ifm · ecomatmobile

Mobile Machine Control & Rugged Automation

Build construction, agricultural, municipal, material-handling and other mobile machines around rugged controllers, displays, distributed I/O, motion sensors and connected-service architecture designed for vibration, weather and wide temperature ranges.

ecomatControllerecomatDisplayioControlCAN / J1939CODESYS
ifm CR711S ecomatController for mobile machines
Controller familyUp to 124 I/OCurrent ecomatController range
Environment−40…85 °CCurrent controller / ioControl routes
ProgrammingCODESYS 3.5Controller architecture
Vehicle networkingCAN / J1939Machine communication
System portfolio

Build the mobile machine as one connected control system

Use the controller as the core, distribute I/O close to actuators and sensors, provide operator interaction through rugged HMIs and add motion feedback and remote services only where the machine architecture needs them.

ifm ecomatController
CONTROL

ecomatController

Rugged PLCs for mobile machines, including standard and safety-capable variants.

  • CODESYS 3.5
  • Multiple CAN interfaces
  • Configurable digital / analogue / PWM I/O
View official ifm information →
ifm ecomatDisplay
HMI

ecomatDisplay

Rugged graphical HMIs for machine operation, diagnostics and controller integration.

  • Current 4.3–12 inch routes
  • CAN and Ethernet options
  • Display-only and controller variants
View official ifm information →
ifm ioControl
DISTRIBUTED I/O

ioControl

Bring sensor inputs and actuator outputs closer to remote machine sections.

  • CANopen / J1939 architecture
  • Configurable I/O
  • CODESYS-programmable variants
View official ifm information →
Mobile applications

Designed around machines that operate outside the control cabinet

01
Construction

Excavators & lifting equipment

Coordinate hydraulic functions, motion feedback, operator controls and distributed I/O under vibration and weather exposure.

02
Agriculture

Harvesters & implements

Combine controller, ISOBUS/CAN communication, speed/position sensing and operator display functions.

03
Municipal

Sweepers & utility vehicles

Manage multiple hydraulic and auxiliary functions with rugged controllers and local field I/O.

04
Material handling

AGV / AMR & heavy vehicles

Use mobile controls, encoders, HMIs and network interfaces where CAN and Ethernet systems must coexist.

ifm ecomatDisplay CR1152
System architecture

Controller, HMI, I/O and sensor feedback work as one mobile automation stack

ifm's current ecomatmobile architecture connects rugged control with CAN-based field devices, Ethernet where needed and remote-data services for diagnostics, fleet visibility and maintenance.

Machine dataSensors / encoders
Field layerioControl
ControlecomatController
Operator / cloudHMI / mobile IoT
Controller selection

Scale the controller around I/O count, safety and communication

Current routeTypical scaleProtectionInterfaces / roleUse when
CR710S / CR711S37 / 60 total I/OIP67CAN + Ethernet; safety-capable familyMedium mobile machines
CR720S / CR721S98 / 124 total I/OIP67More I/O for complex machinesLarge distributed mobile systems
CR403S / CR413S24 / 32 total I/OIP20Compact controller architectureSmaller machines / protected mounting
Safety note: Current safe ecomatController variants are certified for functional-safety applications up to SIL 2 / PL d and additional mobile-machine safety standards. The complete machine safety function still requires architecture, software and validation review.
Selection logic

Controller selection begins with the architecture

Start with the machine I/O, actuators, communication buses, safety functions and operator workflow. Then select the controller and distributed architecture.

01
Controller size

I/O & cycle requirements

Count digital, analogue, frequency, resistance and PWM/H-bridge requirements before selecting the control family.

02
Communication

CAN, J1939 & Ethernet

Map engine ECU, display, distributed I/O, sensors and service interfaces before hardware selection.

03
Environment

Mounting & protection

Decide whether the controller is exposed on the machine or protected in an enclosure; this changes the appropriate IP architecture.

04
Safety

Standard vs safe control

Define the actual safety functions and target integrity before selecting a safety-capable controller.

05
Operator interface

Display size & controls

Choose display size, touch/key operation and controller functionality around the operator task.

06
Remote services

Diagnostics & fleet data

Add mobile IoT only where remote access, data collection or fleet management provides value.

Requirement capture

Inputs required to review the mobile architecture

Machine typeConstruction, agriculture, municipal, AGV/AMR, material handling or other vehicle.
I/O listDigital, analogue, frequency, resistance, PWM, H-bridge and current requirements.
NetworksCANopen, J1939, Ethernet, ISOBUS or other vehicle networks.
SafetyRequired safety functions and target standard / integrity.
HMIScreen size, touch/key operation and display/controller role.
EnvironmentTemperature, vibration, ingress, road approval and mounting location.