for themselves and their customers. The new “ACOPOS M4” can help them to remain competitive from competitions. To do this, they need to stand out from them in terms of quality, speed, sustainability and artificial intelligence in their machines. They are looking for that “more” and they see the system as a good answer to this “more.” The consensus was that the technology is five to ten years ahead of the competition.
How does B&R address safety and cybersecurity requirements? What new functions or mechanisms are integrated?
Safety and cybersecurity were key priorities in developing the new “ACOPOS M4” platform. Communication is based on native OPC UA FX. It is the only open fieldbus combining gigabit performance with a future-proof architecture. This supports automatic topology detection and dead-time compensation, enabling deterministic motion and simplified setup.
Cybersecurity features such as secure authentication, encryption, and data integrity are built into the protocol stack. Designed to meet Cybersecurity Level 3, the “ACOPOS M4” platform addresses the strict safety and data protection requirements of sectors like food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
What can visitors to SPS in Nuremberg expect from B&R?
Of course we will present the new “ACOPOS M4” technology at the SPS trade show. But it is only the visible part of the “iceberg”. We renewed almost all of our motion offering, such as power class extension of “ACOPOS P3” family and the introduction of the high power density motor portfolio. We’ve implemented new technology and new manufacturing process on the motors. Now they can deliver more than five times the normal torque output that was previously provided here.
We will also show new frequency inverters “ACOPOS P87” for inductive motors. B&R is one of the first companies to bring a real-time deterministic network communication to VFD (Variable Frequency Drive). This will open for customers a new field of possibilities. We have integrated certified wired STO (Safe Torque OFF) but as well networks based STO and SLS (Safe Limited Speed) as an option. Not to forget low voltage servo drive, with our new “ACOPOS X4”. This is the perfect answer for modular and highly flexible machines, to adjust mechanic on the machine for different job process or production batch. Visitors can therefore look forward to lots of new innovations from B&R.
