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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.

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.

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.

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.

This whitepaper includes information on:

• How pneumatic guided drives and slides work

• Pneumatic or electric? Where pneumatic excels

• Guided drive or slide? Which to choose

• Customization possibilities: bearings, cushioning and more

• Models for special situations

• Sizing the drive or slide for your application

The guide includes both CE and non-CE products.

“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?

• Pneumatic drives
• Servopneumatic positioning systems
• Electromechanical drives
• Motors and controllers
• Grippers
• Handling systems
• Vacuum technology
• Valves
• Valve terminals
• Sensors
• Image processing systems
• Compressed air preparation
• Pneumatic connection technology
• Electrical connection technology
• Control technology and software
• Other pneumatic devices
• Ready-to-install solutions
• Services

In focus: Changes

Switching direction, shifting times and play of light

Today’s advanced manufacturing industry relies heavily on mechatronics and automation technologies, making these technologies fast-growing career fields.

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.

An overview of the automation platform CPX

Single-platform solutions

• Digital and analogue standard tasks

• Demanding I/O tasks with single-channel diagnostics and parameterisation

• Temperature, displacement and pressure measurement

• Electrical and pneumatic safety functions

• Integrated, comprehensive diagnostics and condition monitoring

• Subordinate, decentralised installation system

Combine these functions directly with the operating elements

• Pilot or process valves

• Control valves for cylinders, grippers, vacuum

• Pressure regulators

• Servopneumatic positioning systems

• Electric drives and axes

For control, choose from fi eldbus/Ethernet as remote I/O or the following front-end controllers:

• CPX-FEC (Festo mini control system)

• CPX-CEC (CODESYS controller with 32-bit processor,  400 MHz, CANopen master)

• PC Worx (controller for control environments from Phoenix Contact)

The driving force behind progress in Industrial automation in the last 20 years has without doubt been the networking of automation products via bus systems. The importance of industrial communication within machines and installations is increasing exponentially, especially in the context of recent Industry 4.0 (Internet of Things, IoT) discussions. Networking is decentralised from its starting point – communication at control system level – down to the connection of front-end devices, sensors and actuators, which perhaps already feature decentralised intelligence.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

With the right end-position cushioning, you can significantly increase the efficiency of your entire pneumatic system.

When used to its full effect, it can improve cycle times and even reduce the size of the components used.

And all this for the simple reason that good end-position cushioning decreases the impact forces generated by changing loads and extreme dynamic stress – factors that play a crucial role in defining the travel time and speed of pneumatic cylinders.

Proximity sensors, position sensors, signal converters, pressure and vacuum sensors, flow sensors, inductive sensors, opto-electronic sensors, air gap sensors, sensor boxes, vision systems for function monitoring,orientation and quality inspection; connecting cables, plug connectors, sensor testers