Rexroth has for many years been a pioneer in open systems. That’s not everyone’s approach. Some makers try to keep their proprietary systems secret. The goal may be to ensure that only your brand works in your customers’ factories, only your replacement parts can be used, only your machine languages will work with your software, and only your software will work with your machines. Ideally, only your engineers can configure and program your systems. It’s called “vendor lock-in,” and it used to be the goal for many companies.
That was the old way. It protected your verticals and your intellectual property.
A new way
Rexroth introduced open source programming, made it possible for everyone to program machines with the languages they knew best, and developed ctrlX OS, the operating system that has brought so many companies into partnership around the world. Rexroth now partners with Nokia, Dell, Wago, KUKA, Fanuc, and many, many more leaders in multiple industries.
“The vision of an automation world in which competitors become partners and users help to shape the solutions is becoming reality,” says Automation.com. Open source encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing within a community of developers, engineers, and manufacturers. This collective effort often leads to faster problem-solving, innovation, and the creation of robust solutions that benefit the entire community.
But it’s not just a philosophical position. This approach is more flexible, more transparent and accountable, and more secure than the old way. It offers greater scalability and speed.
Standardization allows manufacturers to use legacy systems longer and more effectively instead of needing to start over when they need to adapt to new business opportunities. At the same time, manufacturers benefit from ongoing improvements, bug fixes, and updates driven by a diverse group of contributors. This ensures that open source solutions remain up-to-date and relevant.
Open source also promotes the reuse of resources, reducing duplication of efforts across the manufacturing ecosystem. This reuse contributes to sustainability by minimizing waste and optimizing the use of materials and energy.
Just one more reason to choose Rexroth motion control. And when you need service and support for your Rexroth systems, think of us first.