FATEK Automation Company Profile and PLC, Motion Control & HMI Business Introduction

I. Company Profile
1. General Overview
FATEK Automation Corp. is a highly respected Taiwanese manufacturer specializing in industrial automation control components, with a global reputation for producing some of the most compact, high-speed, and cost-effective Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in the industry. Headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan, FATEK provides complete machine-level automation ecosystems, encompassing micro-PLCs, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), AC servo systems, and variable frequency drives (VFDs). The brand is a favorite among Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and machine builders who require advanced motion control and logic execution within extremely tight spatial and budgetary constraints.

2. Development History
FATEK was founded in 1992 with a singular vision: to develop high-quality, domestically produced PLCs that could compete with expensive Japanese and European imports while offering superior ease of use. Their breakthrough came with the launch of the FBs series, which quickly became a staple in Asian manufacturing due to its robustness and built-in motion control capabilities. In the 2010s, FATEK pushed the boundaries of miniaturization by developing proprietary System-on-Chip (SoC) ASICs, leading to the release of the legendary B1 series micro-PLCs. Today, FATEK continues to expand its portfolio into the IIoT space, integrating EtherCAT fieldbuses and cloud-connectivity into their compact hardware.

3. Core Advantages
Extreme Miniaturization: FATEK’s custom silicon design allows them to pack massive I/O counts and high-speed processing power into physical PLC footprints that are significantly smaller than industry standards.
Integrated Motion Control: Unlike many micro-PLCs that only handle basic logic, FATEK controllers feature built-in, high-speed multi-axis interpolation, electronic cam, and CNC capabilities without requiring separate, expensive motion controller modules.
User-Centric Software: Their proprietary programming environment, WinProladder, is widely beloved by electrical engineers and machine builders for its intuitive, ladder-logic-first approach and powerful simulation tools.
Exceptional Cost-Performance: FATEK delivers premium features—such as high-speed counting, PID control, and advanced communication protocols—at price points that allow machine builders to maintain high profit margins on mass-produced equipment.
II. Main Product Lines
FATEK’s product ecosystem is designed to provide a complete, tightly integrated control solution for discrete manufacturing machinery:
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): Ranging from the ultra-compact B1/B2 micro-series to the powerful, modular FBs and JDP series.
Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs): The C3 and C4 series touch panels, offering economic to advanced visualization and data logging.
AC Servo Systems: The BS3 and JS series high-response servo drives and motors, optimized for precise positioning and synchronization.
Inverters / VFDs: Compact and heavy-duty variable frequency drives for motor speed and torque control.
Industrial Communication & Power: Managed Ethernet switches, protocol gateways, and DIN-rail power supplies.
III. Machine Control, Motion & Visualization Business (Core Business)
While giants like Allen-Bradley or Emerson focus on massive, plant-wide distributed control systems, FATEK’s core business is highly optimized, machine-level automation and integrated motion control. They provide the "brain" and the "face" for standalone manufacturing machines, ensuring that complex mechanical movements and operator interfaces work together seamlessly in a very small physical footprint.

1. Core Technologies and Products
Micro and Compact PLCs (B1 / B2 & FBs Series)
The B1 series is FATEK’s crown jewel in miniaturization. Despite being small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, these PLCs feature built-in high-speed pulse outputs for stepper/servo control, analog I/O, and advanced communication ports. The larger FBs series offers modular expansion and is famous for its ability to handle up to 4-axis simultaneous interpolation natively, making it a powerhouse for CNC routers and packaging machines.
C3 and C4 HMI Series
FATEK’s touch screens are designed to pair flawlessly with their PLCs. The C3 series offers highly economical, rugged resistive and capacitive touch displays for basic machine operation, while the C4 series introduces advanced features like data logging, recipe management, macro instructions, and IIoT cloud routing. Because they share a unified tag database with FATEK PLCs, screen design is incredibly fast.
BS3 High-Performance AC Servos
To complement their PLCs' motion capabilities, FATEK developed the BS3 servo system. Featuring 23-bit high-resolution encoders, advanced auto-tuning, and vibration suppression algorithms, these servos provide the physical muscle required for high-speed cutting, labeling, and pick-and-place operations. They connect seamlessly to FATEK PLCs via high-speed proprietary buses or standard EtherCAT.
WinProladder Programming Software
WinProladder is the software glue that binds the FATEK ecosystem. It allows engineers to program the PLC logic, configure the HMI tags, and set up servo parameters in a highly visual, simulation-rich environment. Its built-in virtual oscilloscope and trajectory viewers allow engineers to debug complex motion profiles on their PC screens before ever wiring the physical machine.

2. Technical Highlights of the Control Business
System-on-Chip (SoC) Architecture: By designing their own custom ASICs, FATEK eliminates the need for multiple off-the-shelf chips on the PLC motherboard. This reduces power consumption, heat generation, and physical size while increasing processing speed and noise immunity.
Advanced Motion Instructions: FATEK PLCs include dedicated hardware circuits for motion control. Instructions for electronic gear, electronic cam, flying shear (rotary knife), and追剪 (flying cut) are built directly into the PLC firmware, executing at microsecond speeds without burdening the main logic scan cycle.
Seamless Ecosystem Integration: When a FATEK HMI, PLC, and Servo are used together, they utilize optimized, high-speed internal communication protocols. This ensures that when an operator presses a button on the HMI, the servo reacts with zero perceptible latency.
Robust Industrial Protection: FATEK hardware is coated with heavy conformal coatings to protect against humidity, dust, and corrosive atmospheres, ensuring long lifespans in harsh environments like textile mills or woodworking shops.

3. Industry Application Solutions
Packaging and Labeling Machinery: FATEK’s high-speed counting modules and flying-shear motion algorithms are industry standards for form-fill-seal machines, bottle labeling, and carton erecting. The PLC precisely tracks the conveyor encoder and triggers the cutter or label applicator at exact microsecond intervals.
Woodworking and CNC Routing: The multi-axis interpolation capabilities of the FBs PLC series make it a highly cost-effective alternative to traditional CNC controllers for 3-axis and 4-axis wood routers, glass cutting tables, and metal bending machines.
Textile and Wire Winding: Utilizing FATEK’s electronic cam and tension-control PID algorithms, machines can perfectly synchronize multiple motors to wind wire, yarn, or thread onto spools with constant tension, preventing breakage or overlapping.
Automated Assembly and Testing: For small, custom-built assembly stations, screw-driving machines, and leak-testers, the ultra-compact B1 PLC provides all the necessary logic, analog sensing, and pneumatic valve control in a tiny control box, saving valuable factory floor space.

4. Customization and OEM Support
FATEK is deeply committed to supporting machine builders (OEMs) who produce equipment in high volumes:
Custom Function Blocks: FATEK’s engineering team can write custom, encrypted firmware function blocks for OEMs. This allows the machine builder to protect their proprietary mechanical algorithms from being copied by competitors.
OEM HMI Branding: FATEK offers custom boot screens, specialized UI color schemes, and silk-screened bezels on their HMIs to ensure the machine interface perfectly matches the OEM's corporate branding.
Pre-Engineered Motion Libraries: FATEK provides industry-specific code libraries (e.g., pre-written code for packaging wrappers or textile winders) to drastically reduce the software development time for OEM engineering teams.

IV. Summary
FATEK Automation has carved out a highly profitable and respected niche in the global automation market by mastering the art of compact, integrated machine control. By combining their proprietary silicon design, advanced native motion control, and user-friendly WinProladder software, FATEK empowers machine builders to create highly sophisticated, high-speed equipment without the massive costs and physical footprint associated with premium enterprise brands. From the ultra-compact B1 PLC hiding inside a small labeling machine to the multi-axis FBs controller driving a CNC router, FATEK delivers the precision, reliability, and cost-efficiency that keeps discrete manufacturing competitive worldwide.