BECKHOFF CX1020 - Manual (Page 11)

Product overview
Embedded PC 9
System overview
The system
With the CX series of Embedded PCs Beckhoff has combined PC technology and modular I/O level to form a top-hat
rail unit in the control cabinet. The CX1020 extends the CX product family by a version with higher CPU performance.
The CX1020 enables direct connection of Bus Terminals and EtherCAT terminals.
While the CX1000 features an 266 MHz AMD Geode processor, the CX1020 is equipped with a 1 GHz Intel(r) CPU.
It is an energy-saving device that operates with ultra-low core voltage and features low thermal power dissipation of
only 7 W TDP (thermal design power). As a result, no fan is required despite the compact design of the CX1020
Embedded PC. Since Compact Flash is used as boot and memory medium, no rotating media are required in the
controller. This is an important aspect for increasing the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of the overall system.
The case and assembly concept of the CX1020 is similar to that of its smaller brother, the CX1000:
It also consists of several components that can be assembled by the user. The simplest configuration consists of a
CPU module and a multi-functional power supply unit. The PC104 bus is used for the connection between these and
all other CX components, although in the CX1020 this was extended with EtherCAT signals. The basic CPU module
is equipped with two RJ-45 sockets and an integrated 3-port switch as standard. In practice, this often means that no
separate switch is required, since a line topology can be configured conveniently:
For example in building installations, where several room controls can be distributed across each floor, which
otherwise would have to be networked via a star topology.
Like the CX1000, the CX1020 can be expanded with optional system interfaces. A DVI-I (=DVI-D + VGA) output, two
USB-2.0 interfaces, up to four RS232 interfaces and audio are available. The four RS232 interfaces feature opto-
decoupling and can optionally be implemented as RS422/RS.
The same reusability also applies to the multi-functional power supplied units (CX1100-000x) of the CX1020: one
without I/O terminal connection, one with K-Bus connection, one with K-Bus and IP-Link connection for IP-67-
protected Fieldbus Box modules, and a power supply unit with direct connection facility for Beckhoff EtherCAT
Terminals.
EtherCAT as a fast I/O system
The CX1020 Embedded PC was developed for optimum interaction with EtherCAT. The two Ethernet interfaces of
the CPU module are not primarily intended for EtherCAT operation. The EtherCAT connection is established via the
EK1110 (EtherCAT) extension terminal.
Interestingly, EtherCAT offers several options for connecting conventional fieldbus systems to the CX1020:
either as a CX1500 module directly at the CPU or as an EtherCAT device in terminal form. The PROFIBUS master is
available either as a CX1500-M310 or as a EL6731 EtherCAT terminal. Both types offer the same performance