What is ctrlX AUTOMATION?

ctrlX AUTOMATION – The open automation platform by Bosch Rexroth

Machines and systems are evolving. Software, machine control, and IT are becoming increasingly integrated. Innovation cycles are getting shorter, and new technologies must be integrated more quickly. With ctrlX AUTOMATION, Bosch Rexroth is setting the standard for modern automation. This open, modular, and scalable platform combines decades of experience in industrial automation with the capabilities of modern software and app technologies. This gives machine builders and plant operators the freedom to flexibly select technologies, implement solutions quickly and tailored to their needs, reduce component and engineering costs by 30 to 50 percent, and take early advantage of new developments.
Two Steps Ahead.

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“Our mission is to make automation truly open, programmable for everybody and to enable co-creation like never before.”

– Steffen Winkler, Senior Vice President Sales, Business Unit Automation & Electrification Solutions at Bosch Rexroth

Game Changer since 1958

Technological progress and the courage to break new ground are part of Bosch Rexroth’s DNA, with roots dating back to 1795. The company has been setting key benchmarks in automation since 1958, the year Indramat GmbH was founded. Becoming part of Rexroth in 1965, Indramat played a defining role in shaping electric drive and control technology for decades.

Today, this wealth of experience is built into ctrlX AUTOMATION. Bosch Rexroth unites proven industrial expertise with open architectures, modern software technologies, and a consistently modular approach. As a result, the reliability of a globally established technology leader meets the openness and flexibility that machine builders and factory operators require today.

Learn more about the history of Bosch Rexroth

Our milestones – Ahead through tradition

From Indramat to ctrlX AUTOMATION: Our milestones highlight the technologies and innovations with which Bosch Rexroth has shaped drive and control systems over decades, consistently setting new standards.

Bosch Rexroth's technological milestones in drive and control technology since 1958.

WE AUTOMATE EVERYTHING: One solution for all automation tasks

“WE AUTOMATE EVERYTHING” represents the full scope of ctrlX AUTOMATION. The modular automation system includes all essential components for complete solutions – from controllers, I/Os, IPCs, and HMIs to drives and motors, as well as motion, PLC, and IoT functionalities.

The key lies in how the components work together: The individual modules can be freely combined, scaled, and tailored to the specific application. This enables solutions for a wide variety of requirements and industries – from handling and robotics to packaging machines and intralogistics, all the way to building automation applications.

Bosch Rexroth also offers preconfigured solution sets for numerous applications. These combine coordinated hardware and software into ready-to-use automation packages, thereby reducing the effort required for development and commissioning.

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From single components to complete systems: ctrlX AUTOMATION adapts to the automation task — not the other way around.

Discover our solutions

Open to new possibilities

The openness of ctrlX AUTOMATION extends from system architecture to software. A core foundation is ctrlX OS, the Linux-based operating system from Bosch Rexroth. It creates an open software environment where apps, custom applications, and third-party technologies integrate seamlessly.

ctrlX OS serves as the cornerstone of an architecture that decouples functions from rigid hardware dependencies. Software can be deployed and expanded flexibly, while open standards bridge the gap between OT (operational technology) and IT.

Expand functions via app

With the app-based approach, ctrlX AUTOMATION brings the flexibility of modern software worlds to industrial automation.
Functions can be easily added on demand and tailored to the specific application via apps.
In addition to apps from Bosch Rexroth, a wide range of solutions from the partner network ctrlX World is also available.
This allows functionality to grow alongside your requirements without compromising the underlying system architecture.

Seamlessly connecting IT and OT

With ctrlX AUTOMATION, the machine world and IT grow closer together.
Open standards and IoT technologies enable end-to-end data exchange from the machine and process level up to higher-level IT systems.
This allows machine data to be effortlessly integrated into advanced digital workflows and applications.

Simplifying engineering

ctrlX AUTOMATION combines traditional automation with established IT programming languages, tools, and methodologies.
Developers can work with familiar technologies, seamlessly uniting software expertise with automation know-how.
This expands engineering possibilities and opens up industrial automation to a broader community of software developers.

Two Steps Ahead – With an open industrial ecosystem

Openness in ctrlX AUTOMATION extends far beyond our own portfolio. With ctrlX World, Bosch Rexroth unites companies with diverse strengths and domain expertise within an open ecosystem. Partners expand ctrlX AUTOMATION with their own hardware, software, apps, and specialized know-how.

Machine builders and plant operators benefit from growing variety and choice, allowing them to freely combine Bosch Rexroth solutions with offerings from ctrlX World.

More than 100 partner companies are already part of ctrlX World — creating a thriving ecosystem that continuously unlocks new technologies, solutions, and capabilities for ctrlX AUTOMATION.