The Beckhoff advantage
Customers demand more from their test stands every year. Meeting that requires a modular concept — which is why our systems are built on Beckhoff PC-based control.
Why Beckhoff
The integration of complex algorithms into a PC-based embedded controller links reliable measurement and control technology directly to the test stand instrumentation — temperatures, pressures, torques, forces, positions and displacements — over one deterministic network. With its modular system, Beckhoff offers the optimal foundation for demanding test stand projects.
IPC
Industrial PCs running the top-end operator interface and the headless real-time controller — one platform, no proprietary black boxes.
EtherCAT I/O
Deterministic, microsecond-class I/O scaling from a handful of channels to hundreds, with hot-connect diagnostics and distributed clocks.
Motion
Servo drives and motion control integrated on the same network as measurement — synchronised loading, positioning and profiling.
TwinCAT 3
One engineering environment for PLC, motion, safety, measurement and HMI — the foundation our software engine is built on.
A 20-year promise most rigs never get
We take a long-term view of design and quality, sourcing only from accredited, well-known manufacturers — limiting obsolescence by design. Beckhoff-installed electrical systems come with a 20-year supply and support guarantee, ensuring critical parts remain available for your test equipment with the shortest possible lead times. Long lead times mean costly downtime; we design them out.
- 20-year supply & support guarantee on Beckhoff electrical systems
- Component selection proven by 40 years of performance and reliability assessment
- Modular architecture: upgrade the controls, keep the iron
- TwinSAFE functional safety on the same platform
Connected, monitored, maintained
Industry 4.0 systems can be integrated to give remote maintenance warnings by email as a baseline — with higher-level integration providing augmented-reality QR login codes for guided support and self-generating maintenance schedules. Secure remote fault-finding keeps rigs running at MOD and customer sites worldwide.
Common questions
Why does RTC build on Beckhoff TwinCAT?
PC-based control gives one modular, scalable platform for real-time control, measurement and HMI. It means a single toolchain from IO to test software, deterministic performance, and long-term availability — which matters on rigs that run for decades.
Does a Beckhoff platform tie us to one hardware vendor?
No. EtherCAT and PC-based control let RTC integrate third-party drives, IO and instruments while keeping a consistent, supportable control core.
How does the platform help with obsolescence?
Modular EtherCAT IO is straightforward to extend or replace, and RTC backs its systems with a 20-year supply and support guarantee so a rig stays serviceable across its working life.
Can existing rigs be upgraded to TwinCAT?
Yes. RTC carries out control retrofits and upgrades, bringing legacy rigs onto a modern, supportable Beckhoff platform.