Packaging machinery moves towards greater flexibility

Packaging machinery manufacturers are under increasing pressure to deliver equipment that is more flexible, compact and easier to adapt to changing production requirements. At PPMA 2026, Beckhoff Automation UK will showcase a range of automation and motion technologies designed to simplify machine construction while giving manufacturers greater flexibility.

The company's portfolio includes cabinet-free automation, modular control systems and flexible transport technologies that can help packaging machine builders reduce hardware, wiring and installation complexity.

Cabinet-free automation reduces machine complexity

A central focus of Beckhoff's exhibition will be the MX-System, a modular cabinet-free automation platform that integrates control, I/O and drive technology on an IP65-rated baseplate.

Power and data are distributed through integrated busbars, while the system's plug-and-play architecture can simplify installation and make machinery easier to expand or reconfigure. For packaging machine manufacturers, this approach provides an alternative to designing and wiring a conventional control cabinet for every machine.

The modular design can also make subsequent modifications easier when production requirements change, an increasingly important consideration as manufacturers seek equipment capable of handling different products and packaging formats.

Flexible transport technologies expand machine possibilities

Beckhoff will also demonstrate its XTS linear transport system, including a hygienic version designed for food and beverage applications. The system uses independently controlled movers and a stainless-steel, washdown-ready construction, allowing manufacturers to combine flexible product movement with demanding hygiene requirements.

Another technology on display will be XPlanar, which uses magnetic levitation to move products across planar tiles without fixed mechanical paths. The contact-free system can provide machine designers with greater freedom when developing product handling and positioning processes.

Automation needs to deliver more without adding hardware

According to Beckhoff, machine builders are increasingly expected to provide greater flexibility without continually adding hardware, wiring and complexity. This is particularly relevant to packaging applications, where production lines may need to accommodate multiple formats, changing batch sizes and increasingly customised products.

Modular automation architectures can help address these requirements by allowing machine components to be added, modified or reconfigured without completely redesigning the control infrastructure.

Compact drives target a wider range of applications

The company's exhibition will also feature its expanding drive portfolio, including the AX1000 servo drives and AF1000 variable frequency drives. The latter are designed for applications that do not require the capabilities of high-end servo systems, offering a more economical option for equipment such as conveyors, belts and fans.

Providing machine builders with a broader range of drive technologies can help them match automation hardware more closely to the requirements of individual machine functions, potentially reducing unnecessary system complexity and cost.

Packaging automation becomes increasingly modular

The technologies being presented at PPMA reflect a broader shift towards modularity in packaging machinery. Instead of relying on large, fixed systems designed around a single production configuration, manufacturers are increasingly looking for platforms that can be adapted as requirements evolve.

This approach can be particularly valuable in food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other processing industries, where hygiene requirements, product formats and production demands can change significantly over the lifetime of a machine.

Automation supports the next generation of packaging equipment

Beckhoff's portfolio demonstrates how advances in automation, motion control and machine architecture are becoming increasingly important to packaging equipment design. Cabinet-free systems can simplify construction, while flexible transport technologies can give engineers greater freedom over how products move through a production line.

As packaging manufacturers face growing demands for flexibility, efficiency and faster adaptation, these technologies could help create machines that are easier to build, modify and integrate. The result is a packaging machinery sector increasingly focused not only on speed and output, but also on adaptability throughout the equipment's operational life.