Cabinet-free drive architecture for modular packaging machines

Gerhard Schubert GmbH is expanding its modular packaging machine architecture through the integration of cabinet-free drive technology from Bosch Rexroth. The new decentralized drive concept is designed to reduce installation space, simplify machine integration and support more flexible modular machine configurations.

Decentralized drive integration for modular machinery
Traditional centralized control cabinets increase wiring complexity, require additional installation space and can limit flexibility in modular machine concepts. Schubert is therefore transitioning toward a cabinet-free drive architecture in which drive components are integrated directly into the machine structure.

The system is based on Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlX DRIVE cabinet-free servo drive technology, including decentralized power supply units and MS2N and MS2S servo motors. Compared with previous machine generations, the new approach increases the level of integration by relocating drive components closer to the machine modules instead of positioning them within extended cable channel structures.

The architecture supports modular packaging machine concepts by enabling machine sections to be combined and expanded with fewer structural constraints.

Scalable servo drive platform for flexible machine configurations
The cabinet-free drive generation provides scalable configurations ranging from single-axis to dual-axis drive units with different performance classes. This scalability allows machine builders to adapt drive capacity according to the specific requirements of each machine module.

The use of dual-axis devices and decentralized power supply units contributes to installation space optimization and reduces the footprint required for electrical infrastructure within the machine design.

The system architecture also supports multiple topology configurations, including line, star and T-topologies. This flexibility enables packaging machine modules to be configured more freely for different production layouts and automation requirements.

Shared DC bus for energy management
The new drive architecture connects the drives through a shared DC bus system. This configuration enables energy exchange between drive axes, allowing braking energy generated by one axis to be reused by another axis instead of being dissipated back into the electrical grid.

A centralized energy supply concept supports energy balancing across the complete machine platform. According to the companies, the regulated DC bus voltage also contributes to stable machine performance under varying grid conditions.

The energy-sharing architecture reduces conversion losses and improves overall machine energy efficiency, particularly in highly dynamic packaging automation environments with multiple synchronized motion axes.

Simplified machine integration and reduced wiring complexity
By eliminating centralized control cabinets, the decentralized architecture reduces wiring effort and simplifies integration of automation components into machine modules.

The cabinet-free concept also supports more compact machine layouts and can facilitate faster assembly and commissioning processes. Reduced cable routing complexity contributes to easier maintenance access and simplified machine expansion in modular production environments.

Joint development between machine builder and automation supplier
The technology platform was developed through collaboration between Gerhard Schubert and Bosch Rexroth. Schubert participated as a lead customer during the early development stages of the cabinet-free drive technology and contributed operational requirements directly to the engineering process.

The joint development approach enabled testing of the decentralized drive platform under real packaging machine operating conditions during the development phase.

Additional Context: technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original announcement
In the decentralized drive and cabinet-free automation segment, manufacturers including Siemens, Beckhoff, B&R and SEW-EURODRIVE offer comparable distributed servo drive architectures for modular industrial machinery. Key benchmarking parameters include scalability, installation footprint, energy efficiency, wiring reduction, topology flexibility and integration with industrial automation platforms.

Decentralized automation architectures are increasingly adopted in packaging automation, robotics and modular manufacturing systems due to their ability to reduce machine footprint and simplify flexible machine configuration. Shared DC bus systems are also becoming more common for improving regenerative energy utilization in multi-axis motion control environments.

The presented solution is differentiated primarily through the combination of cabinet-free ctrlX DRIVE technology, integrated decentralized energy supply, scalable dual-axis servo architecture and flexible topology support within modular packaging machine platforms.

Edited by Maria Brueva, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.boschrexroth.com