How software redefines planar motor technology

At first glance, B&R’s ACOPOS 6D stands out for its magnetic levitation technology and contactless shuttle movement. But for Hans-Peter Kraft, that’s only part of the story. In this interview, he explains why software plays a far greater role in defining how transport systems perform, evolve, and create value over time – and why the future of planar motor technology will be driven by software innovation.

Many customers initially look at ACOPOS 6D as a hardware innovation – segments and shuttles, so they assume the software is “just” an accessory. In reality, it’s the opposite: Software is what turns a flexible hardware platform into a productive, scalable machine concept. It helps our customers to move faster from the first idea to a proof of concept by letting them design layouts and process flows graphically, validate routing and cycle times early, and reduce the amount of trial-and-error typically required with new motion concepts.

Because the hardware itself is quick to install, customers get the greatest return on investment when the software reduces engineering effort across the entire lifecycle. Instead of spending days rebuilding the same information for programming, visualization and service, teams can re-use a common configuration and focus on what differentiates them – the process, product handling, and performance targets.

For the end customer, that means getting into production earlier, fewer surprises during commissioning, and a system that can be adapted to new products or formats with much less downtime.

The software platform pays for itself by reducing engineering time, commissioning risk and by protecting flexibility after start-up. You’re not just buying planar motion hardware – you’re investing in a workflow that saves engineering effort and keeps the machine flexible over its entire lifecycle.

Over the next decade, the biggest leaps in transport systems will come less from “moving from A to B” and more from how smart and efficiently that motion is engineered and used. As planar motor systems become easier to integrate mechanically, competitive differentiation shifts to the software layer: how quickly an engineer can design and validate a concept, how reliably it can be commissioned, and how flexibly it can be adapted in production when product requirements change. Software is where customers gain speed, flexibility, and lifecycle value and that is why it will be the main innovation driver.

The software platform contributes to faster time-to-market by removing redundant work and by enabling earlier, higher-quality decisions. Customers create the key system information once in ACOPOS 6D LaunchPad. Segment layout, traffic network, recipes, and process parameters and then reuse it across the toolchain. For example, that same configuration can be leveraged for visualization and engineering instead of being rebuilt and retested in every phase. This “Configure and Run” principle reduces engineering hours and avoids the typical inconsistencies that slow down commissioning.

The biggest impact is typically seen as machines become more complex: multiple stations, multiple product variants, frequent recipe changes, or high throughput targets. In those scenarios, our platform helps customers iterate faster, test changes earlier, and implement updates with less disruption. That not only shortens initial project delivery, it also reduces the effort for later modifications so customers can respond to market needs and new product requirements without turning every change into a re-engineering project.

Our software platform is designed to support every role involved in delivering and operating an ACOPOS 6D based machine and to keep everyone aligned by working from the same underlying configuration.

For sales and concept teams, ACOPOS 6D LaunchPad enables rapid layout visualization and feasibility discussions, making it easier to communicate value to end customers and clarify requirements early. For machine designers, it helps confirm footprint, station placement, and flow before committing to detailed mechanical design. For programmers and application engineers, the benefit is re-use: configurations created in ACOPOS 6D LaunchPad can be imported into B&R's engineering platform Automation Studio and then extended with the machine-specific logic that differentiates the application. For example, stations, tooling, quality checks and connectivity. Operators and technicians benefit from out-of-the-box visualization and clear system information, which reduces commissioning and training effort and improves day-to-day usability. For service and support teams, ACOPOS 6D Monitor provides diagnostics and performance insights that help troubleshoot faster, reduce downtime, and support continuous optimization.

Taken together, the platform improves collaboration, reduces handover friction between roles, and ensures lifecycle value, from the first customer conversation to long-term production support.

After commissioning, change is the norm: new product variants, different batch sizes, new quality requirements, or higher throughput targets. The ACOPOS 6D software platform supports customers through these changes by making adaptations faster and less disruptive.

Using the same configuration-based approach, customers can adjust recipes, routing strategies, and key parameters without having to redesign the hardware layout for every new requirement.

Customers can use simulations and monitoring to validate changes before applying them broadly and then implement updates in a controlled way to protect uptime. ACOPOS 6D Monitor provides operational transparency, helping teams understand whether a change improves throughput, reduces congestion or affects energy consumption. This closes the loop between engineering and operations: improvements can be tested, applied, measured, and refined.

The end result is a system that stays productive over its lifetime and can evolve with the customer’s business.