trends in automation

Electric Automation mobile on tour

Great Britain//

The Festo Electric Automation Mobile tours the UK from the 25th

September to the 6th October. The vehicle is fitted with Festo’s innovative electric

automation products, including our automation pyramid which describes a variety of

(electro)mechanical systems for most application requirements in automation. This also

shows our harmonised and scalable motor and controller range including suitable software

tools to support the hardware. Some highlights being that of the Optimised Motion Series

from Festo with dynamic displays showing how easy it is to select, connect and configure.

“The display vehicle allows us to demonstrate the latest technology innovations that help

end users, Original Equipment Manufacturers and system integrators improve equipment

design and operational performance,” says Warren Harvard – Product Manager for Electric

Automation at Festo. “By visiting our customers on site, we minimise the disruption to our

customer’s working day and avoid the inconvenience, time lost and costs of visiting trade

shows.”

Visitors on-board the display vehicle will be greeted by industry specialists ready to

discuss their specific application needs. “I am sure the innovations on the Electric

Automation Mobile will inspire all the engineers who come on board” adds Warren.

LED it be

Austria//

Austrian plant engineering

firm Vescon developed a solution for

producing full LED headlights for the

plant of Slovakian automotive supplier

ZKW Group. The solution is an LED light

module that avoids dazzling other road

users thanks to a “matrix arrangement”

of the LEDs and the ability to dip

individual LED segments, while at the

same time ensuring good visibility for

the road ahead.

The design had to take processes such

as the tricky application of a two-component thermally

conductive paste into account. Thermally conductive

paste is used here because powerful LEDs produce heat

that must be dissipated. It is important to check whether

the correct amount of heat-conducting paste has actually

been applied to all required surfaces. A second

particularly challenging part of the headlight assembly

system is hot riveting.

A three-axis handling system from Festo is used for

applying the thermally conductive paste. The basic axes

are two toothed belt axes type EGC. The Y-axis is a heavy-duty axis with

sturdy double guide. An electric slide EGSL operates in the Z-direction. All

axes are equipped with servo drive packages. The controllers are motor

controllers type CMMP. The operator places the heat sink in the station

and the thermally conductive paste is applied automatically on both sides

using the Festo handling system. It always brings the two-component

dosing system to exactly the right position on the right track. The second

handling system is responsible for moving the rivet head tools. These are

mounted on the handling system and are moved the last bit of the way by

cylinders ADN controlled by VTUG. Both handling systems were designed,

built and delivered by Festo as a subsystem – complete with

documentation.

www.vescon.at

DSL swivel/linear drive units

pull on the light module and

check that it is firmly

positioned.

A ready-to-install

handling system ensures

even application of a two-component thermally

conductive paste.