Intuitive operating concepts are already successfully established in everyday life: voice controlled mobile phones, tablet PCs operated with swiping motions, and game consoles and televisions commanded by gestures. As part of the Bionic Learning Network, companies have been working for some years on innovative intuitive operating concepts for the automation sector. Where buttons are pressed […]
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Festo unveils its latest bio-creations
I’ve written extensively in the past about how German-based Festo AG’s Bionic Learning Network has developed some stunning robots based on nature. From elephants to kangaroos and birds to jellyfish, it’s been a great process to watch. Today, the company finally unveiled what they’ll be showing off at next month’s Hannover Fair, and instead of […]
Robots learn to pick the harvest
Supermarket customers prefer to purchase shiny red peppers and perfect apples. To ensure that fruit and vegetables arrive at the market ripe and without bruises, they are carefully and laboriously harvested by hand. Machines could work more quickly, but how does a machine find the fruit often hidden under leaves and then manipulate it? How […]
Industry 4.0: Efficient engineering processes with “OPAK”
Engineering processes are to be carried out more intuitively, faster and more efficiently in future, and the individual automation components will have a digital memory: these are the aims pursued by Festo together with partners from science and industry in the joint research project “OPAK” (open engineering platform for autonomous mechatronic automation components in a […]
Durable, low cost valves for clamping and locking applications
Festo has introduced the VS series of piston-spool solenoid and pneumatic valves and valve manifolds. These individually wired valves are designed to give years of dependable service while helping OEMs lower the costs of acquisition, assembly, and inventory. The high-flow rate VS series is ideal for simple clamping and locking operations in semiautomatic assembly, end-of-line […]
When extremely clean production is critical
Strict hygiene standards apply to production systems in the food and pharmaceutical industries – after all, machine parts and components can come into contact with the products. No one wants to take lubricating oil with their aspirins or spread bacteria on their toast along with strawberry jam. Functional (as well as intuitive to handle) are […]
New series of powerful twin-piston semi-rotary drives
Festo introduced the DRRD, a new series of pneumatic twin-piston semi-rotary drives for handling and assembly operations. This new pneumatic rotary drive is precise, economical, and powerful. The DRRD received the international Red Dot Design Award for product design. The DRRD offers high load capacity at torques from 0.2 to 112 Nm and a high […]
Festo becomes the exclusive distribution partner of ZAYTRAN
Festo has entered into an agreement with ZAYTRAN, Inc., to become the exclusive distributor of ZAYTRAN products in the North American marketplace. This partnership will expand the customer base of both companies and increase the range of pneumatic grippers offered by Festo. Grippers by ZAYTRAN have a history of being tough and demonstrating precision. ZAYTRAN […]
Festo reimagines actuator control valve design
Festo design engineers reimagined pneumatic actuator control valve design to create multi-functional units that are less expensive to purchase than comparable solutions, more than 50 percent smaller in terms of height, save energy, and are easier and faster to install, troubleshoot, and maintain. Festo now offers the new space saving VFOF, VBNF, and VBQF multi-functional […]
Festo demonstrates wave-based modular conveyor system
Through the energy of intelligently directed wave formations, Festo has demonstrated an entirely new concept in conveying and automatically sorting delicate items such as fruits and vegetables. The technology behind the WaveHandling conveyor points the way to modular conveying systems that are fast and easy to set up, self-organizing, and require less programming than systems […]