trends in automation

In Focus

Working together for successPartnerships, networks, best practices

Compass

Penguin power Impressive bionic solutions

Impulse

Three in oneMechatronic Motion Solutions

Synergies

Tulips from AmsterdamSuccess in agribusiness

trendsin automation The Festo customer magazine 2.2009

A powerful package!

The new EGC electric axis – as a

spindle or toothed belt axis – is setting

new standards for power, dynamics,

precision and smooth running. For

loads up to 400 kg and strokes up

to 8500 mm – try it for yourself!

www.festo.com

Solid as a Rock

Dr. Ansgar Kriwet, Member of the Management Board Region and Sales Europe

Dear reader,

Difficult times are the ultimate test of a solid relationship – inbusiness life as well as in private life. So now is a good time to review your partners in the supply chain, to evaluate theirperformance with respect to their stability, their ability to keeppromises but also their flexibility to adapt to a changing envi-ronment. How are we doing as Festo? Tell us so we can improvefurther.

The economic downturn requires more cooperation, because resources in all groups and companies are strained and big chal-lenges must be addressed. Improvements are urgently needed.Improvements in efficiency along the entire process chain, fromthe selection of the right automation components in engineeringup to stock management in the warehouse. You will find someideas on how to increase efficiency in all of these areas furtheron in this issue. The importance of effectiveness also comes intofocus. Improving machine performance, adding real value thatthe customer can count and feel is a must, and innovation is thekey to that. So it is no surprise that in these challenging timesthe application engineering department of Festo is in great de-mand. Many companies are using the current reduced opera-tional workload to redesign their machines for higher perform-ance. Festo is participating in many such projects, adding ourknow-how of automation to the know-how of processes of ourcustomers.

However, such cooperation always requires one important pre-requisite: trust. You need the trust that your partners are reallyadding value to the partnership, that they are reliable and finan-cially stable enough to survive, that they are interested in thelong-term benefit of both sides and not just in a quick return for themselves. Such partners are not always easy to find. AtFesto, we believe in this kind of partnership, it is what has madeus successful. As a family-owned company, we think in genera-tions and not in quarterly results. We believe that making yousuccessful is our best option for the future. We believe in part-nership, especially in these difficult times.

In stormy weather, the advantage of a professional team whereeveryone can blindly trust one another is even more evident.Let´s work together to catch the recovery wave!

Yours,

Ansgar Kriwet

InspirationIn Focus Achieving more together

Prof. Engelbert Westkämper, Head of the Fraunhofer Institute of ProductionTechnology and Automation (IPA) inStuttgart, discusses the opportunitiesand possibilities offered by partnershipsin industry. 10

CompassIn Focus Close cooperation for innovation

Studies show that development partner-ships are well worthwhile: they help to reduce costs and safeguard technologicaladvances. 14

Wings, fins and flexibility

Bionic principles open up completely new possibilities in automation techno-logy, as the latest developments by Festoshow. 16

Bionics live: nature was the model for the development of the FinGripper.

16

“Partners share risks and operatewithout a hierarchy.”

10

Editorial 3

Panorama 6

New products 8

Festo worldwide 43

About this magazine 45

Soft Stop 46

2.2009trends in automation

In Focus Trust and cooperation are vital in order tostay on course, and not only on the high seas. In in-dustry partnerships are also becoming increasinglyimportant. This means that projects which cannot be managed by one company can still be realised. In this edition of “trends in automation”, you willfind descriptions of trends and expert opinions onthis subject as well as many examples of successfulpartnerships.

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ImpulseClever combinations

Mechatronic Motion Solutions combinespneumatic, electrical and servopneumaticcomponents. The result is smooth produc-tion runs and easy cost calculations. 20

In Focus Cutting the cost of accessories

A partnership-based logistics solutionhelps Festo to help its customer optimisetheir component stock levels and reducecosts. 24

Step by step to greater safety

The new EU Machinery Directive comesinto force at the end of the year. In Part 2of our series “Safety technology” you will find ideas for implementing manysafety functions. 26

In Focus Beneffiting from a partner

during a crisis

With Festo as their partner, customers can optimise their business processesand save money. Ten examples of bestpractices. 30

Accessories offer large savings potential.

24

Tripod units provide dynamic handlingand take up little space.

40

SynergiesIn Focus Small country – great efficiency

The Netherlands is among the world’slargest agricultural exporters. This is allmade possible by the latest automationtechnology. 32

Stronger than before

Two Indian machine builders are using the credit crunch as an opportunity forgrowth. Technology from Festo plays amajor role. 36

2.2009 trends in automation Contents 4 – 5

In Focus Smart partnerships

Festo provided an expanded VTSA valveterminal to help Beck Automation AG withthe development of a handling robot foran in-mould labelling machine. 38

Tripod for dynamic handling

Space-saving, flexible and fast – G. UlmerAutomation GmbH installed two Tripodhandling units on an assembly machineordered by an automotive componentssupplier. 40

Photograph: Foster + Partners, Stephane Compoint

The Millau Viaduct across the Tarn Valley in the south ofFrance is without doubt one of the most impressive struc-tures in Europe. It is the result of successful long-term part-nerships, ranging from the design by the British architect Lord Norman Foster to the expertise of the suppliers and contractors and the labour of hundreds of workers from allkinds of trades. With a length of 2460 metres and a height of 270 metres, it is the longest and highest cable-stayed roadbridge in the world and took more than 2.2 million workinghours to build.

Building bridges

2.2009 trends in automation Panorama 6 – 7

Optimised for minimal

installation space: solenoidvalve VOVG.

Valves

Compact and with a high flow rateThe compact solenoid valve VOVG with high flow rates can beused everywhere, whether for compact handling applications or for solutions demanding an extremely high installation den-sity. It also displays its strengths in applications in the electron-ics or light assembly industries, for example those requiring high cylinder speeds together with a low minimum operatingpressure achieved through high-performance dimensioning.

The solenoid valves in the valve range VOVG are available as single valves or for manifold assembly with a wide choice offunctions. Its space-saving design enables direct on-site instal-lation, thus reducing the amount of tubing required and boost-ing system efficiency. The cartridge seal system and spool principle provide a long service life and ensure high systemavailability. And what’s more, the VOVG can also be produced inapplication-specific variants.

www.festo.com/innovations

The new electric toothed belt axis ELGR isintended for use in automation applica-tions with comparatively modest de-mands regarding load capacity, dynamicsand precision. Its cost-optimised designand easy-to-use end-position sensing forhigh operational safety open up a broadrange of applications with a very goodprice/performance ratio.

The dimensioning software “Positioning-Drives” and the configuration softwareFCT enable fast commissioning of thiscomplete solution. The open motor inter-face means that the axis can be con-nected not only to Festo motors but alsoto those by other manufacturers. Onelong slide and up to two extra slides canbe used when a higher load capacity andmore precise guidance characteristics arerequired.

Electric drives

Ideal for standard applications

Typical applications for this axis:• Pick & place tasks• Centring of packages on conveyor

belts, using two slides in opposing directions

• Transport of small loads (< 15 kg)• Pushing functions on conveyor belts

Simple yet complete: the electric toothed belt axisELGR.

2.2009 trends in automation New Products 8 – 9

The EU Machinery Directive comes into force on 29 December 2009. It willaffect not only machine builders of pneumatic systems but everyone whoexpands or modernises pneumatic installations or repairs them using non-original spare parts. Festo is offering a pre-assembled emergency stop control unit for stand-alone operation within a network. The unit makes it possible to activate a safety valve MS6-SV independently, link in emer-gency-stop command units and connect a light barrier or door protectionswitch. This mechatronic system conforms to DIN ES ISO 13849-1 and offers the following: • Protection against unexpected start-up• Category 4 safe exhaust function • High performance level PL = e (SIL 3) in risk assessments

Safety technology

Pre-assembled emergency stop control unit

Category 4 safe exhaust function and protection against unex-pected start-up are provided by this pre-assembled emergency-stop control unit.

Up to 32 valves size MPA1 with flow ratesof up to 360 l/min. can now be fitted on a valve terminal MPA-L. Its very light andcorrosion-resistant sub-bases are madeof plastic and can be used individually orcombined in groups of 4. The valves canbe actuated via multi-pin plug connectorsor the CPX installation system for field-buses.

Valve terminals

Flexible andmodular

Flexible for use with individual sub-bases: themodular valve terminal MPA-L.

There is often a need to measure andevaluate pressures in process and factoryautomation. Both can be done with thenew analogue input module CPX-4AE-P,designed for use with the CPX terminal.Instead of using costly external sensors,which take up space and involve addi-tional installation time, all that’s neededis a 4 mm tube between the measuringpoint and the pressure sensor module.The module offers integrated functions to IP65/67 and has several benefits, suchas simple parameterisation, fast commis-sioning, and evaluation as absolute val-ues in mbar, psi or kPa without conver-sion.

• Channel-oriented diagnostics – forreduced downtime

• Lower system costs – thanks to the linkto fieldbus/Ethernet networks

• Pressure values and diagnostic datashown on LCD display

Measuring relative or differentialpressures

Valve terminals

Input module CPX-4AE-P: available for measuringranges 0…+10 bar or -1…+1 bar.

trends in automation: Professor Westkämper, what are thecharacteristics of successful partnerships?

Prof. Engelbert Westkämper: In general, companies form part-nerships in order to exploit particular competencies in the devel-opment and production of innovative products for the benefit of both sides. They enjoy the advantages that synergies canbring. The sign of especially successful partnerships is the cre-ation of products and technical systems which could not havebeen achieved by one company alone, as special know-how isrequired in order to overcome the obstacles facing us nowadays.Partners share risks and operate without a hierarchy.

The automotive industry shows us how this can be done.OEMs increasingly require their suppliers to supply completemodules and systems directly to the assembly lines of vehiclemanufacturers. Can this also be the future of machine and plantconstruction?

Westkämper: I am not sure that the partnerships and networksin the automotive industry can be a model for the machine con-struction industry. In machine construction the solutions aregenerally customer-specific and require close cooperation be-tween the partners at the design stage. This means that trust

Achieving more togetherTrue professionals when it comes to networks and partnerships – the experts of the

Fraunhofer Institute of Production Technology and Automation, in short the Fraunhofer IPA,

located in Stuttgart, Germany, prove their worth every day. Prof. Engelbert Westkämper is

the Head of the Institute, which is involved in around 300 development partnerships at any

one time. In this interview, Prof. Westkämper explains why more progress can be made by

working with a suitable partner than alone, and why partnerships in the automotive indus-

try are not necessarily applicable as models for the machine construction sector.

In Focus Interview

and reliability play a very large part in every project. The highlevel of individual solutions together with the small quantitiesinvolved demand flexibility and adaptability. I believe that part-nerships in the machine construction industry are more like rela-tionships between neighbours in which each partner supportsthe other to the best of their abilities and avoid exploitation.

What partnership or networking project are you most con-cerned with at the moment?

Westkämper: At the moment, we are working hard to competesuccessfully in a competition organised by the German FederalMinistry of Education and Research (BMBF) to encourage part-nerships and innovation between science and business. We arestriving to create a new generation of machines and a new typeof production system which will be characterised by technical intelligence as well as machines and an organisational structurethat are capable of learning. Taking the motto of “Knowledge to Create Value and Safeguard Long-Term Production”, some 30 companies in the field of machine construction have alreadyjoined this project. The result is a regional network which has set itself the ambitious target of developing and marketing thefactories of the future on a partnership basis. With our newlyfounded association, “Manufuture BW”, we would like to initi-

2.2009 trends in automation Inspiration 10 – 11

Personal data

Prof. Dr.-Ing. EngelbertWestkämper

Engelbert Westkämper studied mechanical engineering at the University of Technology in Aachen (RWTH). After com-pleting his degree, he spent the next eleven years as head of the Production Technology department of the MBB Com-mercial Aviation Division and of the central Production Tech-nology department at AEG. In 1988, Westkämper accepted a position as professor and head of the Institute of MachineTools and Production Technology at the Technical Universityof Braunschweig. Since 1995, Prof. Westkämper, togetherwith Prof. Alexander Verl, has been joint head of the Fraun-hofer Institute of Production Technology and Automation(IPA) in Stuttgart and a professor and director of the Instituteof Industrial Production and Factory Management (IFF) at theUniversity of Stuttgart.

ate developments in production technology that will berecognised worldwide.

You are currently participating in the “Manufuture” network.What are the aims of the partners in this network?

Manufuture is a European technology platform which aims tobring production research in Europe back up to a level appro-priate to the economic importance of European industry. Wehave already achieved quite a lot through working with indus-trial companies and associations. Companies hope that thisproject will generate ideas for their own developments whichwill lead to greater competitiveness and safeguard the long-term future of their production operations. Many partners hopethat Manufuture will produce practical innovations, not only be-cause of pressure from European legislation but also becausethey recognise that greater efficiency means competitive advan-tages. In our various preparatory discussions, we noticed greatenthusiasm for subjects such as energy saving and intelligentproduction systems. At the same time, many partners regret thefact that it takes a long time to progress from ideas to concreteprojects. In order to reduce this, we have founded a European re-search association called EFFRA (European Factory of the FutureResearch Association), which a number of leading companies in

the state of Baden-Württemberg have already joined. Festo hasplayed a major role in planning the strategies and initiativesright from the beginning.

Ideally, what form should a partnership between customersand suppliers take?

Westkämper: Ideally, a partnership should be characterised bymutual trust and the will to develop something unique and new.Partners should foster a climate of innovation and technical cre-ativity. Together, partners can achieve far more than as individu-als. If partnerships also encompass the necessary breadth anddepth of technological know-how, the partners will have nothingto fear from global competition.

In the course of your career, you have not always worked in research and teaching. How does your industrial experience dur-ing your time with MBB and AEG benefit you now? Were partner-ships also important during that period?

Westkämper: Ten years of working in industry provided me witha good basis for understanding problems and evaluating the potential of innovations. I also developed a feeling for what ispossible despite widely-held ideas to the contrary. You cannot

The Institute

Fraunhofer IPA and IFF,University of Stuttgart

With a research budget of 1.4 billion euros, 57 institutes in 40 locations across Germany and 15,000 staff, theFraunhofer Gesellschaft is the leading organisation for applied research in Europe. The clients of the individual institutes are industrial companies, service providers andpublic sector organisations.

The Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart has 250 staff and conductsapplication-related research into corporate organisation,automation and surface treatment technology. Its subjectareas cover 14 departments and range from digital facto-ries, robotic systems, clean-room and micro productionthrough to orthopaedics.

Located on the same site is the Institute of Industrial Pro-duction and Factory Management (IFF) of the University of Stuttgart, a partner institute of the IPA. It has a staff of40 and conducts both pure research and application-ori-ented projects, such as its Learning Factory for AdvancedIndustrial Engineering. The IFF handles projects on sub-jects such as versatility in production systems, life cyclemanagement, the digital factory, microsystem and nanotechnology and modelling and simulation.

The iFactory learning factory from Festo Didactic at the IFF, Uni-

versity of Stuttgart. In the aIE learning factory, equipped with aphysical production system and digital learning terminal, managersand production and logistics planners learn how to design flexibleand versatile assembly lines.

2.2009 trends in automation Inspiration 12 – 13

acquire this experience in the academic field. With both compa-nies, I worked in the field of production technology. This enabledme to build up a broad base of knowledge about productiontechnology and business management which is still very valu-able, even today.

A personal question: who or what inspires you in your work?

Westkämper: The large measure of freedom which I have andthe opportunity to work with young engineers, who are alwaysenthusiastic about new things, make my work enjoyable, de-spite the heavy burden of my numerous responsibilities at theUniversity of Stuttgart and the Fraunhofer IPA.

Finally, a question about your private life: what do you do inyour free time, do you have particular hobbies?

Westkämper: My hobbies are hiking, cycling and reading. Unfor-tunately, I have very little time for any of these! �

“Solutions in machineconstruction are typicallycustomer-specific – trustand reliability play animportant part in the relationship between partners.”Engelbert Westkämper

At a time when all costs are being critically examined, research and development budgets

are also coming under pressure. It is therefore no surprise that more and more OEMs are

working with expert from among their suppliers in order to develop innovations. This allows

costs to be reduced while ensuring that companies do not miss out on new technologies.

In Focus Innovation partnerships

In many companies today, the conflictbetween the need to innovate and toreduce costs is sharper than ever be-fore. On the one hand, consumers

are less willing to forego the latest tech-nological developments, while on theother, many R&D budgets have beenheavily cut back as a result of the creditcrunch. One way out of this problem, andone which is being increasingly followedin many areas of the mechanical engi-neering industry – particularly the auto-motive industry – is development or inno-vation partnerships. This means thatknow-how and resources can be concen-trated and results made available quicker.

What is the current situation with such cooperation models? What kinds of part-ners are preferred and how will the trendcontinue in the years to come? A studyhas provided some interesting answers.

Who is working with whom?

The study showed, for example, that part-nerships are mainly formed between com-panies who are already in a customer/supplier relationship. In addition, themajor form of partnership is one whichaims to optimise or restructure produc-tion processes, while up to now there has been less demand for other forms ofstrategic cooperation, for example in pur-chasing or logistics. Over 80 percent ofthose companies responding to a surveyby the business consultants Capgeministated that they cooperate with suppliersin order to make development and pro-duction processes more cost-efficient.However, a desire to protect their ownknow-how has made many companiessuspicious of broader strategic partner-ships.

Are the desired objectives reached?

Particularly companies which are success-ful innovators show that many objectives

Most innovation partnerships are based on an existing customer/supplier relationship.Source: Capgemini Consulting/University of St. Gallen: “Collaborative Innovation – The Future of Development Partnerships in Manufacturing Industry”, Berlin/St. Gallen, 2007(Capgemini 2007) Basis: All 41 companies surveyed

Close cooperation for innovation

Component suppliers

Specialist technical service providers

System suppliers

University, technical university

Other research institutes

High-tech start-ups/spin-offs

Competitors

5,87

5,05

5,00

4,10

3,44

3,29

2,38

Importance of partnership with

Not at all important (1) Very important (7)

In many cases, innovation partnerships lead to higher sales and profitability and fastertimes to market. Source: Capgemini 2007

Higher Higher Greater Date for Lower sales profitability market share market launch costs

achieved

Effects of innovation partnerships

on companies with high/ low rate of innovation success

True

50 %

Not true-0,2

0,5

-0,2

1,1

-0,1

1,1

-0,1

1,0

-0,2

0,9

2.2009 trends in automation Compass 14 – 15

can be achieved through partnerships. Inmost cases, these companies have beenable to increase sales and profitability, ex-pand their market share and reduce coststhrough partnerships. Furthermore, mostof the companies surveyed were positiveabout the future: around three quarterswish to continue the cooperation withtheir partners. The reasons why compa-nies would like to consolidate their part-nerships are above all the stronger posi-tion relative to their end users and theknowledge that they can call on the addi-tional resources of their partners.

Partnerships do not run themselves

However, not all development partner-ships run smoothly. In around 30 percentof cases, a planned market launch datewas not achieved despite entering into apartnership. The greatest problems withexisting partnerships were unclear rolesand areas of responsibility and the in-creased dependence on suppliers. Thefact that 56 percent of respondents men-tioned high coordination costs shows thatattention must also be paid to efficientmanagement of a partnership.

Looking into the future

In conclusion, innovation partnershipsmust be judged by the degree to whichcosts can be reduced, intellectual prop-erty protected and risks shared. The mainbenefit of cooperation is clearly in theclassic areas of engineering, such as ini-tial development, product developmentand design. It remains to be seen whether– against the background of extreme mar-ket conditions – partnerships will also be-come beneficial in logistics, productionand assembly. �

The main aim of partnership projects is to save money. Long-term objectives play a subor-dinate role. Quelle: Capgemini 2007

The main emphasis in current partnerships is on classic engineering functions.Source: Capgemini 2007

Clearly defined responsibilities and efficient communication are essential if developmentand innovation partnerships are to deliver the desired results. Source: Capgemini 2007

Important motives for cooperation with suppliers

Lower costs

Making up for lack of know-how

Safeguarding production capacity

Sharing business risks

Implementing standards

Improving image

Access to new markets

Other

Innovation partnerships

involving companies with high/ low level of innovation success

80 %

68 %

63 %

34 %

24 %

10 %

7 %

12 %

The most common reasons for problems with cooperation involving suppliers

Dependency on supplier

High coordination costs

Unclear roles/responsibilities

Unclear objectives or definitions of objectives

Lack of trust

Lack of confidentiality

Other

61 %

56 %

49 %

39 %

27 %

24 %

20 %

1,1

0,80,6

-0,6

-0,7 -0,7-0,7

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-0,3-0,3

-0,7

-0,30,20,3 0,4

More intensive

50 %

Less intensive

Initial developmentMarket and product development

Design and constructionSales

Purchasing and logisticsProduction processes

Module and final assemblyService

Wings, fins andflexibilityFesto’s Bionic Learning Network shows the company’s

commitment to applying natural principles to industrial

practice and to utilising the biomechatronic results of this

process in automation systems. The focus is on completely

new principles of operation that lead to energy-efficient

innovations for the future.

Bionics


The most impressive new productfrom the Bionic Learning Net-work – the association Festo hasformed with leading technical

universities, institutes and developmentcompanies – is without any doubt the FinGripper. This innovative gripper is theperfect complement to the BionicTripodand a successful example of how bionicdesign principles can be derived from nature to provide efficient flexible au-tomation. The main distinguishing featureof the FinGripper is its adaptive grip. In other words, it adapts its grip to the object which it is picking up.

Fish fins provide the model

The gripper is based on the FinRay® prin-ciple, now being used for the first time in automation. This principle involves the reaction between lateral pressure andcounterpressure, similar to the way inwhich a fish fin works. If pressure is ex-erted on a fish’s tailfin, it will move in theopposite direction to that in which the

The AquaPenguin shows how under-water technology could look in thefuture. These bionic penguins areautonomous underwater vehicleswhich can orientate themselves andnavigate independently in a group.

AirPenguin: autonomous self-controlling systemswith collective behaviour.

efficient shape. Using their wings andmovable parts of their heads and tails,they can manoeuvre even in the tightestof spaces, turn on the spot and swimbackwards, which is something their biological originals cannot do. Equippedwith 3D sonar, they can communicatewith one another within a group and also with the outside world and thusavoid collisions.

AirPenguin

In the course of evolution, penguins have forgotten how to fly, but the BionicLearning Network has managed to teachthe penguins’ artificial relatives how todo this again. The AirPenguins are au-

tonomous flying creatures with group be-haviour. Invisible ultrasound transmitterstations cover a defined airspace whichthe flock of penguins can explore, eitherin accordance with defined rules or inde-pendently.

sumes little energy and does not need a rigid, heavy-duty mounting – a trulyunique selling point (USP).

AquaPenguin

AquaPenguin and AirPenguin are two further biomechatronic developments by Festo. The natural creatures on whichthey are based are unusual in the birdworld: they cannot fly but are very agile in water. The spindle-shaped penguinshave a flow resistance which is 20 – 30%lower than that of the most efficient arti-ficial flow body, while their wings are capable of elastic deformation and de-velop thrust highly efficiently. These twofactors mean that penguins’ energy consumption is astonishingly low. Thiscame to the attention of Festo’s BionicLearning Network team, who designedthe AquaPenguins – autonomous under-water vehicles. Just like real penguins, the mechatronic versions have a flow-

The FinGripper – an innovative gripper – is the perfect complement to the BionicTripod and is a successful example of how bionic design principles can be applied to automation.

force is acting. Thanks to this mode ofoperation, FinGripper can even provide ananswer to difficult handling tasks and canpick up fragile or irregularly shaped work-pieces, such as light bulbs, and set themdown safely.

Intelligent, adaptive gripping avoids theneed for complex constructions in han-dling systems, for example, when sortingproducts of different shapes and sizes inthe food industry. FinGripper is also idealfor pressure-sensitive components whichneed to be transported and placed with-out damaging them. With conventionalgrippers, damage to the workpieces beingtransported is inevitable. FinGripper, onthe other hand, adapts to the externalshape of workpieces without building up too much pressure. This means thatBionicTripod and FinGripper can beadapted to a given application quicklyand easily. The lightweight gripper con-


Three glass-fibre rods arranged in theshape of a pyramid – and made morerigid by cross braces – form the basisof the BionicTripod. By advancing orretracting the rods, the device can beguided in any direction. The Festo lin-ear axis EGC and servo motor EMMSensure that the electrical control andmovement of the device is fast andprecise. It is controlled via the well-proven robotic control software CMXR,which allows positions to be enteredon a computer instead of mechani-cally. As a result, the new Tripod is verylight-weight and thus consumes verylittle energy.

BionicTripod

The working area of a Festo BionicTripod isseveral times larger than that of a conventionalTripod configuration, which means, for exam-ple, that pick & place functions with a 90° off-set are also possible.

AquaPenguin and AirPenguin are bionicmodels that can have genuine benefits for automation systems. For example, thebody and tail design of the penguins canbe used in automation as a flexible Tripodconfiguration, opening up new applica-tions for handling technology.

Bionics is a true (r)evolution

In the field of automation, factors such as flexibility, energy efficiency and light-weight relative to the mass to be movedare becoming ever more important. Na-ture shows us how we can achieve maxi-mum performance with minimal energyconsumption. With the help of bionics,Festo is identifying and developing newtechnologies to make automation tech-nology even more efficient. Bionic prin-ciples have great further potential in factory automation, for example, for au-tonomous, flexible, adaptive and self-controlling processes. In addition to grip-

The FinGripper encloses the light bulb like a hand but uses a bionic effect derived from the motion of a fish’s tailfin.

per technology, other areas of applicationinclude sensors and closed-loop controltechnology. Nature provides the inspira-tion for the development of decentralised,self-controlling and self-organising sys-tems. It demonstrates new ways forwardin mechanical engineering. �

A comprehensive range of products provides all the required types of motion.

Clever combinationsMechatronic Motion Solutions

Pneumatic, electric or servopneumatic, each drive technology has its own advan-

tages and areas of application. A well thought-out combination of all three technolo-

gies – Mechatronic Motion Solutions – ensures smooth production runs and cost

control. This also applies to the use of linear motor drives.

2.2009 trends in automation Impulse 20 – 21

Mechatronic Motion Solutionsis now making possible whatwas previously unfeasibledue to the lack of interfaces

or to incompatible interfaces – namely afree choice of drive systems and thus anon-technology-specific automation of all the types of motion required for com-ponents, modules and systems, no matterwhat the control system environment is.All pneumatic and electric drives have themechanical, energy and data interfaces toachieve this. What’s more, matching soft-ware packages facilitate reliable dimen-sioning and configuration, from selectingindividual components to commissioningcomplex systems. This means that diffe-rent technologies can be combined into asystem which not only provides the idealsolution to a given automation task butalso ensures maximum cost-effective-ness.

The right solution for all types of motion

Festo’s comprehensive portfolio ofMechatronic Motion Solutions featureslinear and rotary drives, grippers and vac-

uum technology to cover all the types ofmotion and almost all the performance requirements of handling applications:

• Electromechanical and electrical positioning systems

• Gantry axes with toothed belt or spindle drive, cantilever axes

• Scalable motor and controller combinations

• Complex motion-control solutions with a wide range of interfaces

• Rotating and swivelling at angles up to 360°

• Wide choice of designs and perform-ance classes for grippers

• On-site vacuum generation and suction grippers for all applications

All the above components can be com-bined easily and flexibly, thanks to uni-form interfaces.

How much value creation do you need?

Mechatronic Motion Solutions supportscustomers in their efforts to concentrateon their core competencies and optimises

their internal processes. Further advan-tages include the option to buy completesystem packages and to speed up thetime to market.

Make your own ...

Users determine the extent of their col-laboration with Festo. They can choosefrom standard components, assembliesand modules and combine these them-selves into single or multi-axis systemswith the help of specially designed soft-ware tools such as “PositioningDrives” or FCT software. These allow fast, system-atic solutions to be created that fit per-fectly and match individual needs. It is ofcourse also possible to combine individ-ual components, such as a linear drive,with a motor from another manufacturer.

... or buy a ready-to-install handling

unit?

The alternative to “make your own” is a fully assembled, ready-to-install and100%-tested system produced by Festoto the customer’s specifications. The first step is a discussion with Festo;

How linear motors work

In a conventional electric motor (three-phase motor) a ferritic core with definedpoles rotates continuously. Linear motors operate on the same principle, except that the electrical exciter windings are not arranged in a circle but are stretched out.

While in a three-phase motor the motion is produced by a rotor, in a linear motor it is produced by the carriage, which is drawn along the base by a magnetic field. Intheory, a flat-bed linear motor could be created from any electric motor by sawing it open and rolling it out.

customers can work with Festo expertsto develop an optimum overall solutionand will then receive a detailed quotation.Once an order is placed, Festo will designand build an appropriate single or multi-axis system, then test it to ensure that allthe required features are fully functional.And finally, Festo can also, on request, in-tegrate complete sub-systems directly

With the linear motor cylinder DNCE-LAS, all the necessary componentssuch as the linear motor, displacement encoder, guide and reference sensorare combined to form a ready-to-use axis.

The guided axis DFME- LAS can be easily configured and commissionedusing the Festo Configuration Tool.

into customers’ machines and carry outcommissioning.

Linear motor drives – the acceleration

champions

Among the technological highlights ofFesto’s Mechatronic Motion Solutions areits linear motor drives. With accelerationvalues of 125 m/s, they are ideal for high

dynamics and maximum precision, as re-quired, for example, in the photovoltaics,medical technology, electronics industriesor for assembly of small workpieces in thewatchmaking industry.

The new electric motor drives ELGL-LAS,DNCE-LAS and DFME-LAS accelerate atmore than one and a half to four times the

Each drive technology has its specific technical characteristics. Mechatronic Motions Solutions gives users a free choice of the most suitable axis technology as appropriate to the main requirements of the application.

Load

Stroke

Speed

Acceleration

Accuracy

Noise

Rigidity

Costs (TCO)

Flexibility

Performance density

Standard pneumatics

Servo-pneumatics

Toothed belt Lead screw Ball screw Linear motor


rate of other electric and pneumaticdrives. They are also two to three timesmore dynamic than electric drives withscrew or belt drive and at the same timeoffer an accuracy of 10 μm. This makesthe linear motor axes perfect for applica-tions requiring short assembly times,since these not only demand high speedsbut also excellent dynamics.

All three linear motor axes are availableas ready-to-use complete systems, in-cluding a motor controller SFC-LACI orCMMP-AS for the free setting of speed,force and position with various interfacessuch as I/O or a fieldbus interface and the commissioning software Festo Config-uration Tool (FCT). The linear motor axesincorporate all the necessary compo-nents, namely a linear motor, displace-ment encoder, guide and referenceswitch. This means that users only needto install the complete axes in their appli-cations; laborious assembly of individualcomponents is no longer required.

Dynamic and precise guidance with

linear motor cylinders

The DNCE-LAS is an electric linear motorcylinder which has been specially de-signed for small loads. It allows position-ing operations with short strokes in less

than 20 milliseconds. Except for one longside, all the mechanical interfaces of theDNCE-LAS are the same as those of thepneumatic cylinder series DNC. Theguided version, the DFME-LAS, offersmaximum positioning precision and excel-lent dynamics with small loads. Bothcylinder variants have a guide with an in-tegrated grease reservoir, making themmaintenance-free and giving them a longservice life. Once again, the interfaces areidentical to those of the pneumatic equiv-alent and thus fit seamlessly with theFesto modular mechatronic multi-axis system. This means that hundreds offreely selectable combinations are possi-ble, both with other electric, pneumaticand servopneumatic drives and with com-ponents for gripping, assembling, rotatingand positioning. Complete, ready-to-in-stall handling systems can also be devel-oped.

Air-bearing axis – motion without

dynamic friction

The flagship of Festo’s linear motor axesis the air -bearing axis ELGL-LAS. Perma-nent magnets create a powerful force be-tween the carriage and the base of theaxis. When compressed air is fed betweenthe magnets and the base, the resultingair cushion generates a counter-force to

Air bearings with magnetic pretension make the ELGL-LAS precise, more rigidand insensitive to dry dirt particles. As a result, it is very hard-wearing andmaintenance-free.

“With Festo linear motorcylinders, all thenecessary com-ponents are

already integrated. All theuser needs to do is installthe cylinders, connect them,set parameters and give astart signal – and they’re upand running!”Jürgen Kühnle, Product Management Electric Drives

the attraction of the magnets with the re-sult that the carriage is lifted and canmove without dynamic friction. The axishas excellent dynamics, both when posi-tioned horizontally or vertically. It can befitted with several carriages that canmove independently.

The integration of linear motors into theFesto Mechatronic Motion Solutions sys-tem means that users benefit from an op-timum relationship between technologicalperformance and economy, even in appli-cations requiring extremely high accelera-tion values. When there is a need for ex-tremely high acceleration values of wellover 100 m/s, there is no alternative tolinear motors. The limit for pneumatic solutions is 30 m/s for pneumatic solu-tions, 50 m/s for spindle drives and 100 m/s for toothed belt drives. �

Cutting the cost of accessoriesTubing, fittings and other pneumatic accessories are seldom at the forefront of users’

minds. They lie out of sight in a store or in maintenance workshops. However, they hide

a considerable savings potential. With tailor-made services from Festo customers can cut

their logistics costs without running the risk of running out of products.

In Focus Logistics Optimisation

Minimising errors: special labels from Festo with clear illustrations make iteasy to identify products in stores.


Festo accessories, such as fittingsand tubing, are not partic-ularly expensive in comparison withother components in customers’

stores. However, when these so-called C materials need to be re-ordered, theygenerate the same process costs as A or B components. Festo is therefore offering a service package which consid-erably improves the logistics chain for accessories and noticeably reduces thecosts of maintaining stocks. The serviceincludes the planning of optimum orderquantities and ordering frequencies andthe generation of informative stock labelsfor a faster, error-free purchasing process.

Festo Logistics Optimisation Service

The Festo Logistics Optimisation Serviceconsists of three product-support mod-ules which reduce the costs of the pur-chasing process and maximise its relia-bility. In a first step, a Festo expert workswith users to determine an ordering his-tory for a particular operational area. Or-dering frequencies and order quantitiesare identified as well as the range of pro-ducts involved; then a list is drawn up ofall the products required and the level ofdemand for them.

Analysis of ordering behaviour

One of the benefits of this list is that itsignificantly reduces the number of prod-ucts being ordered. Customers can see at a glance which products are seldom ornever used so that they can either be re-

the Festo Online Shop using a dockingstation or a USB interface. This virtuallyeliminates the possibility of incorrect orders. The goods are now ready to be delivered promptly to customers, whobenefit from a lean, cost-efficient anderror-free ordering process.

This shows how the Festo Logistics Opti-misation Service can be used to reducethe costs and time required for re-order-ing accessories. At the same time, theservice ensures that users always have astock of those components that they needat all times in the right quantities and inthe right place. Word is getting aroundabout these advantages; numerous Festocustomers in Australia, Austria, Belgium,Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway,Poland, Sweden and the USA are nowusing this service with great success. �

moved from the ordering portfolio or bereplaced with other products. It is alsopossible to optimise order quantities andordering frequencies. The following prac-tical example shows the potential savingson process costs: a customer found thatplacing 45 orders, each for six standardsilencers, generated process costs whichwere four times higher than for 10 orders,each for an average of 30 units.

Customer-specific stock labels

The analysis and subsequent optimisa-tion of the range of products ordered andcustomers’ ordering behaviour providethe input for the special Festo stock la-bels. These show the optimum orderingquantity for the product in question andall the data which is of importance for thecustomer and Festo. Barcodes make thisdata machine-readable. Codes can beproduced in all usual barcode and locallanguages, which means that they can beeasily integrated in customers’ existingstock systems. The labels carry a productphotograph which makes product identifi-cation much easier and greatly reducesthe rate of errors.

Optimised ordering process

Re-ordering in a stores organised withFesto stock labels is very simple. A scan-ner is used to read the barcodes on thestorage boxes of the articles to be or-dered. The order number is recorded to-gether with the optimum ordering quan-tity and this data is then transferred to

Eliminating cost drivers from component stocks: Festo sales engineers work together with customers to analyse the range of accessories used and the asso-ciated ordering behaviour, which helps to reduce purchasing costs.

Immediately: Using a docking station or a USB interface, orderdata are transferred from the barcode scanner to the on-line ordering system.

This is it: at the end of December a new EU Machinery Directivecomes into force without a transi-tional period. The Directive must

be followed by every company which putsmachinery onto the market within the European Economic Area (EEA). The Direc-tive contains numerous new requirements

Step by step to greater safety

Safety Technology – Part 2

This model installation has been divided into five modules and will be used as an example to explainvarious safety requirements.

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

The countdown has begun. By the end of 2009, every company

in the machine and plant construction sector must implement the

new EU Machinery Directive. It is therefore high time for all those

concerned to know how to implement the Directive. Hazards in

production equipment must be reduced, for example by intro-

ducing technical protective measures. In our series of articles,

we provide a few ideas on how to implement different types

of safety functions.

for documentation, CE marking and aboveall “partly completed machinery”.

The problem now confronting many ma-chine builders is that they cannot be surethat their present safety measures aresufficient to meet future requirements.For example, a risk analysis will have to

we will provide you with detailed infor-mation on ways to reduce risks in mod-ules 3 and 4 of the model installation.

Technical protective measures

The illustration, although by no meansrepresenting all possible hazards, shows a number of typical hazards which can

be carried out for both complete andpartly completed machines. Design, tech-nical and informative protective measuresmust be implemented in order to reducerisk. The verification of these technicalprotective measures often requires exten-sive calculations. In this second part ofour series of articles on safety technology,

Sequence for implementing a safety function.


Module 1: Material feed

Support and coating materials are unwound from two rolls and fed to the coating station.

Module 2: Coating station

The two strips are pressed together by a roller. Coating is carried out using, for example, the application of heat or adhesive. A further roller completes the bond.

Module 3: Cutting station

The bonded strips are cut into individual pieces and separated.

Module 4: Shaping station

The separated pieces of materials are used to produce various shapes with cutter dies. It would also be possible to print on the workpieces in this station.

Module 5: Palletising and packing station

A handling system stacks the finished workpieces. Once a stack is complete, it is pushed towards the packing station. Wrapping foil is placed on the stack by hand, and the stack is then wrapped automatically, triggered by the two-hand control unit.

What triggers thesafety measure?

For example:• Approaching a

hazardous point• Opening a safety

door

Device which detects the safetytrigger

• Light barrier• Safety door• Switch-off

safety mats• Emergency stop• Fault• Laser scanner• Vision system

Device which reli-ably processes thesignal

• Hard wiring• Safety relay• Safety PLC• Pneumatic

controller

Device whichsafely brings a hazardous motionunder control

• Pneumatic• Electrical• Hydraulic energy

Safetytrigger

Input Logic Output Drive

occur in various operating modes. Onceall design measures have been exhausted,it is the job of the designer to implementtechnical protective measures (safetyfunctions). These are always implementedin a similar way, i.e. using a sensor, logiccomponents and outputs.

Cutting station in the model installation

Within the cutting station, coated plasticsheets are cut into individual workpieces,which are then separated. The operator inputs the size of the pieces to be cut anda cutter blade on the XY gantry cuts thematerial accordingly. This work step repre-sents two potential hazards: cuts and im-pacts. Firstly, the machine operator couldbe injured by the cutter blade as it rapidlymoves back and forth; secondly, the mov-ing XY gantry could lead to impact injurieson the hands, arms and upper body. Thejob of the designer is therefore to definesuitable safety functions and implementthese with the help of EN ISO 13849-1.

Safety function “safe exhausting” as an inte-

grated solution: pre-assembled valve manifoldmodules exhaust safety-critical areas of the system after an emergency stop.

In Module 3 the motions of the drives in the cutting station represent a hazard for the machine operators.

Module 4: Vertical motion on a production line often presents a risk of crushing for machineoperators.

Crushing

Impacting

Pulling

Cutting

Exhausting of system sections

Stopping, holding, blocking a movement

Safe exhaust function

How can the required risk reduction beachieved on this module? One idea wouldbe to equip the station with a safety guardwith a maintenance door in combinationwith an integrated “safe exhaust” valvemanifold. If the maintenance door isopened, this device, supplied by Festo as a pre-assembled, fully tested system,reliably switches the drives to an unpow-ered state. This would, for example, en-able a material jam to be cleared up safely.

A second possibility would be to fit a soft-start/quick exhaust valve type MS6-SVfrom Festo. This valve has an exhaust rateof 9,000 litres a minute, 1.5 times thepressurisation rate, and can exhaustsafety-critical areas of a system after anemergency stop. The redundant two-chan-nel design of the valve provides single-fault tolerance. This means that the instal-lation will be exhausted safely even if onefault occurs on the valve. With this solu-

tion there is no provision within the sys-tem to vary the flow rate; this is donethrough the valve manifold.

Braking and stopping

Module 4 of the model installation couldbe used for a large number of applica-tions, such as printing of the material orpunching out shapes, or as a test stationfor the material. A common feature of all these operations is a vertical motion,which represents a possible hazard ofcrushing. In order to prevent any such injuries, stations of this kind are oftenequipped with a safety function aimed at “stopping a motion”.

This function could be provided by brakeunits and clamping cartridges for thedrives. No matter whether there is an energy supply failure, stops for mainte-nance work or a pressure failure or drop-out – brake units type KEC-S can brakeand hold the motion of Festo drives within

Both the brake unit with cylinder from the DNCKE-Sseries and the brake units KEC-S are approved for use as holding devices and brakes for use in safety-critical control systems.

Safe exhausting: the soft-start/quick exhaust valveMS6-SV is the safety valve of choice when safetymeasures for complete processes are required.

precisely defined tolerances, using aclamping component which acts on around bar by spring force. The brake unitsare able to operate over long periods, canwithstand varying loads and are not af-fected by fluctuations in operating pres-sure or leakages.

We will conclude this series of articles inthe next edition of “trends in automation”.The topics to be covered will include,among others, safety measures for mod-ule 5 of the model installation, a palletis-ing and packing station. �


Any company which attempts tofight off the current world eco-nomic crisis on its own will soonfind that it is fighting a losing

battle. The way to achieving a strongerposition in this difficult market environ-ment is for companies to ally themselvesclosely with partners, suppliers and cus-tomers and combine their efforts to opti-mise processes. Festo has given somethought to the current market situationand has developed a comprehensiverange of measures which will enable cus-tomers to reduce their costs in real termswithout endangering quality.

Cost-saving product innovations

Festo has developed a whole new seriesof products which can genuinely saveprocess and product costs compared withconventional products. One example of

1

this is the new self-adjusting cushioning(PPS) for pneumatic cylinders. In roundcylinders with PPS, longitudinal slots onthe inside of the cylinders guide the airaway in a controlled way, thus allowinggentling cushioning right into the end positions. This design means there nolonger is a need to intervene manuallyand thus makes commissioning consider-ably faster. For example, by using PPS the commissioning time for a packagesorting machine with 60 stations can bereduced by as much as five hours.

Innovative materials , for example the PEN tubing, can also offer consider-able savings. Thanks to new material technology and optimised productionmethods, the characteristics of this tubing are perfect for many automation applications.

2

Reducing complexity

Festo is also helping its customers to re-spond with greater flexibility to rap-idly changing customer demands. Thenew VB valve series is a good example. It consists of one basic valve body but offers a wide choice of configurations forevery application. Customers thus needto stock only one basic valve body; vari-ants can then be created simply by plug-ging in the desired configuration.

Festo software tools are a great helpin avoiding overdimensioning. The “Posi-tioningDrives” software package, for ex-ample, enables the precise characteristicload values for electric drives to be calcu-lated quickly and reliably. The design prin-ciple of “air to the top”, which caused in-creased operating costs in many applica-tions, can now be consigned to history.

4

3

Benefitting from a partner during a crisisParticularly in difficult times, it is essential to obtain the maximum benefit from all

business operations. Festo uses ten examples ( to ) to show how it can save its

customers money through best practices, ranging from cost-saving product innova-

tions to software tools and logistics optimisation.

101

In Focus Tips for greater efficiency


One body, many configurations: new valvesfrom the VB series can be adapted flexibly to changing needs.

Machine and plant builders can also usethe current recession to achieve techno-logical leads in a way which would not bepossible if they were working at full ca-pacity. For example, now is a good time tochange over to fieldbus technology –for any company that hasn’t already doneso – without experiencing capacity prob-lems. With its wide range of valve termi-nals and fieldbus protocols, Festo is theideal partner for this type of modernisa-tion, which can cut the costs of wiring andinstallation by up to 65%.

Services and ready-to-install solutions

The Festo Energy Saving Servicessuch as Compressed Air Quality Analysisand the Condition Monitoring Servicesbased on the CPX platform help to keepoperating costs under control. What’smore, ready-to-install solutions are7

6

5

Incorrectly specified products

are a waste of time and money:

the dimensioning tools from Festo (available free of charge) help users to get it right first time.

when market conditions are difficult thatcompanies need to review their processesand make these more efficient. Trainingcan play an important role in achievingthis. Festo offers its customer support inthe form of a Training Requirement Analy-sis Service , which identifies appro -priate strategic and efficient trainingmeasures. �

10

advantageous as they increase users’ liquidity. With its very wide and graduatedrange of products and services , Festomakes it possible to minimise the processcosts of purchasing and to benefit fromnumerous additional services.

As every business area is subject to costpressures, there is another Festo servicethat will be of interest to many users: theFesto Logistics Optimisation Service .Read more about this in the article onpage 24 of this edition of trends in auto-mation.

Targeted training

In times of economic downturn, experi-ence shows that training budgets areunder particular threat. Cutbacks on the“lawnmower” principle are, however, notthe best solution. After all, it’s precisely

9

8

The land of windmills: more than10,000 windmills were in operation in the Netherlands by the end of the19th century.

2.2009 trends in automation Synergies 32 – 33

The Dutch are extremely logicalwhen it comes to crisis manage-ment. The Netherlands was oneof the first countries to create a

200 billion euro rescue package for itsbanks. According to the German foreigntrade agency “German Trade & Invest”,this puts the “little” Netherlands aheadeven of Germany in the level of supportprovided to stabilise markets. Even whenit came to nationalising banks such asFortis Nederland and ABN Amro, theDutch, normally regarded as free marke-teers, were not slow to act. Doing busi-ness with Dutch companies thereforeseems to be financially secure for theforeseeable future.

Special machine construction for agricul-ture is the segment of the Dutch machineconstruction industry which has the high-est sales in terms of value (more than 3billion euros a year); up until the creditcrunch it had an annual growth rate of 5% in real terms. Activities range from

Small country –great efficiencyThe Netherlands is among the world’s most densely

populated countries. Nonetheless, the country is among

the world’s three largest agricultural exporters. This is

only made through maximum efficiency – both in terms

of machines and equipment and in terms of managing

the credit crunch.

In Focus Netherlands: Automation in Agribusiness

biotech cultivation and harvestingthrough to the factory processing andpacking of foodstuffs.

A broad spectrum

One leading player in the industry is theVisser Group. With over 40 years’ experi-ence, the company combines modulessuch as stacking and destacking systems,transport and handling systems, packingmachines, palletising units, conveyor sys-tems and encoding and identification sys-tems to form complete units. These unitscan be used to process and pack all kindsof products, such as fruit and vegetables,mushrooms, fish, meat, cut flowers, bev-erages, dairy products, confectionery,bakery products and chemical and phar-maceutical products. The latest exampleof enhanced efficiency through automa-tion is a multi-purpose filling machine for tree nurseries to improve the plantingprocess using individual pots and trays(carrier systems for several pots). The use of automated machinery of this

More than just windmills

“Despite the economic downturn,automation in the agricultural industry offersgreat opportunities,” explains Thomas Pehrson,General Manager of Festo Netherlands.

kind is well worth it, as labour costs in the horticultural industry are even higherthan the rapidly rising energy costs.

A multi-purpose solution for tree

nurseries

“Like all Visser systems, the multi-pur-pose filler was the result of an enquiryfrom a customer,” says Cees Visser, one of the company’s senior managers. ADutch tree nursery wanted a multi-pur-pose machine which could plant bothround pots in six-packs as well as trays of so-called square top round base potswith box trees. Previously, planting ma-chines had only been able to handle ei-ther pots or trays and it was always nec-essary to reset all the lateral guides,conveyor belts and drilling stations forthe trays being used. The new develop-ment by Visser can do this without theneed for resetting. It unstacks the traysand then the pots which are to be filledwith earth.

Mechatronics is the driving force behind the strong develop-ment partnerships between Festo and the Dutch machine and plant construction industry – and has done so for over 40 years. These partnerships generate creative ideas such as robotic milking machines or robots for pharmacies. In ad-dition, Festo Netherlands, with its headquarters in Delft, thehome of the Royal House of Orange, also counts many well-known brands such as Campina, Heineken and Philips amongits customers.

Dutch agriculture represents a vast potential as it accountsfor 20% of the country’s total exports. “Tulips from Amster-dam” is not only a hit tune of yesteryear but also underscoresthe fact that the Netherlands is the world’s greatest exporterof flowers. The sorting of flowers is carried out using auto-matic handling machines equipped with Festo components.

“Automation also continues to make progress in the cow-shed, despite the economic downturn,” explains ThomasPehrson, General Manager of Festo Netherlands. Lely is themarket leader in this field, thanks to its reliable milking robotequipped with a servopneumatic robotic arm able to with-stand the harsh environment of a cowshed. Festo was in-volved in the development of this robotic system right fromthe start. In addition to conducting joint product develop-ment, Lely also had Festo train its staff in pneumatic automation technology.

A partnership between Wilee and Festo prevents confusionwhen handing out medication in pharmacies. A fully auto-matic system always picks the right medicine. This jointly-developed solution consists of a 3D gantry with electrictoothed belt axes from Festo and includes a manipulator specially developed by Festo Netherlands.

www.visserite.comwww.lely.comwww.wileetechniek.nl

The machine operates cleanly and uses less potting soil to plant theseedlings.


A complete unit for processing and packing flowers: Visser combines standard machine modules to create new, customer-specific machines.

Modules in combination: ready-to-install sorting and packing lines for tomatoes on the vine in accordance with strict HACCP hygiene guidelines.

Multiple tasks

In the next step, a drilling machine makesplanting holes in the earth in the pots intowhich a robot then inserts the plants. Thepots and trays are then pushed onto aconveyor belt, which transports them totheir place in a greenhouse.

The machine operates cleanly and con-sumes little soil. A brush removes excesssoil from the pots and ensures they areaccurately filled. “With 9 inch pots, ourmachine operates to an accuracy of twograms,” notes Visser. The multi-purposefiller can handle 650 trays per hours; with20 pots to the tray, this is 13,000 pots anhour. According to Visser, no other pottingmachine can achieve this speed.

Fewer operators, faster commissioning

The multi-purpose filler requires on aver-age only 2.5 operators: one minds themachine, one operates a forklift truck anda “floating” employee fills up the machinewith potting soil or pots. Without automa-

tion, three times the number of operatorswould be needed for the same work.What’s more, the prototype operatedtrouble-free after only two days, whereasa six months’ adjustment period is nor-mally required. It’s thus not only the ma-chine’s operating features but also itsease of commissioning that make it highly efficient.

The flexibility of the box tree planting machine is a good example of the engi-neering work by the Visser Group. Nomatter whether it is for filling, sowingseeds, planting, sorting using a visionsystem or watering, the Visser Groupfinds high-performance solutions forglobal agriculture across all five conti-nents.

A modular system for individual

solutions

What is Visser’s recipe for flexibility andsuccess? Visser combines standard ma-chine modules again and again to create

new customer-specific machines. Theseincorporate pneumatic valve terminalsMPA from Festo, which are ideal forVisser’s modular system since they arethemselves modular and can thus be flexibly expanded, depending on the num-ber of drives and grippers used. More-over, service units from Festo’s MS seriesare also used to ensure that the Vissermachines never run out of air. With thisseries, too, the “M” stands for “modular”.These products are important aspect ofVisser’s system concept. �

“Bad times are bad for many and good for some.”

This quotation from the marketing guru Philip Kotler

can also be applied to the two Indian companies EEL

India and Manugraph. These are among the few com-

panies which are in such a good position that they

may well emerge from the worldwide economic and

financial crisis stronger than ever before.

Packaging and Printing Industry in India

The model for success: thanks to its “Roto-Packer”, EEL hasquadrupled its sales in two years.

Precise filling: an MFH solenoid valve and a pres-sure regulator enable EEL customers to fill cementsacks with exactly 50 kg, even when the air qualityis poor.

“In the dusty environment of ce-ment works, nothing would be possi-ble without heavy-duty pneumatics,”says Chander Sethi, Services Man-ager at EEL India.

Stronger than before

Both EEL Limited, a manufacturerof packaging machinery, and theprinting machinery manufac-turer Manugraph have a market

share of around 90%, making them real“kings of the castle” in their home marketof India. They also export large numbersof machines to emerging and developingcountries in Asia, Africa and Latin Amer-ica; but it is their strong presence in theirhome market which has protected themfrom the worldwide economic turbulenceand credit crunch which has affected somany export-dependent companies.

“Political pressure”

With an electorate of more than 700 mil-lion people, India is the world’s biggestdemocracy. The political parties them-selves generate demand for printed mate-rial, since in recent years one party afteranother has founded its own daily news-paper. In addition, a parliamentary elec-tion campaign lasting several weeks in-creased demand for newspapers, electionposters and pamphlets. This has meantthat the demand for Manugraph offsetprinting machinery on the Indian markethas risen still further in the last fewmonths.

Ready-to-install control cabinets

How has Manugraph reacted to this con-stantly growing home-market demand?“By raising the proportion of componentswhich we outsource to 90%, we havebeen able to reduce the throughput timefor a printing machine from six months to two and a half,” reports Mohan Harshe,Factory Manager at Manugraph. “It was of course crucial for us to work with pneu-matics partners who were absolutely reli-able,” explains Harshe with regard to thechoice of Festo as automation supplier.Shekhar Shashikant Patil, Area SalesManager for the Kolhapur region withFesto India, describes the manufacturer’spneumatics strategy: “Manugraph ismore and more often turning to ready-to-install pneumatics in order to save timeand money.”

Maximum quality, even in tough

environments

EEL India Limited is enjoying similar suc-cess. This manufacturer of packing ma-chines for cement sacks has benefittedfrom the Indian construction boom andwas able to quadruple its sales between2006 and 2008. It built 20 examples of its highly successful Roto-Packer in 2004.EEL now supplies 20 machines every 2months.

In order to ensure that its machines de-liver maximum quality even under theharsh conditions of a construction site,EEL also selected Festo as its partner.Chander Sethi, Services Manager at EEL,describes the advantages of Festo’s pneu-matic products: “With an MFH solenoidvalve and a pressure regulator, we areable to fill cement sacks with exactly 50kg, even when the air quality is poor.”And poor air quality is to be expected in a dusty cement works. �

King of the castle – emerging

from the crisis stronger than

before: the offset printing worksfrom Manugraph.

Pre-assembled solutions: in order tosave time and money, Manugraph moreand more often chooses ready-to-installpneumatics.

EEL India Limited

Dundahera, Gurgaon, Haryana (New Delhi)Indiawww.eelindia.com

Area of activity: packing machines for cement, chemicals, petrochemi-cals, fertilisers, sugar and rice.

Manugraph India Ltd.

Maharastra, India www.manugraph.com

Area of activity: offset printing ma-chinery using 4x1 and 2x1 systems for up to 70,000 pages per hour (“Smartline” model).


In-mould labelling (IML) is a smartsolution for plastic packaging as thelabels are applied to the packagingwhile it is being injection moulded.

This saves time and money, since it elimi-nates the need for rework, subsequentprinting of the packaging, internal trans-portation and buffer storage. With IML, labels can be changed without interrupt-ing production. The process is suitable for both round and square-shaped con-tainers. IML is also flexible with regard to size: the robots from Beck Automationcan work with containers of up to 40litres.

The main reason for using in-mould la-belling with food packaging is the need to have an attractive design while also including bar codes and mandatory in-formation on the packaging.

One work step during injection moulding

The handling robots from Beck Automa-tion pick labels from a magazine usingvacuum grippers and place the completelabels (for side walls and base) in themould cavity. The labels are rolled ontoauxiliary cores outside the tooling beforebeing transferred to the mould by a han-dling unit. The labels are positioned in themould by static charges and are bondedat the same time as the packaging is in-jection-moulded.

Smart partnershipsEveryone who is looking for smart solutions needs

partners who are ingenious but also reliable. “We

found just such a partner in Festo,” says Christian

Beck, one of the General Managers of Schweizer

Beck Automation AG. This company supplies handling

robots for the so-called in-mould labelling process.

In Focus Injection Moulding of Plastics

Vacuum gripping and ejection: these two func-tions are both performed by the VSVA valve – developed in partnership – which is integrated on a VTSA valve terminal.

Fast and precise: the handling robots from BeckAutomation pick the labels from a magazine withvacuum grippers and place them (side walls andbase) in the mould.

With the IML process, the pneumatic func-tions of vacuum gripping and ejection areof key importance. “Under no circum-stances did we want to use different com-ponents for vacuum generation and ejec-tion,” emphasises Christian Beck, one ofthe General Managers of Beck Automa-tion AG. The task of a possible pneumat-ics partner was thus clear: the two func-tions were to be integrated into one valve.

Two functions – one valve

This application was a spur to Festo tofurther develop its VTSA valve terminaland VSVA valve coils. The VTSA valve ter-minal combines the advantages of thecompact CPV valve terminal and the mod-ular MPA2 models. “In just six weeks, we were able to present a solution toBeck in which two valves were integratedinto one housing,” reports Jochen Krinn,Festo Product Manager. The VSVA valveswork with two pressure zones and allowreverse operation.

“Right from the start, we felt we were ingood hands with both the staff of FestoSwitzerland and those of the R&D depart-ment at Festo headquarters in Germany,and we therefore immediately agreed toact as pilot customers for the new valve,”says Beck. Festo product specialist Krinnexplains the next step: “We defined thefinal product design together with Beck,

Looking good: attractively designedplastic packaging is vital for successin today’s branded goods industry.


after incorporating many of their requestsand suggestions for improvements.” Theformer special application product VSVAon a VTSA valve terminal has now becomea catalogue product from which all ourcustomers worldwide can benefit.”

More than just pneumatics

“As our business is international, it wasimportant to us to work with an automa-tion partner whose products are availablequickly and worldwide via a comprehen-sive network of branch offices,” addsBeck, describing a further aspect of thepartnership between his company andFesto. “The future of plant constructionwill be decided by customer service. This is why all our service technicians at-tended the “Service Ambassador” semi-nar offered by Festo.” During this seminar,the Beck service technicians acquired thenecessary communication skills in orderto be able to work confidently with inter-national users and their different ap-proaches. “It is not just a question ofsmart solutions, it is also crucial to de-liver these to customers in an intelligentway,” concludes Beck. �

Beck Automation AG

Neugutstrasse 19Postfach8102 OberengstringenSwitzerlandwww.beck-automation.com

Area of activity: robots for unload-ing and automatic devices for plas-tics injection-moulding machines.

Clever solution: with in-mould labelling,labels are wrapped around auxiliarycores and placed into position in themould area by static charges.

Tripod for dynamic handling“The Tripod needs less space and design time than a handling gantry and is also

faster than a SCARA”. That is how Gerd Ulmer, General Manager of G. Ulmer Automa-

tion GmbH, summarises the advantages of the new handling system. He has installed

two Tripod handling units on an assembly machine for the automotive components

supplier.

Automotive Components Supplier


On a machine which assemblessafety relays for diesel engines,two Delta robots equip the relaybodies with seven to nine con-

tacts, depending on the type of relay re-quired. “The components were previouslyproduced abroad and are now – primarilyin the interests of better quality – to beproduced on a fully automatic machinewhich includes automatic test stations,”explains the client, a special machinebuilder. The machine comprises 24 sta-tions and was ordered from Ulmer by a

component supplier to the automotive industry.

Quality awareness

The machine comprises stations to testindividual components and carry out con-tinuity and high-voltage tests, tests of soldering flux dosing, monitoring of thesoldering process and measurement ofthe contacts fitted to the relay bodies. “A large number of the assembly cells aretest stations, with four integrated visionsystems,” explains Ulmer.

High rigidity and low moving mass: the pyramid-shaped, enclosed design makes the robot highly dynamic. At the same time, the handling unit is more accessible and allows faster production.

13 vibration conveyors feed contacts andother assembly components to the ma-chine. It takes only 90 seconds for thecontacts and semi-finished relay bodiesto pass through all the 24 assembly sta-tions and emerge as fully assembled andtested relay bodies in a process which includes spraying the bodies in an injec-tion-moulding machine and printing themwith the date of production. “To be pre-cise, the machine produces four finishedmodules every 30 seconds, since that is how quickly the injection-moulding

G. Ulmer AutomationGmbH

Vaihinger Straße 1374343 Sachsenheim-HohenhaslachGermanywww.ulmergmbh.de

Area of activity: special machineconstruction, automation technology.

machine processes four workpieces,”says Ulmer, describing the performance of his machine.

Flexible and with easy teach-in

“It is also thanks to the Tripod that wehave been able to produce around onemillion relays a year in three variants,working in shifts,” reports the systembuilder. One of the benefits of the han-dling system is its flexibility, which is easy to program using the Festo Config-uration Tool (FCT) in combination with the programming language Festo Teach

Language (FTL). “As we received the re-vised samples of the workpieces for se-ries production very late from our endcustomer and needed to carry out all pro-gramming in-house, we found the uncom-plicated and intuitive programming of therobot system very helpful when it came tomodifying the functional sequence andcomponent-fitting position at short no-tice.” �

Tripod robot systemwith CMXR

Thanks to its low moving mass and the high rigidity provided by the pyra-mid-shaped, enclosed design, therobot handling system is highly dy-namic but at the same time more ac-cessible than Cartesian handling sys-tems or SCARA robots. The Tripod isactuated by the robotic controllerCMXR, which is able to position toolsand grippers in 3 dimensions. The tooltip is guided along the programmedpath at all times, even if the orienta-tion of the tool changes. Operation ofthe system is made easier by the op-tional hand-held terminal, equippedwith a touch screen and keypad. Andwhat’s more, the controller can beused, for example, to link in vision systems such as the intelligent visionsystem SBO..-Q and thus also handlemoving objects.

Precise control: the robotic controller CMXRpositions tools and grippers in three dimen-sions and forms the basis for the ready-to-install handling system Tripod.

One million relays a year are produced reliably in different shifts using the Delta robot.

2.2009 trends in automation Synergies/Festo worldwide 42 – 43

Celebration and education

50 years of Festo Austria

At the centre of the activities to celebratethe 50th anniversary of Festo Austria is a programme to encourage a new genera-tion of technicians and engineers. Festostarts with the very youngest schoolchild-ren. “Leonardino” is the name of a com-petition for technically gifted schoolchild-ren aged 8-9 in Vienna. The aim of theproject – for which Festo provided theschools with pneumatic experimentationkits – is to interest young boys and girls in

Austria

Leonardino: the imaginary cyber-grandchild of the famousinventor Leonardo da Vinci

A complete success

Wolfgang Keiner, General Manager of Festo Austria, is delighted that this programme has appealed to the children and won the support of teachers: “It is great to see the kids at work; their enthusiasm is tangible.And for teachers it is also an exciting introduction tothe subject of pneumatics.”

physics and technology. The children en-joyed a journey into a fascinating world of experience in which they could carryout experiments to their heart’s contentand through play become familiar withthe phenomenon of air. The finale of theLeonardino Contest will take place in au-tumn in Vienna’s Technical Museum.

The children are having fun trying things out together. Photographs: Stickler Fotografie

The Environmental Technology Prize is awardedevery two years for outstanding and innovativeproducts in this field.

In June 2009, the Ministry of the Environ-ment of the German state of Baden-Württemberg presented an EnvironmentalTechnology Prize for the first time. Thewinner in the “Measurement and Control”category: Festo Energy Saving Services.This service enables users to analyse theenergy consumption of installations andoptimise their compressed air consump-tion. This helps companies to cut their operating costs and reduce the burden on the environment.

In her congratulatory speech, EnvironmentMinister Tanja Gönner explained the jury’sdecision as follows: “Machine construc-tion is a vital part of the economy ofBaden-Württemberg. Festo has recog-nised the signs of the times and throughits Energy Saving Services is helping tofurther extend our international techno-logical leadership to include energy effi-ciency. A clear gain for the environmentand a worthwhile investment for individ-ual users.”

This year there will surely be a reason to celebrate again – as there was at the WorldSkills2007 in Japan.

A meeting point for trainees from all over the world

WorldSkills in Calgary

September 2009 saw the arrival in Calgary of the 850 best trainees from 48countries and over 51 professions to take part in a competition. Gold, silver andbronze medals were awarded for every profession – for the best lathe operator,the best milling machine operator, the best cook, the best EDP specialist ... andfor the world’s best mechatronics and mobile robotics team. Among those atthe starting line were trainees from Festo, who had taken first place in mecha-tronics during Skills Germany, the national eliminator.

Festo is a founding partner and global sponsor of WorldSkills International. Inaddition to the mechatronics competition, which Festo has been supportingsince 1991 as an organiser of this discipline and official supplier of competitionequipment, the company has also been involved in the mobile robotics compe-tition since 2007.

Asampinpongs Vitoon, General Manager of Festo

Thailand, hands Her Royal Highness PrincessMaha Chakri Sirindhorn a certificate recording thegift by Festo Didactic of a new technical trainingsystem.

Thai Princess as a guest of Festo

VIP visitor

In her home country of Thailand, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is also called the“Princess of Technology”. Her great interest in and technical knowledge of new tech-nologies and the ways in which these can be used to bring about improvements in her country lead her to visit Germany on a regular basis. In July of this year, Her RoyalHighness paid a visit to Festo headquarters in Esslingen.

The Princess took part in events in the Festo Technology Centre and in our training de-partment. The main emphasis was on discussions about the latest trends in technicaltraining. Festo Didactic has been working together with Thai training institutes for manyyears. Festo’s largest joint-venture project in Thailand was the Thai German Institute(TGI), founded in 1995.

Festo Energy Saving Services

receive award

Environmental Technology Prize

Germany/Thailand

Canada Germany

2.2009 trends in automation Festo worldwide/About this magazine 44 – 45

About thismagazine

The usage of modular DGSL pneumatic

drives enhances the efficiency of productionprocess as well as the stability of productquality.

Saving time and costs in the production of keys

and locks

The key to success

Precision, speed and efficiency – these were the requirements of Chieh Yung Automation Corporation for the construction of a new machine for the produc-tion of keys and locks.

The company consequently chose the DGSL mini slide, which increases thecycle times of the machine from 12 to 20 cycles per minute while also ensuringa high degree of stability and improving capacity. Moreover, repetition accuracywas enhanced from 0.05-0.1 mm to 0.01-0.03 mm. Replacing the conventionalvalve with the VTUB valve terminal, which offers additional pressure sensing, individual valves and additional valves directly on the terminal, resulted notonly in cost savings with regard to external wiring, but also time and labourcosts for installation, maintenance and operation.

www.cya.com.tw

Taiwan

The solenoid valve module VB12-SA withLED extremely meets the customer’s de-mand of product quality and price

trends in automation 2.2009 – December

Publisher

Festo AG & Co. KG

Ruiter Straße 82

D-73734 Esslingen

Project Management

Silke Gartenmeier, Customer Magazine

Phone +49 711 347-3902

[email protected]

Responsible for content

Dirk Ebertz,

Head of Marketing Instruments

[email protected]

Ralf Sohn, Head of Direct Marketing

[email protected]

Copyright 2009 Festo AG & Co. KG

All rights reserved.

All images, graphics and texts are cov-

ered by copyright or other laws to pro-

tect intellectual property. Copying or

modification of contents or their use in

other printed or electronic publications

is permissible only with the express ap-

proval of Festo AG & Co. KG.

Have you foundsome clues, Mrs. Steinlein?

Fortunately, as head of Festo’s Analysis & Di-

agnostics department, I am not called upon

to investigate crimes. My department has the

job of thoroughly testing new developments

and special applications with regard to their materials proper-

ties. We also study components which have developed faults

in operation in order to find out their causes.

However, a detective’s instinct is necessary. We must scrutinise

components closely, analyse the composition and condition of

their materials and draw conclusions from this. And, just like

a forensic science laboratory, we use the latest technology in

order to do this. With computer tomography, for example, we

can very quickly and reliably examine components and measure

them without the need to destroy them. One of the benefits of

this is a further reduction in the development time for new

products. A vital requirement in a study of material structure

by photo-optical methods is the correct preparation of a micro-

section of the material concerned. The way a sample is taken

must be appropriate to the purpose of the study. With our latest

tool, a gas chromatography mass spectrometer, we can detect

even extremely low levels of contamination in a component.

It is also very important for us to have information which is as

precise as possible on the environment in which a component

is used. In the case of special applications, we clarify in advance

whether the intended material and design are suitable for the

specific operating conditions. We may need to make on-site vis-

its if the conditions are particularly difficult. For example, for an

agricultural customer, we took measurements of the ammonia

content of the air in the cowshed. Customers benefit from our

work twice over: our analyses help Festo to develop products

even faster and match them perfectly to a specific customer’s

operating conditions, making the products more reliable. And

if faults still occur, we can determine the causes of them quickly

and precisely. This enables us, for example, to draw the cus-

tomer’s attention to the fact that a particular grease or cleaning

agent is not ideal for the product concerned and offer an appro-

priate solution.

Our conclusions are of course also incorporated into product

development. Our 20 staff members in the analysis section

carry out 800 to 1000 analyses every year and make the results

available throughout the company worldwide. That way we en-

sure not only that any current problems are solved but also

that Festo products fulfil customers’ requirements ever more

precisely.”

2.2009 trends in automation Soft Stop 46

Innovation …

… tut dem Markt gut.

Zu sehen bei Festo. Herzlich willkommen!

Auf das Wesentliche konzentriert –

so könnte man den Festo Stand D07

in Halle 15 charakterisieren. Die the-

matische Struktur weist Ihnen schnell

den Weg zu den Neuheiten.

Mechatronic Motion Solutions

Komponenten, Systeme und Software

für nahezu jede Form von Bewegung.

Inklusive: Erfahrung und Lösungs kom -

petenz für pneumatische, servopneu-

matische und elektromechanische

Antriebe. Übrigens: Elektrische An -

triebssysteme legen Sie um bis zu

70 % energiesparender aus, wenn Sie

PositioningDrives nutzen.

Live: Maschinensicherheit – Energie-

effizienz – Neuheiten

An der „Festo Messemaschine“

demonstrieren wir Ihnen zum

Beispiel, wie Maschinensicherheit

nach der neuen Maschinenrichtlinie

DIN EN ISO 13849-1 aussehen wird.

20 Jahre Ventilinseln: die (R)Evolution

geht weiter

Mehr Funktionsintegration für Pneu -

matik, Elektrik und Controller-Aufga -

ben. Mehr Flexibilität durch wählbare

Installationskonzepte. Mehr Sicherheit

durch integrierte Diagnosefunktionen.

Norm- und Standardpneumatik

Innovative Konstruktionsprinzipien,

die Installationskosten sparen,

kostensenkende, alternative

Werkstoffe und wertanalytisch opti-

mierte Produkte

machen aus Norm- und Standard -

pneumatik ein Angebot, das 100 %

Qualität und attraktiven Preis kom-

binieren.

Pneumatik und Explosionsschutz

Ob Biotech/Pharma, Chemie und Petro -

chemie, Öl- und Gasindustrie – in vie-

len Branchen ist Explosionsschutz und

damit ATEX ein Thema. Oder ist die

Risikobeherrschung gemäß Safety

Integrity Level SIL für Sie relevant?

Lernsysteme für die Fabrik- und

Prozessautomation

Schon heute mit der Technik von

morgen lernen. Dazu die passenden

Lernmittel, praxisgerecht und effektiv:

Festo Didactic macht Sie und Ihre Mit-

arbeiter fit für die Zukunft.

www.festo.de

Hannover Messe 2009 – ein Markt der Chancen. Hier finden Sie neue Wege,

mit denen Sie Ihren Wettbewerbsvorsprung halten und ausbauen können.

Dazu müssen Sie vorerst nur einen Weg gehen: in Halle 15, zum Stand von Festo.

www.festo.com

Vision and reality!

Adaptive gripping: ideas from bionic

textbooks turned into reality. For more

efficiency in handling operations – as

for example with our record-breaking,

high-speed handling unit.

Festo AG & Co. KG

P.O. BoxD-73726 EsslingenPhone +49 711 347-0Fax +49 711 [email protected]

Working together to stay on course

In sailing, every action must be just right in order to tack suc-cessfully and for the boat to stay in the wind. Every crew mem-ber knows what he or she has to do. Everyone knows that he orshe can rely on the others. Trust and reliability are vital, not onlyat sea but also when industrial companies work together todrive projects forward. Particularly in difficult times partnershipscan help to keep companies on course. The yacht in the pictureis from the legendary J-class which dominated the America’s Cupin the 1930s. This boat, too, has survived many storms – as wellas the hands of time. After being laid up in 1938, it was restoredin the 1980s and celebrated its comeback to the high seas.

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trends in automation

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