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“Internet of Things” (IoT) and “Industry 4.0” (I4.0) are buzzwords in the process manufacturing and automation world, with far-reaching benefits understood by most at a high level. But, what relevant and practical data and understanding can I4.0 bring your company in everyday operations, such as monitoring compressed air consumption, process optimization, enabling energy efficiencies, and providing preventative diagnostics?

An artificial bird is introduced which was developed using two new

features in biologically-inspired flight, active torsion and partially linear

kinematics. Active torsion rests on well established theoretical

predictions in unsteady aerodynamics. The concept of partially linear

kinematics is inspired by zoological observations on flying locusts.

When the wings flap upwards, the servomotor for the active torsion

turns the outer wing from a positive angle of incidence within

a short fraction of the flapping period into a negative angle of incidence.

Between the turning points the angle of torsion remains

constant. Numerical calculations confirm the expected benefits

compared to passive torsion.

On a novel pneumatic four-finger gripper with three degrees of freedom per finger we apply reinforcement learning to learn dexter- ous manipulation of objects. In order to reduce the search space, we implemented hierarchical learning on two levels. Low-level learning is used for basic movement primitives like grabbing, lifting or rotation of an object around three cartesian axes, whereas in high-level learning we use the already learned low-level actions to find a policy that ena- bles the gripper to move a target point on the surface of a sphere to the top position in a few seconds. It turns out that Q-learning with a finite state- and action space solves the learning task very well.

Dragonfly flight is unique: Dragonflies can manoeuvre in all directions, glide without having to beat their wings and hover in the air. Their ability to move each of their four wings independently ena- bles them to slow down and turn abruptly, to accelerate swiftly and even to fly backwards. We looked into the mechanics of the dragonfly flight and managed to transfer its flight dynamics into an ultralight flying object: the Bionicüpter. With a wingspan of 63 cm and a body length of 44 cm, the model dragonfly weighs just 175 g. A brushless motor actuates the four wings and is used to alter the flapping fre- quency. Eight servo motors allow the amplitude and the twisting angle of each wing to be changed independently making the Bionicüpter almost as agile and fast as its natural role model. Here we present

how dragonfly flight dynamics can inspire future design of MAVs.

basic design – Ordering data

To develop
a robotic system for a complex task
is a time- consuming process. Merging
methods available today, a new ap- proach for a faster realization of a multi-finger soft robotic hand is presented here. This
paper introduces a robotic hand with four fingers and 12 Degrees of Freedom
(DoFs) using bellow actuators. The hand is generated via Selective
Laser Sintering (SLS), an Additive Manufacturing method. The complex task execution of a specific action,
i.e. the lifting, rotating and precise positioning of a handling- object with this robotic hand, is used to structure
the whole develop- ment process. To
validate reliable functionality of the hand from the beginning, each development
stage is SLS-generated and the targeted task execution is trained
via Reinforcement Learning, a machine learning approach.
Optimization points are subsequently derived
and fed back into the hardware development. With this Concurrent
Engineering strategy a fast development of this robotic
hand is possible. The paper
outlines the relevant key strategies and gives insight into
the design process. At the end, the
final hand with its capabilities is presented and discussed.

Artificial intelligence such as the Festo Automation Experience AX (Festo AX) brings preventive quality assurance, preventative energy management and preventive maintenance within reach in four steps.
Festo AX delivers the modules needed to collect data from systems and machines. Using machine learning, models are trained to detect anomalies, predict errors or downtimes and correct the energy demand.

Functional safety in the process industry is a topic that has very much moved centre stage since IEC 61508 came into force. It is frequently only indicated by the abbreviation SIL. But what exactly is SIL and how can it be used to control process valves?

If electrical and pneumatic subsystems are separate, it can often take a lot of time to construct relatively simple systems in terms of system design, purchasing, logistics, installation and  commissioning. Function integration is the answer here, allowing a saving of time throughout the value creation chain. This White Paper shows you how valve terminals can boost efficiency and productivity throughout your company.

In biotechnology, the content and growth of biomass is an important process variable. There are different ways of quantifying this directly in the reactor. The methods currently used have advantages and disadvantages with regard to optimal process control and costs. This white paper demonstrates how biomass concentration and growth in biotech processes can be calculated using soft sensors and existing measurement signals.

Great care must always be taken when compressed air comes into contact with food, because compressed air is not clean by nature.   On the contrary, solids and particles are present almost everywhere in the form of dust in various concentrations. Water, in the form of natural atmospheric humidity, is released in large quantities when the compressed air cools down. And thus compressed air quality in accordance with the requirements of the respective application provides best possible safety for foods, consumers and food producers.

This white paper includes information on:

- Compressed air preparation and compressed air quality classes

- Filter cascades for typical applications

This White Paper contains information on:

• Use of electro mechanical axes with slides
• Possibilities of different slide bearings with single or double rail (giuding)
• Influences on lifetime, different guiding alternatives and design features

Cleaning is an absolute must if foodstuffs are to be produced hygienically. The highest priority here is afforded to avoiding the spread of germs and eliminating foreign particles. Proper cleaning reduces the downtime of your plant and systems, while protecting the consumer and your brand.

Energy efficiency and the optimisation of specific production costs are important commercial and business challenges which we must face for a variety of reasons. Energy-efficient technologies are often more expensive than traditional technologies in the investment phase. However, measures to increase efficiency and reduce life cycle costs (LCC) throughout the entire life cycle of a production plant usually pay off.

This white paper covers the following topics:

• Digitalisation as an opportunity in the process industry
• How decoupling software and hardware opens up completely new opportunities for already established technologies, based on the example of the Festo Motion Terminal
• Why do manufacturers, OEMs and system operators obtain very tangible benefits from analysing the data sent via the IoT gateway to the cloud – and what does this mean for their business?

This white paper has the following aims:

• To examine reservations that are frequently mentioned in connection with pneumatics: are pneumatic actuators really more easily damaged, expensive over their lifetime and higher on energy consumption compared to electric actuators? The reality is more complex.
• To provide concrete tips and hints for users in the water industry: why a lifetime calculation is a good idea, how leakage can be avoided – and some of the advantages of pneumatics that may not be obvious at first glance.

This white paper has the following aims:

• What is SIL, why is the topic relevant for plant operators, and what are the common misunderstandings?
• What do certificates mean and how do you read them correctly?
• To what extent do durable components offer a helpful advantage?

Why should you choose your valves carefully?

The increasing demands placed on valve technology in recent years have led to a formidable extension of the range of available technologies and valve types, models, and properties. The most commonly used are poppet valves and piston spool valves. Nowadays, there is hence a much wider choice of customised valve technology to successfully plan a project. However, choosing the right parts for the application at hand requires comprehensive knowledge and an accurate appraisal by the consulting engineer or technician. This White Paper is intended to offer you a brief overview.

This white paper contains information on:

• An introduction to valve technologies
• Poppet valves, piston spool valves and the cartridge principle – what you need to know
• Which valve type suits you best? A valve selection aid

Smaller batches and different types of product in the same plant – these are the market demands to which more and more manufacturers in

the process industries need to adjust. The answer is plants based on the “Lego principle”. Users can add modules or switch them off in line

with requirements. But this is only possible with modular automation.

This white paper describes the important points to bear in

mind when it comes to choosing the right technology.

Implementing new trends such as cloud computing, IoT and big data can open up huge savings potential for maintenance in car body manufacture. This white paper uses the example of the servo-pneumatic welding gun to look at how challenges can be overcome and how substantial productivity gains can be achieved with predictive maintenance.

Find out more about:
• Concept and basic architecture
• Step-by-step plan to minimise complexity and risks
• Data analytics and data transparency
• Condition monitoring and AI models
• Business case and data sovereignty

In many process automation applications, the pressure and flow of gases are controlled. Explosion protection requirements mean that an inert atmosphere is often created and maintained in reactors and process tanks in a plant. Learn more about the advantages of the proportional valve technology.

The global market for valves and valve terminals today is so large that it is almost impossible to maintain an overview. Often, price seems the only buying criterion. But it pays to look more closely, particularly with regard to higher productivity and process reliability. Users of Festo's attractively priced and long-lasting high-quality valves benefit in tough everyday practical applications from the meticulous development processes, including numerous simulation tests and the correct choice of technologies and materials.

 This White Paper provides information on:

• Care pays for itself: the development process of valves and valve terminals
• Caution: not all manufacturer data is comparable 1 to 1!
• Small differences with a great impact: how to choose the right valves/valve terminals

In order to survive in a tough competitive environment, many companies are searching for ways to make savings in their production. Such savings can often be found in their existing compressed air systems, which have generally been in place for years. Up to 60% of energy costs can be saved through optimisation at both the production facility and system level.

Product life cycles are becoming ever shorter. Less and less time is available, whether for development of an installation or its possible
modernisation. Companies and their employees therefore try to continuously optimise their processes as that is the only way they can
remain competitive and deal with increasingly demanding challenges.
The software tools provided by system and component suppliers can support them in this; they have been available for quite some time and
their number is constantly growing. The short tips in this white paper are intended as a guide to selecting tools which will help you to save
valuable time.