With the new C7015 ultra-compact Industrial PC, Beckhoff combines its extensive expertise with PC-based machine control and IP65/67 components. The result is an Industrial PC (IPC) designed with IP65/67 protection for direct installation on machines or other equipment. The Microsoft Azure Certified and AWS Qualified edge device is ideal for decentralized installation and provides powerful multi-core computing performance. As a robust control computer, the device also reduces control cabinet space requirements, optimizes machine design and simplifies subsequent system expansions.

The C7015 ultra-compact IPC, which measures just 85 x 167 x 43 mm, is cost effective and universally suited to high-performance automation, visualization and communication purposes. Its applications range from classic machine control to the decentralized edge computing utilized in advanced Industrie 4.0 concepts. 

A high-performance edge device with IP65/67 protection
The Beckhoff C7015 leverages powerful Intel Atom® multi-core processors with up to four cores. Compared to conventional ARM-based edge devices, it supports far more demanding applications as well as decentralized data pre-processing and the acquisition of large data volumes. The IP65/67-rated device housing is another feature that makes the C7015 ideal for use in modern edge applications, even in harsh production environments.

Decentralized machine control with EtherCAT P
The IP65/67-rated IPC also serves as a highly functional machine controller. Installing it directly in the field can save valuable electrical cabinet space. This reduces machine footprints significantly, especially when combined with other Beckhoff components with high protection ratings, such as the AMP8000 distributed servo drive system and the EPP series EtherCAT P I/O modules. These solutions vastly simplify machine design while also minimizing the effort of subsequent system expansions, such as the addition of an energy data acquisition system, for example.

The integrated EtherCAT P connection of the C7015 creates a range of new options for efficient sensor/actuator connection via the IP67-protected EPP modules. In this way, even complex diagnostic or condition monitoring tasks can be decentralized and supported with minimal installation effort, for example. For that purpose, a special mounting plate enables direct attachment of an EPP module to the C7015. If required, additional EPP modules can be flexibly connected via EtherCAT P to suit specific applications.