What Allen-Bradley makes in motion control
Allen-Bradley is Rockwell Automation’s product brand for industrial control hardware, and Kinetix is its servo motion family. Allen-Bradley and Kinetix are trademarks of Rockwell Automation. The current drive line includes Kinetix 5100, 5300, 5500 and 5700 and the ArmorKinetix distributed drives, many of them built around integrated motion on EtherNet/IP with Logix controllers. Motors include Kinetix VP (with VPL, VPC, VPF, VPH and VPS variants), the MP-Series (MPL, MPM, MPF, MPS) and the compact TL and TLY.
Rockwell lists a number of older drives as discontinued: Kinetix 300, 350, 2000, 6000, 6200, 6500 and 7000, and Ultra3000. Its product page states that the Kinetix 6500 was no longer available for sale from 31 December 2025.
Why engineers look for a Kinetix alternative
- Discontinued drives on machines that still have years of service ahead. Rockwell names its own successors: Kinetix 5100 for the Kinetix 300, Kinetix 5300 for the Kinetix 350 and 2000, Kinetix 5700 for the 6000, 6200 and 6500, and Kinetix 5700 or PowerFlex 755 for the 7000. Our find a replacement service can check that route and others.
- Lead time for a machine build.
- Budget on simple axes, such as conveyors, guides and format changes, that do not need the full integrated architecture.
- Second source, or a machine that will be sold to a customer with a different PLC standard.
What to check for a genuine servo equivalent
Control architecture first. If the axis is an integrated motion axis in Studio 5000, a non-Rockwell drive normally changes how the PLC commands it. Options are a drive with EtherNet/IP I/O and on-board indexing, a separate motion controller, or a different fieldbus. Agree which before comparing hardware, because the programming and commissioning effort can outweigh any saving on the drive itself.
Motor. Rated and peak torque, torque-speed curve at your voltage, rotor inertia, flange and pilot, shaft and key, encoder type and resolution, brake, IP rating and any food-grade or stainless need (the VPF, VPH and VPS variants exist for those).
Drive. Supply, continuous and peak current, feedback protocols, safety (STO and its SIL or PL rating), fieldbus and commissioning software.
Our guides on selecting a servo drive, selecting a servo motor and selecting a motion controller or PLC cover these steps.
Servo alternatives in our supply network
Drives. The Leadshine EL7 platform runs from 400 W to 22 kW with STO, in EtherCAT, PROFINET and Modbus/pulse versions. The ADVANCED Motion Controls DigiFlex Performance drives cover 10 to 747 VDC and 120 to 480 VAC supplies with broad feedback support. For low-voltage axes on an EtherNet/IP network, the ADVANCED Motion Controls FlexPro drives list EtherNet/IP among their interfaces on 10 to 90 VDC.
Motors. The Kinco SMK series runs from 40 to 180 mm frames and up to 47.8 Nm rated; the Leadshine ELM1 / ELM2 motors have 23-bit absolute encoders and IP65/IP67 sealing.
Controllers. Where the motion moves off the PLC, the Leadshine MC500 is a CODESYS EtherCAT controller for up to 32 axes that also offers EtherNet/IP communication.
How the comparison works
The table under this text compares each Allen-Bradley series we hold data for with the closest product from our supply network, on published figures only. “Equivalent” means a product that meets the stated specification for your application, confirmed by an engineer; it is not a claim of identical behaviour inside a Logix integrated motion system. Specify Motion is not affiliated with, authorised by or endorsed by Rockwell Automation, and no logos are used. Names identify products only.
If Rockwell’s own successor is the lowest-risk route for your machine, we will tell you.
Allen-Bradley replacement and alternative options from our supply network
Each row compares the highest published figures for the series. A match here is a starting point: an engineer confirms the fit for your load, duty, mounting and interface before recommending anything.
Specify Motion is not affiliated with Rockwell Automation. Brand and series names are used only to identify products. Comparisons use published figures; always confirm against the current datasheet.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced the Kinetix 6000 and Kinetix 300?
Rockwell Automation's product pages recommend migrating the Kinetix 6000, 6200 and 6500 to the Kinetix 5700, the Kinetix 300 to the Kinetix 5100, and the Kinetix 350 and 2000 to the Kinetix 5300. Rockwell publishes migration guides for several of these. Our find a replacement service can check that route alongside alternatives from our supply network.
Can a non-Rockwell drive run as an integrated motion axis in Studio 5000?
Generally only drives that support CIP Motion appear as integrated motion axes in a Logix controller, and most of those are Rockwell's own. Other drives with EtherNet/IP are usually controlled as I/O devices, with indexing or position tables in the drive, or the axis moves to a separate motion controller. Decide this first, because it changes the PLC program, not just the hardware.
Can I keep my MP-Series motors with a different drive?
Sometimes, if the new drive can read the motor's feedback device and accept its parameters, but it is rarely the simplest route. Rockwell's own migration documents explain which motors carry over to newer Kinetix drives. For an alternative supplier, a matched motor and drive pair with the flange and shaft checked is usually more predictable.
What should I send to get a Kinetix equivalent proposed?
Send the catalogue numbers of the drive and motor, the controller and Studio 5000 version, how the axis is commanded (integrated motion, indexing or analogue), the load and motion profile, supply voltage, safety functions such as STO, cable lengths and environment. If the axis is for a new machine, send the sizing report from Rockwell's sizing software or a similar tool.
Sources
- Rockwell Automation: Allen-Bradley motion control range (current and discontinued Kinetix)
- Rockwell Automation: Kinetix 6000 multi-axis servo drive (migration to Kinetix 5700)
- Rockwell Automation: Kinetix 300 EtherNet/IP indexing servo drive (migration to Kinetix 5100)
- Rockwell Automation: Kinetix 6500 EtherNet/IP servo drive (discontinued)
Figures are summarised from the sources above and from manufacturers' published data on the date shown. Always confirm against the current datasheet for your exact part.