trendsin automation
The Festo Customer Magazine 2.2012
Hand in hand for success
Innovative, intelligent, intuitive concepts
such as the ExoHand are providing
new scope for cooperation between
humans and machines.
www.festo.com
27 – 29 Nov. 2012
Hall 9, Stand 361
“At the forefront of automation”Festo is developing the next evolution in automation. This is
what you can expect from us. To be able to maintain this claim
in a sustainable way Festo is continually investing in future
oriented technologies. Some of the projects and ideas are far
out into the future. However, if you want to create break-through
innovations, you need to overcome traditional barriers. To think
differently, to ignore the status-quo and try new paths.
In this issue of our magazine you will read about intelligent
products and new ways in which humans can interact with tech-
nology. Devices are becoming more powerful and contain more
embedded functions. This is what we experience every day in
our private and professional lives. But what really counts is
how to turn this additional functionality into a real benefi t. The
processes, the environment and the interfaces have to be taken
into consideration to create value. A very good example is the
interaction between humans and “machines”. Today we talk to
our GPS system in the car or swipe over apps on our cell phones.
In this issue of trends in automation you will read about a few
more upcoming methods of interaction with machines. This is
only the starting point and we will see many more of these
technological developments which will change our behaviour.
We at Festo live and breathe technology and innovation. It is
in the genes of Festo. Not only in the very strong research
departments, it is in every employee and part of the identity of
Festo as a company.
We love and take care of the details but we also never lose
sight of the big picture to create real value for our customers.
Thomas Lichtenberger
Thomas Lichtenberger,
President Festo Inc.
2.2012trends in automation
Cover story Intelligent products and processes:
In the factory of tomorrow, products will be
able to tell you what is to be done with them.
Cyber-physical systems will communicate
with one another using the Internet of Things.
Microsystems will make decisions autonomously
and highly sensitive robots will support employees
so that they can continue to work even in their
later years. In this issue of trends in automation,
we take a glimpse into the future of production,
a future that is already beginning to take shape.
Editorial 3
Panorama 6
Festo worldwide 49
Competition/About this magazine 53
Soft Stop 54
(R)Evolution 4.0
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster is one of
the world’s leading experts in artifi cial
intelligence. In this interview he talks
about the “fourth industrial revolution”,
Industry 4.0, in which machines will
understand their environment and
communicate with one another using
the Internet Protocol. 8
Movement of the third kind
With SmartInversion, the intelligent
combination of lightweight design,
electric drives and open- and closed-
loop control makes endless inversion
in the air possible. 12
Movement by the power of thought
Can people sense what robots feel? Can
machines really be controlled by thought?
Yes, they can – thanks to advanced
technologies such as the ExoHand and
CogniGame from Festo. 16
Small in size, big in ability
Microsystems engineering combines
sensors, actuators and processors to
create intelligent complete systems in
the smallest of spaces. A big task for
this small technological wonder. 20
“A critical success factor for
Industry 4.0 is semantic
communication between all of
the machines in a factory.”
SmartInversion: Forward
motion through inversion.
8
12
Inspiration
Compass
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oto
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Synergies
Humanoid robots: Intelligent
and fast learners.
Ready-to-install handling gantry
ensures maximum dynamic response
and rigidity during wheel checks.
22
34
Cover story
When things start to think
Experts believe that intelligent
machines are the next big thing in
science and technology. Today’s
prototypes are laying the founda-
tions for the production of the
future. 22
Further related articles
(R)Evolution 4.0 8
Movement by the power
of thought 16
Small in size, big in ability 20
Power to the East
China is taking the big leap into the
high-tech age. The automation and
automotive industries in particular are
benefi tting from the emergence of China
as a key market. 28
Alloy wheels, through to X-ray!
A fully automatic testing facility is helping
alloy wheels get into gear before they
even hit the road. The high throughput
rates are achieved thanks to a ready-to-
install handling gantry. 34
A grip on healthcare
In a Copenhagen hospital, the world’s fi rst
fully automated, sterile warehouse for
surgical instruments is making savings
amounting to ten man-years. 38
Stress-free metal sheets
A newly developed vacuum stacker
quickly and gently transports and
palletises metal sheets. It is controlled
using 105 vacuum valves. 40
Water for the Cape Whale Coast
The holiday resort of Hermanus on
South Africa’s Cape Whale Coast has a
problem. It is located in an area where
drinking water is scarce. Pneumatic
automation technology comes to the
rescue at the Preekstoel water treatment
plant. 46
2.2012 trends in automationContents 4 – 5
The Cybertecture Egg illustrates what
happens when the worlds of intelligent
technology and architecture collide. The
33,000 m2 offi ce building in Mumbai,
India, is a well thought-out cosmos for
an innovative working environment. A
sky garden provides shade and natural
cooling and is used for water treatment.
Process water is recycled and then topped
up with harvested rainwater. The intelli-
gent glass façade with integrated photo-
voltaic modules supplies energy and
at the same time controls the amount of
incident solar radiation. The interior
lighting is controlled on the basis of
weather data. A cooling water reservoir
located deep underground supports the
air conditioning systems of the Cybertec-
ture Egg. The individual systems are
controlled and coordinated by intelligent
building management systems. The
health of employees is also taken care
of. In the bathrooms, “Cybertecture
Health” checks employees’ vital functions
such as the blood pressure and calls the
doctor in case of an emergency.
Intelligence in the cyber egg
PhotPhotPhotPhothhothoohoo o: Jo: Jo: J: JJ:oo:o: amesamesamesee LawLawLawLawLaw CybCyCybCybCybbyyyy erteerteerteertee cturcturctutururure Ine Ine Ine Ine Ie Iee ternternteternternrre atioatioatioatioiooiooatiatiiaa nalnalnanalnan
(R)Evolution 4.0
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Wahlster, one of the world’s leading experts in artifi cial
intelligence, gives us a glimpse into the industrial processes of the future. In the world of
“Industry 4.0”, machines will understand their environment and communicate with one
another using the Internet Protocol. The fi rst factories of the new industrial evolution are set
to begin operation in just fi ve years’ time.
Interview
trends in automation: Prof. Wahlster, we often hear the term
“Industry 4.0” being mentioned in expert discussions and
specialist media. In the future, machines will be able to com-
municate with one another and thus revolutionise conventional
industrial production. Are we actually heading towards a
fourth industrial revolution, as many commentators believe?
Prof. Wolfgang Wahlster: Yes, cyber-physical production sys-
tems will revolutionise conventional manufacturing logic, as
the individual workpiece will work out itself which services
it requires from the plant. This entirely new architecture for
production systems can be implemented gradually through the
digital upgrading of existing production facilities, which means
that the concept can be realised not only in completely new
factories, but also rolled out step-by-step in existing factories
in an evolutionary process. In the current Industry 3.0, we are
already seeing signs of the imminent change from rigid central
industrial control to decentralised intelligence. Vast numbers
of sensors are recording their environment with incredible
precision and are making their own decisions in embedded
processor systems, independently of a central production
control system. The only things missing right now are compre-
hensive wireless networking of the components, the perma-
nent exchange of information, the merging of different sensor
evaluations for the identifi cation of complex events and critical
states and their situation-dependent interpretation, as well as
further action planning based on these fi ndings.
Why does industrial production need such a high degree of
networking of intelligent machines?
Wahlster: In today’s factories, huge volumes of data are being
produced by an ever increasing number of measuring points.
These are handled easily by machines, but humans can no
longer process them at the same pace. It is therefore useful if
machines can communicate with one another in certain areas
of production. Many processes can be made more effi cient,
fl exible and cost-effective by creating instrumented environ-
ments. Extremely small, low-cost wireless sensors are
distributed throughout a production plant, allowing objects
to register their environment and communicate wirelessly.
Several different types of technical sensor, such as opto-
electrical sensors, pressure, temperature and infrared sensors,
work together to create an overall picture of the situation,
sensing what is currently going on in their environment.
In the world of Industry 4.0, products and production facilities
will become active system components, controlling their own
production and logistics. They will contain cyber-physical
systems that link the cyberspace of the Internet with the real
physical world. However, they are different from current
mechatronic systems as they have the ability to interact with
their environment, plan and adapt their own behaviour to
suit their environment and learn new behavioural patterns and
strategies and thus be self-optimising. They allow even the
smallest of batches with rapid product changes and a large
number of variants to be produced effi ciently. Embedded
sensor/actuator components, machine-to-machine communi-
cation and active semantic product memories are giving rise
to new optimisation methods in order to conserve resources in
industrial environments. This will facilitate environmentally
About the person
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang WahlsterThe Doctor of Computer Science is a researcher and lec-
turer in the area of artifi cial intelligence at the Saarland
University. Wolfgang Wahlster is CEO and Technical and
Scientifi c Managing Director of the German Research
Center for Artifi cial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern,
Saarbrücken, Bremen and Berlin. As a member of the
Federal Government’s research alliance and Chairman
of the highest advisory body in the European Union on
the Internet of the future (FI-PPP programme), he advises
Europe’s political decision-makers. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang
Wahlster is one of the world’s leading experts in
the area of artifi cial intelligence. He is a winner of the
Federal President’s German Future Award for his
research work.
www.dfki.de
2.2012 trends in automationInspiration 8 – 9
friendly and sophisticated production at a reasonable cost in
Germany in the future.
Does this mean entirely new possibilities for production?
Wahlster: Yes, the ability of machines to understand a given
situation will result in a whole new level of quality in industrial
production. The interaction between a large number of
individual components will produce solutions that have never
before been programmed in a production plant. In physics and
biology we call this phenomenon ‘emergence’. A good example
is an ant colony, in which the individual insect is not particu-
larly intelligent, but when a large number of ants work together
they can produce astonishing solutions for fi nding food and
fending off predators. In essence, the whole is greater than the
sum of its parts. This phenomenon is also found in “Factory
4.0”. If a component is damaged or if a part fails completely,
the remaining operational components together develop a type
of self-healing process, which identifi es the damage, estimates
its extent, fi nds alternative solutions for the current production
task and authorises corresponding maintenance or repair work,
which must, of course, be carried out by trained personnel as it
has always been.
Just like in the ant colony, this demands highly effi cient
communication. How is this resolved in Industry 4.0?
Wahlster: A critical success factor for Industry 4.0 is intelligent
interpretation of the environmental information. The software
therefore plays a key role. It should not only record the sensor
information and relay it as a bit sequence, but it must also
understand the content in context. To this end, the factory
software of the future will also have a system of concepts
that allows the function of system components, production
tasks, states and events to be clearly described. Industry 4.0
thus facilitates high-quality semantic communication, which
can be understood not only by the people in the factory, but
also by the factory machines. In order for this to work, we need
standardised description languages and the Internet as a com-
munication platform in the factory. The current chaos created
by countless bus systems will be replaced by a single, world-
wide standardised protocol: Internet Protocol on a real-time
capable WLAN or Ethernet.
So Industry 4.0 uses the Internet for communication between
system components?
Wahlster: That’s right. That’s why we talk about the “Internet
of Things” in this context. The individual machines have
miniaturised web servers no bigger than a lump of sugar, which
provide services and can communicate with the workpieces in
the manufacturing process. In Industry 4.0, a workpiece can be
taken from a mobile workpiece carrier to the production com-
ponent that can implement the next required processing step
the quickest and at the lowest cost, just like service providers
bidding for business in a real marketplace. The processing chain
thus created for each workpiece is like a kind of navigation
through the factory. This ensures a high degree of fl exibility,
reliability and stability for Industry 4.0. In the changeable
production environment of Industry 4.0, the unmachined part
tells the system what it should make from and with it. The
system component must in turn communicate the services it
offers to the product. The product then decides whether and
in what form it wants to accept the service and saves it in its
semantic product memory.
Does this already exist in industry?
Wahlster: Yes, this concept is already in use in some areas of
logistics. For example, a product with a specifi ed maximum
temperature in the cold chain can monitor the ambient tempera-
ture during transport using a cyber-physical system installed in
the packaging. When a defi ned threshold is exceeded, the pack-
aging triggers an alarm and alerts the refrigerated truck, for
example. The truck can then react and lower the temperature.
This technology is already being used for the transport of blood
plasma bags. The major advantage here is the direct communi-
cation between the object and the climate control without the
need for human interaction.
How long will it be until the fi rst Industry 4.0 production plants
commence operation and can existing plants also be converted
or upgraded?
Wahlster: The big advantage of Industry 4.0 is that it can
be implemented gradually. With cyber-physical systems, you
can convert a factory while it is in operation. This involves
integrating sensors as required, fi tting system components
with miniature servers and replacing the bus system. This
means that you can start with individual machines and then
convert the entire plant. The much talked about “fourth
industrial revolution” is actually machine evolution. There
is no Factory 4.0 yet in commercial operation, but research
and industry partners are working hard to make it a reality.
At the German Research Center for Artifi cial Intelligence (DFKI)
in Kaiserslautern, south-west Germany, we have been operat-
ing the world’s fi rst smart factory as a living laboratory for a
number of years. This is used as a reference architecture for
Industry 4.0. The fi rst new factories that fully comply with the
Industry 4.0 principle will go into production in fi ve years’ time
at the earliest. Things are moving faster in the area of conver-
sion and upgrading of existing plants. Here, it can be assumed
that the fi rst plants will be operating according to some cyber-
physical production principles in two to three years’ time.
Will people still be needed in the industrial production of the
future?
Wahlster: More than ever. Complex, one-of-a-kind premium
products cannot be produced without the work of skilled
workers. In Factory 4.0, production will follow the pace set
by the human workers and not the other way around, as is
currently the case with centralised control. However, some of
the tasks that people perform in the future will be different.
A new generation of intelligent lightweight robots will work
together directly with the human workers. In Industry 4.0,
the robot will actively cooperate with humans, as it will have
humanoid avoidance behaviour thanks to its intelligent sensors
and thus no longer present a danger for humans. Because it
senses its environment and can assess even complex situations,
it can support employees in performing manual tasks as part
of an industrial assistance system. Festo is a pioneer in this fi eld
thanks to its research in the area of bionics. The dedicated
development team has achieved a major step forward with the
Bionic Handling Assistant and the ExoHand. At the end of
the day, the main benefi ciaries of Factory 4.0 will be humans.
“At the end of the day, the main beneficiaries
of Factory 4.0 will be humans.”Wolfgang Wahlster, DFKI Saarbrücken
2.2012 trends in automationInspiration 10 – 11
Movement of
the third kind
Festo develops the SmartInversion inversion drive
The modern world moves from A to B or in a circle –
translation and rotation. The third type of drive system
based on inversion turns itself inside out – something
that until recently was only possible in theory and in
models. With SmartInversion, Festo has developed the
fi rst freely fl oating inversion drive.
An unidentified flying object
fl oats several metres above the
ground, moving silently and
gracefully. A geometrical band
made from transparent prisms constant-
ly turns itself inside out. It contracts,
closes to form a compact shape, then
opens and turns itself inside out. Sus-
pended in and on air, it pushes off and
achieves forward propulsion through
rotation. To the observer’s eye, it is a
fascinating spectacle, though in his
mind he can’t quite believe what he is
looking at. Until now, the inversion drive
only existed in theory or as a model.
A fascinating discovery
The two classic drive systems are easy
to visualise. A linear drive can be com-
pared to a cue which moves a billiard
ball in a straight line in one direction.
We use rotary motion when cycling. The
third kind of drive based on inversion,
with its idiosyncratic sequence of move-
ment, really tests our powers of percep-
tion and reasoning. It was identified by
Swiss artist and engineer Paul Schatz,
who discovered the geometrical band at
the beginning of the 20th century. What
makes it unique is the “forced movement”,
whereby when one part of the system
moves, the entire system moves with
it. Festo engineers used this basic
principle in the development of Smart-
Inversion.
Freely fl oating prisms
With SmartInversion, the intelligent com-
bination of extremely lightweight
design, electric drives and open- and
closed-loop control makes endless
inversion in the air possible. Move-
ment is divided into four phases, two of
which generate propulsion. The prisms
are f illed with helium so that they can
fl oat freely in the air. Carbon-fi bre rods
form an ultra-light framework, which
is enclosed by a gas-tight membrane.
The fascinating shape is set in rotation
by three servo motors, which move the
connecting axes forwards or backwards
depending on the drive phase. Smart-
Inversion can be controlled from a
smartphone using software specially
developed by Festo.
Four coordinated phases
In order to achieve inversion of the
geometrical band, the three servo mo-
tors are coordinated by an on-board
unit. Two of the servos run forwards
and one in reverse, depending on the
Design competition: Principle to Product
To investigate the phenomenon of
inversion in greater depth, the
Festo Bionic Learning Network and
the German Design Council have
initiated a nationwide design
competition. The Festo Challenge:
Principle to Product is looking for
creative ideas for the functional
application of inversion in indus-
trial environments.
The competition has a prize fund
totalling more than 30,000 euros
and is open to design and engineer-
ing students. The winning idea will
be implemented in cooperation with
Festo and presented at the 2013
Hanover Trade Fair.
For more information, see
www.festo.com/bionic
www.german-design-council.de/
en/design-awards/festo-chal-
lenge.html
motion phase in question. At certain
times, SmartInversion moves the servo
motors in the opposite direction. Motion
is based on a mathematical model of
the geometrical band, which is stored
in the on-board unit. This guarantees
inversion without a dead centre, which
means that the inversion process can be
initiated at any point. While SmartInver-
sion is in motion, the battery charge and
current consumption are continuously
recorded and monitored in real time via
a condition monitoring system tailored
to the requirements of SmartInversion.
Ideas without limits
With its Future Concepts, Festo is con-
stantly seeking out new approaches in
the fi eld of drive, control and gripping
technology. Natural principles, artistic
input and mathematical processes
provide new impulses for industrial
application. With the SmartInversion
Future Concept, engineers and designers
are now investigating where and how
inversion can be put to use in technol-
ogy. Festo has broken new ground with
the realisation of the inversion drive in
the form of SmartInversion. By pushing
the boundaries of what is technically
feasible, the developers are constantly
discovering new potential for the future
use of innovative technologies.
www.festo.com/en/smartinversion
2.2012 trends in automationCompass 14 – 15
Foto: Daimler AG
New developments in human-machine interaction
Movement by the
power of thoughtCan people sense what robots feel? Can machines really be
controlled by thought? Yes, they can – thanks to advanced
technologies such as the ExoHand and CogniGame from Festo.
They represent milestones on the journey towards interaction
between humans and machines in mass production.
Working without getting
tired, feeling and moving
without direct contact –
the ExoHand is a fascinating
development from Festo that expands
the manual capabilities of humans.
The exoskeleton, which is worn like a
glove, allows active fi nger movement.
The strength of the hand is amplif ied,
movements are registered and trans-
mitted to the robotic hand in real time.
The ExoHand from Festo thus combines
human intelligence with the capabilities
of a robot. It has all the principal physi-
ological degrees of movement of its
human counterpart and thus supports
the human hand’s diverse techniques
for grasping and handling objects.
A longer and healthier working life
Despite a high level of automation, there
are still many tasks in industry that can
only be performed by humans. However,
many repetitive tasks easily lead to fa-
tigue. The ExoHand amplifi es the strength
of the human hand and helps employees
remain in work longer without incurring
permanent physical damage. To prevent
fatigue and physical wear and tear, the
ExoHand can be worn for activities
carried out in the assembly process,
thereby functioning as an assistance
system that makes for more pleasant
working conditions.
Handling without risk
Another area of application of the ExoHand
is the remote manipulation of a robotic
hand in an industrial setting. Danger-
ous tasks can thus be performed from
a safe distance. As a force feedback
system, the ExoHand also extends the
One more question
trends in automation: Can you describe
in just a few words the core components
of the ExoHand and how they work?
Elias M. Knubben: We produce the Exo-
Hand from polyamide using the selective
laser sintering technique (SLS). The exo-
skeleton is created from a 3D scan of the
user’s hand. Eight pneumatic, double-
acting actuators – DFK-10 cylinders from
Festo – are attached to the outer layer.
They allow the wearer to open and close
the fi ngers with utmost precision. The
index fi nger can also be pivoted to either
side, and the thumb can be rotated
Elias Maria Knubben,
Head of Corporate
Bionic Projects at Festo
towards the palm. Linear potentiometers
register both the positions of the fi ngers
and the force applied by each individual
drive unit. The corresponding pressure
in the various chambers is regulated by
piezo proportional valves. Sensors on
the valve terminal regulate the pressure
and give an indication of the forces ap-
plied by the cylinder.
Fingertip precision: Precise orientation of
all fi nger joints and fl exible movement with
complete freedom.
2.2012 trends in automationCompass 16 – 17
Foto: Daimler AG
freedom of action of workers in produc-
tion. It can be fi tted not only over the hu-
man hand, but also over an artifi cial hand
made of silicone and functions simulta-
neously both as the operator interface
and a robotic hand. Information fl ows
from the person to the machine and from
the machine to the person. The operator
need no longer rely merely on his or her
visual and acoustic perception, but can
actually feel forms and resistances or the
effects of applied forces.
Strength in everyday use
In the area of rehabilitation, the ExoHand
will in the future be suitable for use as
an active manual orthosis – a medical
device that stabilises, relieves or con-
trols limbs. The active manual orthosis
can help stroke patients who are show-
ing the fi rst signs of paralysis to restore
the missing connection between brain
and hand. A brain-computer interface
recognises the electroencephalography
signals (EEG) from the brain and thus
the patient’s desire to open or close the
unique is the fact that one player
controls his bat by thought alone via
a brain-computer interface (BCI). The
brain-computer interface measures volt-
age fl uctuations on the player’s head
by means of fi xed electrodes.
Using your head to move
For this game, Festo developed Cogni-
Ware, a proprietary software solution
that allows control of the bat by means
of thoughts and biological signals.
CogniWare establishes communication
The heart of the new operational
concepts: Software as a channel for
human-machine communication.
between the brain and hardware with-
out the user having to interact by means
of voice commands or input devices.
The brain-computer interface and the
CogniWare software register the thought
patterns in the player’s brain, process
them and convey them to the hardware.
For CogniGame, the developers from
Festo made use of a commercially avail-
able brain-computer interface that is
fitted out with a total of 14 signal elec-
trodes and two reference electrodes.
This interface samples the brain signals
at a rate of 128 times per second. These
signals are then fi ltered and conveyed
to the software. Operation of the
brain-computer interface is linked with
measurement of the “mu rhythm” that
is generated by the motor-sensory cortex
of the brain. The mu rhythm occurs as a
result of physical movement or even the
hand. The movements are carried out
by the ExoHand with the brain-com-
puter interface. This creates a training
effect, which over time helps patients
to move their hand again without any
technical assistance.
The power of thought
The brain-computer interface represents
the next generation of human-machine
interfaces. CogniGame from Festo shows
how a thought-controlled operational
concept can work in practice. It is a rein-
terpretation of a well-known video game
from the 1970s. Based on the game
of table tennis, players used a joystick
to move a paddle up and down on the
screen to return the ball to their oppo-
nent. For CogniGame, the developers
at Festo transferred the virtual game
to a real playing fi eld built using Festo
components. What makes CogniGame
CogniGame: Control by the power of thought
with a brain-computer interface and conventional
operation with muscular force (top).
Training for the brain and muscles: The ExoHand
in combination with a brain-computer interface
(bottom left).
A possible future scenario: Controlling machines
by thoughts (bottom right).
mere thought of such movement. It
is therefore suffi cient to simply imagine
the left hand moving, for example,
in order to move the hardware in that
direction.
The future is interactive
The ExoHand and CogniGame show the
enormous potential that human-machine
interaction holds for the future. In in-
dustry, operators will be able to perform
laborious tasks, which can currently
only be performed by the human hand,
with incredible flexibility.
Robots with highly sensitive remote-
control operation not only allow
high-precision work to be carried out
over long distances, but also let people
feel what and how the robot grips. By
bridging the gap between the human
brain and the hardware to be controlled,
humans and machines can become
partners for a future that until just a few
years ago only researchers and science
fi ction authors could dream of.
www.festo.com/bionic
2.2012 trends in automationCompass 18 – 19
Foto: Daimler AG
automation. They are becoming increas-
ingly important in the miniaturisation of
sample quantities. “In diagnostics we
are currently witnessing a trend for the
inclusion of a laboratory function on
prefabricated carriers,” says Jens-Heiko
Adolph, Head of ISM Electronic, Assembly,
Solar, Display at Festo. “These functions
The future belongs to microsystems engineering
Small in size, big in abilityBeing small is simply not enough. Microsystems must be able to see, hear or feel, make
decisions and initiate the right processes. A big task for these small technological marvels.
We may not be aware of it, but
our professional and daily
lives are increasingly being
controlled by microsystems.
They go quietly about their work as “sta-
bilisers” in computers, as an intelligent
combination of sensors, processors and
actuators in airbags or in the form of an
intelligent gripper with miniature camera
in automation. Microsystems engineer-
ing is thus an expanding sector of the
economy, with experts predicting double-
digit growth. According to market re-
search company Prognos, sales in the
microsystems engineering sector in
Germany alone are set to rise from 82
billion euros in 2009 to 245 billion euros
in 2020. Microsystems engineering is
providing a new impetus in mechanical
and plant engineering, the electrical
industry, automotive engineering, infor-
mation and communications technology,
biotechnology and medical technology.
Subsystems that make their own
decisions
Microsystems engineering combines
sensors, actuators and processors to
create intelligent complete systems in
the smallest of spaces. Microsystems
engineering is therefore not just about
making components smaller, but also
about providing a proper “training pro-
gramme” for subsystems. In microsys-
tems engineering, an intelligent gripper
is no longer subordinate to a PLC. It can
function independently – without the
need for an additional computer – to
identify parts, distinguish them by
size, design and quality, grip them and
forward them to different users depend-
ing on the process type. In addition
to a lower weight and reduced energy re-
quirements, an intelligent microsystems
engineering gripper offers faster re-
sponse times thanks to shorter informa-
tion channels.
A laboratory no bigger than a credit card
Microsystems play a key role in modern
medical technology and laboratory
The piezo valve terminal VEMA provides precise
pressure regulation and therefore exact metering
in liquid handling.
One more question
trends in automation: What signi-
fi cance does microsystems engineer-
ing have in current research and
why is cooperation in networks so
important?
Dr. Volker Nestle: The days of major
research funding programmes for
microsystems engineering are over,
but current trends in automation such
as “Smart & Intuitive” or “Systems of
Systems” have no chance of success
without the consistent use of micro-
systems engineering. We will there-
fore be focussing even more strongly
on effi cient small-scale microsystems
production in future. This cannot be
achieved without an excellent network,
which is why we are intensively involved
in technology clusters and networks.
Dr. Volker Nestle,
Head of Research
Microsystems
at Festo
are also known as lab-on-a-chip appli-
cations. The entire fl uidic system, includ-
ing reservoir, pumps and sensors, must
fi t on a credit-card sized carrier,” explains
the microsystems engineering expert,
citing medical technology as an example.
The miniaturised fi nal product requires
similar assembly processes, including
pick & place, plastics welding and feeding
devices in the nanolitre range.
Success in the smallest of spaces
Festo identifi ed the trend towards mini-
aturisation at an early stage and was
a driving force in making components
including valve terminals even smaller.
Miniature valve terminals allow even the
smallest of drives to be activated in the
smallest of spaces and even installed
on moving components. Compact piezo
valves play an important role here as
their volumetric capacity is more than
three times that of conventional valves
of the same design.
However, Festo doesn’t want to merely
settle for innovative dosing valve tech-
nology, and is thinking beyond the limits
of what is currently feasible. The compa-
ny is therefore involved in the KonKaMis
project of leading-edge cluster MicroTEC
Südwest. The objective of KonKaMis is
the development of a confi gurable cam-
era for microsystems, which can monitor
the highly dynamic fi lling processes of
very small volumes in various laboratory
automation applications. For the follow-
up project INSERO3D, for which an ap-
plication has already been submitted,
KonKaMis is supplying the basics for the
confi guration of a miniaturised 3D camera,
which will allow service robots to move in
three dimensions for the fi rst time, thus
opening up new opportunities for inter-
action between humans and technology.
Mini is the next big thing
As far as Dr. Volker Nestle, Head of
Research Microsystems at Festo, is
concerned, the future clearly belongs to
microsystems engineering and to micro-
pneumatics in many areas of automation.
He believes that micropneumatics and
microsystems engineering, because
of their innovation potential, will also
make a signifi cant contribution to en-
hancing Germany’s future competitive-
ness as a technology centre.
Small, but effective: Detonators (left) trigger airbags
like the front airbag of the new Volvo 40, which
protects pedestrians in the event of a collision. Phothoto: Vo: Volvoolvo CarC Corporation
2.2012 trends in automationCompass 20 – 21
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When things start to thinkIn our homes, in our workplaces and in industrial manufacturing, the world of objects is
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to be the next big thing in science and technology. Today’s prototypes are laying the foun-
dations for the production of the future. But does intelligence on the outside always mean
intelligence on the inside? And what will the products and processes of the future look like?
Intelligent products and processes
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2.2012 trends in automationImpulse 22 – 23
� Intelligent logistics: The digital product memory
will make the fl ow of goods faster and more reliable.
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iPhone. Today’s smartphones work intelligently with house
automation technology, vehicles, machines and systems.
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and applies it to new problems.
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vehicle and environment. The integration of a smartphone
and the Internet plays a key role in the BMW i8 concept,
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Just a few short years ago, a car was
a car and a mobile phone was a
device for making calls while on the
move. Today, a car is a highly com-
plex means of transport that “communi-
cates” with the driver and makes driving
safer and more comfortable thanks to
numerous assistance systems. Today’s
mobile phone is “smart”. It can navigate,
provide information about restaurants
and shopping in the local area in just
a few seconds, and do all of this on the
basis of learned behaviour patterns from
its owner. So what does the future hold?
Experts are convinced that in the not-
too-distant future, coats will be able to
record the bodily functions of the people
wearing them and alert the emergency
services in the event of a problem, which
will be particularly useful for elderly
people, for example. The same applies
to refrigerators, which will independently
order milk and butter when needed, or
washing machines that will only wash at
times when electricity is cheap. Industrial
production is set to form complex net-
works over what is known as the “Internet
of Things”, in which the raw material will
communicate with the processing system
and tell the system what to do with it.
Things that think
Can objects really be intelligent? For
example, is an autonomous industrial
vision system with a built-in minicom-
puter that can identify and analyse even
complex patterns intelligent? For
hundreds of years, philosophers have
attempted to understand the phenom-
enon of intelligence in general, while
scientists have focussed on human
intelligence. Compared with the complex-
ity and capability of the human brain,
no machine can currently be described
as truly intelligent. However, compared
with a steam engine from the age of the
industrial revolution, a robot used in
automotive production that can replace
a huge number of manual tasks performed
certainly can be described as intelligent.
It can detect different workpieces, make
decisions with regard to their processing
and perform the necessary work steps
independently.
Weak AI versus strong AI
A more feasible approach to achieving
intelligence in objects lies in artifi cial
intelligence (AI), a concept which has
been around since the 1950s. John
R. Searle, Professor of Philosophy at
Berkeley University, was the fi rst person
to make a distinction between “weak AI”
and “strong AI”. In doing so, he freed
machines from the as yet unfulfilled
expectation of having to have possess
consciousness in order to be considered
intelligent. According to Searle, weak AI
involves the simulation of human intelli-
gence, which attempts to solve problems
and perform tasks. It mimics intelligent
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behaviour using mathematics and
information technology. Strong AI, on
the other hand, involves the develop-
ment of consciousness and genuine
understanding, i.e. a type of artificial
intelligence that matches or even
exceeds human intellectual abilities.
The thinking robot
Released from the demand for real con-
sciousness, machines that perform tasks
autonomously can in good conscience be
described as intelligent. A highlight among
intelligent machines is the HIRO robot
(Human Interactive Robot) developed at
the Tokyo Institute of Technology under the
direction of Professor Osamu Hasegawa.
The robot uses the SOINN algorithm (Self-
Organizing Incremental Neural Network)
to record commands and collects the
necessary data and information in order
to later execute the commands. If HIRO
doesn’t know something, he fi nds out for
himself. What makes HIRO really interesting
is that he saves all new information for later
use and can apply it to new problems. The
robot thus constantly develops itself in
order to be able to perform tasks for which
it was not originally programmed. Hase-
gawa hopes that SOINN will one day also
be used in practical applications such
as the control of traffi c light systems, for
example. Traffi c congestion could thus
be reduced by analysing public monitor-
ing equipment and accident reports, for
example.
The intelligent box
With the inBin, the Fraunhofer IML and the
Chair of Materials Handling and Warehous-
ing of the TU Dortmund have developed
the fi rst real intelligent bin. inBin communi-
cates with people and machines, makes
decisions independently, monitors
environmental conditions and controls
logistics processes. The intelligent
bin uses inverted light barriers to locate
its position and integrated sensors
to measure important environmental
parameters such as air temperature. The
inBin can therefore decide whether it is
at the right location in a complex storage
system with different climate zones. What
makes the intelligent bin truly special is its
ability not only to communicate with other
inBins in order to optimise the logistics
process, but also to establish contact with
humans. In doing so, the intelligent bin
establishes a connection between
humans and the Internet of Things.
Artifi cial intelligence
Artifi cial intelligence (AI) deals with the
question of how intelligent behaviour
can be automated. However, scientists
are having diffi culty agreeing on a single
term, as there is no unique defi nition
for the term “intelligence”. In research
and development, AI refers to the crea-
tion of a form of intelligence with
human-like traits. Examples include
computers which fi nd solutions to
problems independently. However,
in many cases – computer games
being a good example – the concept of
artifi cial intelligence is used to describe
an assumed pseudo-intelligence that
uses simple programs to mimic
intelligent human behaviour patterns.
inBin: The intelligent bin is
able to manage and control
the entire picking process.
2.2012 trends in automationImpulse 24 – 25
Interview trends in automation: How do
you think the production of the future
will look?
Dr. Peter Post: I think the future of
production will demand a great
degree of fl exibility and adaptivity.
Huge amounts of time and money
are going into the construction of
production plants that meet specifi c
requirements. If something changes
in the product, you have to completely
redesign and convert parts of the
plant. I believe that in the future, pro-
duction plants will have components
that are networked in an intelligent
way, carry out their own confi guration
with minimal effort and independently
meet the varying requirements in pro-
duction orders. This will give us maxi-
mum fl exibility.
trends in automation: So the
production plant of the future will
have decentralised intelligence?
Dr. Peter Post: In the context of the
production of the future, decentra-
lised intelligence means that tasks
that are currently still performed by
the master computer will be taken
over by the component. Everything
required to control a single partial
order could therefore be carried out
in the mini control system on site by
the component.
You can read the entire interview at
www.festo.com/research
Dr. Peter Post, Head of Corporate Research
and Programme Strategy at Festo
The Internet of Things
Futurologists believe that there will
soon be more things than people on the
Internet. Entire systems will be able to
communicate beyond their own physical
boundaries. This will be made possible
thanks to the so-called “Internet of
Things”. A milestone in this development
was reached in June of this year. Most
people will have been completely un-
aware of the switchover to the Internet
Protocol Version 6, which increased the
number of available IP addresses from
4.3 billion to 340 sextillion (sextillion =
a number with 36 zeros). This develop-
ment will allow mobile phones, comput-
ers, cars, transport containers, articles of
clothing and machines to be assigned
their own IP addresses. Hans Vestberg,
CEO of Ericsson, the world’s biggest
provider of telecommunications equip-
ment, believes that up to 50 billion
devices such as cars, for example, will be
networked with one another by 2020.
Sensors installed in a car will detect ice
on the road and send a warning to the
cars behind. Prof. Wahlster, Director of the
German Research Center for Artifi cial In-
telligence (DFKI), believes that this technol-
ogy will be ready for production in two
to three years. (You can read more about
this topic in the interview on page 8.)
The digital product memory
In the industry of the future, the internal
states of devices, materials, objects and
environments will be recorded using inte-
grated information technology and linked
with the real states of industrial process-
es. For example, the material to be pro-
cessed will use RFID to inform the machine
which work steps have already been car-
ried out and which are still out-standing.
Machines will identify the individual pro-
duct and perform the required work steps
automatically along with any tool changes
that are necessary. The product memory
will also serve as life-long documentation.
Intelligent textiles: Fabric with an integrated electronic component (LED) and with woven-in
insulated electrical conductors. Possible use in protective clothing with signal messages.
Photo: ITV Denkendorf, Forschungsbereich Smart Textiles
Photos: DFKI GmbHHH
Enormous potential also exists in the
area of logistics. Networked robots will
be able to fetch products from the
shelves. And with smart labels, it will be
possible to track the entire life cycle
of a product – from producer through to
logistics company, retailer, and fi nally
fi nishing with the end customer – at any
time. The digital product memory will
make the fl ow of goods faster and more
reliable.
The fourth industrial revolution
Many experts agree that the economy
is on the cusp of a fourth industrial
revolution, also known as Industry 4.0.
This involves a shift from our current
understanding of production to Internet-
based manufacturing, in which the raw
materials incorporate the features of the
future product. Products will control
their own production processes and
unfi nished parts will send their produc-
tion schedule wirelessly to the plant –
thus becoming active control compo-
nents. The intelligent production of the
future will thus significantly increase
the speed of industrial processes.
Workflows will become more flexible,
organise themselves and arrange
changes, maintenance work and con-
tinuous optimisation of their own
accord.
Industry 4.0 promises intelligent
production for maximum flexibility. For
science and the automation industry, the
road to real implementation is a long, but
exciting one. Companies from various
sectors, research institutes and special-
ists from a wide range of expert groups
are working together to drive development
forward. But where do humans stand
on the road to intelligent production? How
will our role change in the future? Quo
vadis homo faber – man the creator?
trends in automation will keep you
updated with developments.
The swarm network
Together we are not only stronger,
but also more intelligent. Swarm
intelligence is a perfect example of
this principle in action. Its inspiration
comes from nature, as shown by
shoals of fish, flocks of birds and
colonies of ants. While an individual
ant possesses only a limited amount
of intelligence, ants working together
as a community can deal with com-
plex challenges with a high degree of
intelligence.
AquaJellies from Festo show how
swarm intelligence can already be
replicated by humans. These artifi cial,
autonomous jellyfi sh with an electric
drive unit have an intelligent, adaptive
mechanism that emulates swarming
behaviour. When provided with the
capacity to communicate, a swarm
of AquaJellies can act as a highly de-
veloped, self-controlled system.
www.festo.com/en/aquajelly
AquaJellies from Festo: Artifi cial jellyfi sh
with swarm intelligence.
Vision of the future for city cars: The EO smart connecting car is extremely
agile, changing its shape and adapting to the current traffi c situation.
2.2012 trends in automationImpulse 26 – 27
PhotPhoto: Lo: Lesleesley May Magno gno / ge/ gettyittyimagemagess
Power to
the EastChina is changing: The erstwhile low-wage country
is taking the big leap into the high-tech age. The
automation and automotive industries in particular
are benefi tting from the emergence of China as a
key market. Despite a recent decline in growth, the
Chinese “Red Dragon” remains fi rmly on target.
China: The economic powerhouse
Symbol of good luck: Dragon
puppet at the traditional Chinese
New Year celebrations.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 28 – 29
In China, the dragon is a powerful, yet benevolent symbol.
It carries the hopes and desires of the people into the
heavens and brings back divine blessings. It bears no
resemblance to the monsters we are familiar with from
Western mythology. The “Red Dragon” refl ects the nature of
a country that could hardly be more different. In ancient
Chinese myths and legends, earth, air and water dragons
lived throughout the land – in the vast expanses of the
Gobi Desert in the West, across the Himalayas and along
the rivers and coastline of the East.
Room for growth
The country’s sheer size alone gives it a position of power.
Covering an area of 9.6 million square kilometres, making it
almost as big as Europe with 10.2 million square kilometres,
China has a population of 1.3 billion – around 560 million more
than Europe. The difference in population density between
rural and urban areas is enormous. In the lowlands of Northern
China, hundreds of millions of people live in the densely
populated cities. By contrast, large areas of the countryside,
including the sweeping mountain ranges of the West, the
Transhimalaya and the Gobi Desert, are virtually uninhabited.
Self-assured and visionary
In recent years, an impressive dynamic has emerged from
the political interaction between the socialist value system
and the free market economy with neo-liberal characteristics.
With an expected decline in economic growth from a previous
average of ten per cent to 7.8 per cent in the fi rst half of 2012,
the voices of caution are becoming louder, though signifi cant
change is unlikely. China has established itself as one of the
world’s key growth markets in recent years. The impetus for
the rise of the “Red Dragon” lies in its self-assuredness,
which stems from its history as an ancient civilization dating
back around 5,000 years. The country’s vision and global
self-image is reflected in its plans for its very first manned
space station in 2020.
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A changing economy
As far as the experts are concerned, the question is not if China
will become the world’s biggest economy, but when. The
country currently occupies second place in the global rankings
behind the USA, and is ahead of Japan, Germany, France and
the UK. In the early stages of economic growth, China was little
more than a low-wage country for manufacturers from the
West. However, the growing prosperity of its main population
centres has seen the country blossom into an attractive
market. The international automotive industry today sells more
cars in China than in any other country in the world. This points
to a transformation in China’s economic structures, which accor-
ding to international business leaders will involve signifi cant
change. The country is evolving from a low-cost producer and
formidable copyist into a high-tech nation that is driving
technological development. According to fi gures released by
the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, production
in the high-tech industries reached record levels in 2011. The
gross production value of around 60,000 high-tech fi rms
amounted to around 1.6 billion US dollars.
A few more questions
trends in automation: What does the future hold for the
manufacturing industry in China?
JJ Chen: China already has the biggest domestic market,
the highest manufacturing industrial output and the
biggest automotive market, and is thus also set to be-
come the biggest market for automation technology in
the coming years. The manufacturing industry in China
is gradually adopting international quality standards.
Factories are moving away from manual labour in favour
of automated manufacturing processes. At the same
time, energy efficiency, environmental protection and
industrial safety are becoming increasingly important.
trends in automation: How important is customer prox-
imity in the Chinese market?
JJ Chen: Very important. Customers in China expect top
quality “Made by Festo”, with guaranteed delivery within
one day at prices that are competitive in the local market,
just like in Europe. Even more important is having engi-
neers who speak the local language so that the specifi c
needs of individual customers are understood. This is why
Festo is able to offer customers solutions that are tailored
to their requirements.
JJ Chen,
General Manager Festo Greater China
Festo currently employs around 1,800 people
in the areas of production and logistics and in
42 sales and service centres throughout China.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 30 – 31
Local production
For leading economic nations like Germany, the economic ties
that it has formed with China are inseparable. According to
the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), German mechan-
ical engineering firms recorded sales of around 19 billion
euros in China in 2011. In a study conducted by the German
Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), China emerged
yet again as the most popular industrial location for German
industry. Today, more than 200,000 people are employed
by 5,000 German firms in China. This is driven partly by the
enormous and constantly growing demand for automation
technology. Festo currently earns ten per cent of its total
turnover and employs 1,800 people in China. To achieve the
target of 20 per cent annual growth in China, Festo inaugu-
rated its new plant in Jinan in May of this year at a cost of
around 20 million euros. According to the Chairman of the
Board of Festo AG, Dr. Eberhard Veit, this expansion will
ensure that regional market demand can continue to be met
over the coming years.
Big German fi rms such as Volkswagen and Siemens are also
active in China. In 2011, VW sold around 2.26 million cars
in China and has a workforce of 46,000 people throughout
the country. Siemens is the second-biggest German employer,
with a workforce of 29,000 people. The global corporation
has recognised the importance of a commitment that extends
beyond mere production in order to ensure a successful
long-term relationship with China. Siemens has 16 research
centres throughout the country.
Success through expertise
Festo has recognised the importance of investment in the
basic and further training of qualifi ed personnel at local level
for some years now. With over 90 per cent of companies in
China complaining about skills shortages, Festo Didactic has
been providing local and international customers with
support in employee training for a number of years. Over 500
educational partners, universities and industrial training
centres benefit from the expertise of the automation expert.
The company maintains close links with fi ve leading universi-
ties and Festo is investing in infrastructure for education,
research and preliminary application studies in these partner
The Chinese Minister of Industry and Infor-
mation Technology, Miao Wei (middle), visits
Festo at Hanover Fair.
Tongji University: Festo supports the educational
policy model project at the Sino-German University
for Applied Sciences.
Festo Didactic in China: Cooperation with
over 500 partners in education, universities
and industrial training centres.
Metropolitan Solutions for water/wastewater:
Water treatment plant in Nanjing, China –
automated using Festo technology.
Customer Solutions: Customers in China too will
enjoy tailored solutions for their applications.
“We are moving
towards a model
of production
based in the
region for the
region.”Dr. Hong Zhou, Head of the
Global Production Centre,
Jinan, Shanghai and APTC
institutions. Festo has also been involved in extensive coopera-
tion with the renowned Tongji University in Shanghai since 1985.
The success of the Esslingen-based company in China is
founded on its extensive pool of highly trained experts. This
provides the basis for successful projects such as the water
treatment plant in Nanjing, a city with over 6 million inhabitants,
in which automated solutions from Festo supply a million
people with 4.5 million cubic metres of clean water every day.
Like many other countries in the world, China has realised
the need to make the most effi cient use of this scarce natural
resource. Hundreds of water and wastewater treatment
plants have been equipped with solutions from Festo. These
solutions help the plants to operate more effi ciently.
If you count the arguments in favour of sustained economic
growth in China, the bottom line remains extremely positive
despite a few dissenting voices. China is not about to slow
down any time soon – and why should it? Not only have people
in China learned a great deal from the West, but the West
has also learned a great deal from China, and will continue to
do so in the future.
Festo in China
Next year, the national company celebrates 20 years
in the Shanghai metropolis. A lot has happened since
the company was founded. Over the years, Festo has
invested in plant construction and expansion and in a
customer-oriented infrastructure. The Global Produc-
tion Centre (GPC) in Shanghai was created in 2005. In
2007, a new production location was acquired with
the takeover of the Jinan Huaneng Pneumatic Company
(JPC) in the industrial city of Jinan, which is served by
the high-speed rail link between Beijing and Shanghai.
At the beginning of this year, Festo hosted a traditional
celebration to mark the inauguration of a new extension,
a step increase in the plant by a further 26,000 m2 to
around 46,000 m2. The plant in Jinan is now offi cially one
of the 11 GPCs worldwide.
At around the same time, a groundbreaking ceremony
was held in Shanghai for the expansion of Asia Pacifi c
Technical Centre (APTC). Through this programme of
expansion, Festo aims to meet growing demand for
customised and user-specifi c products and solutions
in China. Festo currently employs around 1,800 people
in the areas of production and logistics and in 42 sales
and service centres throughout China.
Dr. Eberhard Veit, Chairman of the Management Board of Festo AG,
at the celebrations to mark the expansion of the plant in Jinan.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 32 – 33
Felgenprüfanlage mit einbaufertigem Handlingportal
Alloy wheels,
through to X-ray!Alloy wheels should not only look great, but also contribute to a safe and
enjoyable driving experience. A fully automatic testing system is helping
to get things moving by X-raying the cast parts for even the tiniest of fl aws –
delivering the fastest quality check on the market at present. The high
throughput rates are achieved thanks to a ready-to-install handling gantry.
Photo: Fraunhofer IIS
Testing system for alloy wheels with ready-to-install handling gantry
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 34 – 35
The radioscopy process is run-
ning at full tilt. At intervals
lasting just a few seconds,
the heavy rectangular parti-
tion opens and closes. One after the
other, gleaming silver test specimens
disappear inside to be X-rayed. The
“patients” in this case are unmachined
cast alloy wheels. “Rapid acceleration
and dynamic cornering may be excit-
ing for drivers of sports cars, but they
subject the alloy wheels to extreme
loads. This means that manufacturers
are obliged to conduct thorough tests.
Even the smallest air bubbles, pinholes
or foreign bodies in the aluminium
cast can cause the wheels to break,”
explains Felix Richter, engineer with
Bavarian automation specialists Erhardt
+ Abt, who developed “HeiDetect
Wheel”, a fully automatic in-line testing
system that offers signifi cant benefi ts
in mass production. At the heart of the
system is an X-ray test system with
detector developed by the Fraunhofer
Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS).
Its powerful vision system detects even
the tiniest of casting defects quickly
and reliably.
Rapid handling
A handling gantry from Festo is responsi-
ble for delivering the high process speed.
It transports up to 140 wheels per hour
through the system. It was implemented
according to the exact specifi cations
of Erhardt + Abt. “The system has an
extremely compact design. At some
points the distance to the housing is just
two to three millimetres. This demanded
maximum precision from Festo,” says
Richter approvingly. Festo delivered
the gantry as a ready-to-install unit.
Richter’s team simply had to connect up
the interfaces and base plate of the sys-
tem and then mount the radiation-safe
steel-lead-steel chamber on top of it.
Before the wheel enters the system,
an upstream station reads its technical
data, including diameter and height,
using a bar code. The gripper unit in the
X-ray cabinet gets ready for action in
accordance with the registered values
and moves into the optimal position. As
soon as the partition opens and the alloy
wheel enters, the gripper grasps it using
its support wheels. A multi-position
cylinder ADNM ensures a perfect grip
by adapting the movable front pair of
rollers precisely to the wheel size. To
ensure that even the smallest detail
is recorded, two servo motors of type
EMMS turn the wheel clockwise around
the hub during the X-ray process.
A tough nut
Including the fi xed alloy wheel, the
gripper supports up to 168 kg. “Ensur-
ing that the gantry construction had
the necessary rigidity and dynamic
response, that was a tough nut to crack.
Particularly as the operating tempera-
tures can fluctuate between 15 and 60
degrees Celsius depending on the time of
year and throughput,” explains Wolfram
Turnaus, sales engineer at Festo. It’s his
job to work with customers in search of
new solutions. In this case he needed to
fi nd high-performance cushioning for
the partition. As soon as an alloy wheel
enters the X-ray cabin, the 90 kg parti-
tion drops like a trap door. “It closes in
just 0.6 seconds,” says Turnaus. A con-
ventional oil-pressure shock absorber
or servo-controlled drive were ruled
out for the partition due to cost and
maintenance reasons.
Ready-to-use precision: Erhardt + Abt
only had to connect the handling
gantry with the gripper unit using
defi ned interfaces.
“The handling gantry was supplied
ready-to-install. This allowed us to
concentrate fully on the engineering
and design of the testing system.”
Felix Richter, design engineer with Erhardt + Abt
Lightning-fast trap door: The 90 kg partition
closes in 0.6 seconds and is decelerated at the
last moment by a cushioning block.
Full, yet gentle braking
A simple, yet effective solution is a
cushioning block: “You have to imagine it
as being like an air pump. The cushioning
block always holds a certain air volume
so that the partition falls, as it were,
into an air cushion and thus into the
end-positioning cushioning,” explains
Turnaus. The cushioning block in turn
controls a pneumatic valve. As soon
as the partition opens, the chamber for
the “fresh-air cushion” is completely
exhausted using a second valve. “The
cylinder can thus extend as quickly as
possible and brake fully, but gently at
the last moment,” adds Felix Richter.
The entire system including its steel-
lead-steel outer shell weighs 6.2 tonnes.
To prevent X-rays from escaping when
the partition is opened, the system
restricts the X-ray voltage. This signifi -
cantly increases the service life of the
X-ray source and there is no need for an
upstream double door system. Felix
Richter is very pleased with the end
result: “Festo has not only given us the
freedom to concentrate on other tasks,
but also contributed to construction of
the fastest wheel testing system on the
market at present.”
www.festo.com/catalog/egc
www.festo.com/catalog/emms
is 2.12-01 | is 2.12-02Electric axes EGC |
Motors and controllers
Landing on the “air cushion”: Two fl ange-mount-
ed air chambers ensure that the partition closes
quickly yet gently.
Seamless transfer: A chain conveyor transports the alloy wheel directly to
the open gripper, which secures it for the X-ray process using four support
wheels (top).
Sophisticated dynamics: Six EGC-185 axes connected in parallel ensure
maximum dynamic response and rigidity (bottom left).
Erhardt + Abt Automatisierungs-technik GmbH
Hauptstraße 49
D-73329 Kuchen, Germany
www.roboter.de
Turnkey automation solutions for
customers from the automotive,
medical/pharmaceutical, food and
plastics industries. Area of
business: Handling and assembly
technology.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 36 – 37
A grip on healthcareIn a Copenhagen hospital, the world’s fi rst fully automated,
sterile warehouse for surgical instruments is making savings
amounting to ten man-years. Electric drives and Clean Design
components ensure that everything runs reliably and smoothly.
Automated warehousing of surgical instruments
Photo: Martor KG
Gibotech A/S
Hollufgaardsvej 31
DK-5260 Odense S, Denmark
www.gibotech.dk
Area of business:
Development, implementation
and maintenance of industry
solutions, automation,
robotics and CNC systems
The surgical teams at this Copen-
hagen hospital are under pressure.
With more than sixty operations
to carry out every day, everything
must run smoothly. Precision and timing
are crucial. This is, of course, no problem
provided you can fi nd the correct surgi-
cal instrument within seconds. However,
this is something that can’t be taken for
granted, as every basket of instruments
requires costly sterile warehousing, which
until now involved a signifi cant amount
of effort on the part of hospital personnel.
The hospital’s IT specialists recognised
that getting the surgical instruments
ready for the operating theatre involved
a great deal of time and money – not to
mention the fact that the packages some-
times contained incorrect instruments.
This required considerable effort to get
things right.
Internationally unique
Although automated warehouse manage-
ment systems are common in industry,
a system for cleaning and picking surgical
instruments at a hospital was a minor
sensation. “But the system functioned
faultlessly right from the very fi rst day,”
reports Lars Vinge, production manager
for Danish automation specialist Gibo-
tech. In just ten days during normal
operation, Gibotech installed the system,
which is unique and has potential as a
pilot project for the fi eld of healthcare,
in the cramped basement rooms of a new
building at the hospital.
Freeing up resources
The system eliminates the need for
hospital personnel to manually handle
heavy baskets of surgical instruments
for order picking, cleaning, sterilising,
storage and withdrawal for scheduled
operations. As a result, it saves labour
costs amounting to ten man-years and
frees up resources which the hospital is
able to put to good use elsewhere. The
fully automated sterile warehouse has
1,900 storage locations and 1,800 baskets,
which are all equipped with RFID labels.
The system handles up to 100 transactions
a day. Each basket has a processing time
of fi ve to ten minutes.
Precision handling
The processes of the storage system were
kept as simple as possible to ensure
that investment and maintenance costs
remain manageable. Personnel manually
load wire baskets with surgical instru-
ments, which are cleaned in sterile wash-
ing machines. Staff then line the baskets
with hygienic crepe paper, which is not
damaged during the sterilisation process
in the autoclaves. During the next step,
the instruments are assembled into
operation-specifi c instrument packages,
depending on requirements for opera-
tions scheduled for the next day. The wire
baskets are then consigned to the storage
system, where they can be located with
markers such as bar codes, RFID and
data sheets. Automatic handling systems
use these markers to help employees
fi nd the storage locations the next day.
Electric axes EGC are at the heart of
this handling system. They reliably and
accurately distribute the baskets to the
rack system’s 1,900 storage locations.
Wherever the surgical instruments might
come into close proximity with system
components, Clean Design pneumatic
components from the CRDSNU range are
used, which are certifi ed in accordance
with Cleanroom Class 8. Valve terminals
CPX/MPA are installed in a decentralised
fashion and connected to Rockwell
controllers via Ethernet/IP.
Absolute peak value
The very pure and dry atmosphere within
the system is a challenge for all of the
drives. “But neither the pneumatic nor
the electric drives from Festo had any
problems in this respect,” stresses project
manager Vinge. On the contrary, planned
system availability was 97%. “At the
moment we’re even reaching a peak
value of 98.5%,” reports Vinge, who
hopes to inspire other hospitals around
the world with this reference system.
After all, the system is capable of
delivering measurable long-term
cost savings in healthcare.
www.festo.com/catalog/egc
www.festo.com/catalog/crdsnu
www.festo.com/catalog/cpx
is 2.12-01 | is 2.12-03Electric axes EGC |
CPX terminal/CPI system
The heart of the handling system: Highly precise
and reliable electric axes EGC (top and top right).
1,900 storage locations: Enough capacity
for up to 100 operations a day.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 38 – 39
Stress-free metal sheetsGentle material transport in levelling systems
The delicate surface of the
metal sheets requires gentle
transport through the leveller.
Kohler Maschinenbau GmbH uses a new vacuum stacker in its levelling
systems for the gentle handling of metal strips. Controlled using 105 vacuum
valves from Festo, it transports and palletises high-quality metal sheets
quickly and gently.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 40 – 41
While metal strips may look
perfect on the surface, the
story is often quite different
on the inside. Along with
the various material characteristics of
copper, aluminium or steel, processes
such as rolling, coating and winding into
coils weighing several tonnes lead to the
build-up of massive tension in the mate-
rial. For manufacturers of high-precision
components for the lighting, automotive
and computer industries and in the solar
sector, sourcing fl at, having low-tension
sheet metal plates without damage such
as scratches or grooves on the surface is
a major requirement. State-of-the-art
levelling systems from Kohler Maschinen-
bau GmbH are designed to meet these
demanding requirements. Using pneu-
matic components, these systems allow
the sheets to virtually fl oat.
Floating sheets
To ensure that the thin sheets continue
to meet the ever-increasing quality
standards demanded by the market, me-
chanical engineers have been optimising
their levelling systems for decades. Kohler
Maschinenbau GmbH based in Friesen-
heim, south-west Germany, has been a
leading provider in the fi eld of levelling
technology for almost 50 years. The com-
pany has a proud tradition as a developer
of innovative technological solutions. The
company has designed and built more
than 6,000 machines in use worldwide.
Its latest development for levelling
sheets with a material thickness of
0.1 to 1.5 mm operates with virtually
no contact. Strips made from materials
with various fi nishes – some matt,
some high-gloss – fl oat over air tables
and are then transported gently to the
fi rst vacuum stacker of its kind. Here,
vacuum conveyors move sheet metal
plates of varying sizes into the correct
position. They replace suction cups and
mechanical grippers, which leave their
mark on extremely delicate sheets after
coming into contact with them.
“Dancing” strips
At the start of the levelling process, the
coil is loaded onto a decoiler using a coil
car. Driven by specially coated infeed roll-
ers, the metal strips are transported
Metal sheets in top form: The 42-metre long levelling system from
Kohler removes tension from up to 80 m of sheet metal per minute.
Frequent fl exing is relaxing
The different fi bre lengths in the material are responsible for tension in
the metal sheets. This is caused in particular by rolling the material around
coils. To optimise the sheet metal for further processing, it undergoes
multiple alternating bending movements during roller levelling. This
bending is performed using offset levelling rollers. They deform the metal
strip beyond its yield limit, whereby a uniform fi bre length is achieved
in the material. When the strip enters the leveller, the machine creates
a bend over the entire width of the strip, which is greater than the larg-
est bend of the as yet unlevelled metal sheet. If the forces are too strong
initially, they are reduced at the outlet of the leveller. The metal sheet thus
springs back to the planned state when leaving the machine.
High
performance:
The 105 vacuum
valves distribute
the vacuum
with pinpoint
accuracy.
Gentle giant:
The new stacker
gently transports
and palletises
metal sheets
using vacuum.
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 42 – 43
The fi ve vacuum conveyors of the stacking system provide
a perfect support without leaving pressure marks.
into the very heart of the system, the
21-roller leveller with exchangeable
roller cartridges. A dancer roller directly
in front ensures the ideal strip tension.
Installed on a standard cylinder DNC
from Festo with a diameter of 80 mm
and a stroke of 900 mm including
clamping unit, it decouples the strips
for the transition from uncoiled to
drawn transport. It is controlled by a
proportional valve VPPM. When the
“dance” is over, the 21-roller leveller
removes any tension from the metal
strip. It does this by bending it within
predefi ned tolerance limits – strongly
at fi rst, and then more and more gently.
Different fi bre lengths in the material
are thus harmonised.
Flying saw
The strip fl ies at up to 80 m per minute
over the air tables when it leaves the
roller leveller. Festo pressure regulators
produce the air cushion, which varies
according to product type. The air
pressure can be adapted to different
materials quickly and easily using a
handheld controller. Whether laminated
with paper or fi lm, the sheets glide to
the air tables quickly and without any
contact so that the surface of the sheets
is not scratched. In order to cut the
300 to 1,450 mm wide sheets to the
required length of 150 to 4,500 mm,
another simple, yet intelligent solution in
the form of a moving saw is used. It is
attached to an elliptical fl ywheel, whose
cutting rhythm adapts to the respective
strip speed. A smooth cut can only be
achieved when the saw and the strip
reach the same speed. After the material
strip has been separated, the system
switches from transport on air cushions
to transport with conveyors. For a secure
hold, particularly in the case of small
sheet metal plates, the conveyors have
been equipped with a vacuum supply.
Because the piece at the end of the coil
is always shorter than the required
plate size, a pneumatic cylinder lowers
the conveyors and thus ensures that
the residual material slides into a recy-
cling container.
Steering valves
The final flourish for the leveller from
Kohler is the newly developed stacker
with vacuum conveyors and 105 vacuum
valves. It ensures maximum accuracy
for destacking sheets of different sizes,
materials and material thicknesses. 21
vacuum valves VV-3/2-1/2-SA from Festo
control the vacuum for each stacking
belt. Vacuum is generated out using
side-channel compressors. Depend-
ing on the sheet size, 2-inch ball valves
The standard cylinder DNC with dancer roller
adjusts the strip transport before entry in the
roller levellers.
Solenoid valves VSNB-F control 2-inch ball
valves, which regulate the vacuum of the
stacking belts depending on the sheet size.
On contact with the sheet metal, the fi ne
suction holes in the fi ve stacking belts
ensure reliable and gentle handling.
switch the vacuum to the fi ve stacking
belts on or off.
As soon as a fi nished metal sheet reaches
the stacker, the vacuum valves supply
the fi rst chambers of the conveyors with
pressure. When the stacking belts, which
are perforated with fi ne suction holes,
come into contact with the metal sheets,
they generate the required handling
force. Depending on where destacking
is to take place, the valves are continu-
ously switched on and off again with pre-
cision timing. Additional precision is
delivered by an ejector pulse on the part
of the vacuum valves in combination
with a solenoid valve MFH-3-1/4-S. The
sturdiness and 16 mm nominal size of
the fast-switching valves ensures rapid,
low-maintenance deployment.
Running pallets
The newly developed vacuum stacker
system from Kohler uses a large number
of Festo components to ensure careful
and gentle stacking of the sheet metal
plates. Stacking mode with fl ying plate
drop or inching operation allows the
stacking of both large and small formats.
This means that several small packages
can be stacked on the same pallet. This
combination allows the option of pack-
age-optimised arrangement of the plates.
A chain conveyor fi nally transports the
pallets to an unloading station, which
labels the goods and sends the data to
ERP. The levelling system with innovative
vacuum stacking belt demonstrates
how pneumatic components can be used
to save energy, space and costs.
www.festo.com/catalog/dnc
www.festo.com/catalog/vppm
is 2.12-04 | is 2.12-05 | is 2.12-06
Prop. pressure regulator VPPM | Standard drives | Valves
Kohler Maschinen-bau GmbH
Oberweierer Hauptstraße 96
D-77948 Friesenheim, Germany
www.kohler-germany.com
Area of business:
Development and manufacture
of high-precision strip feeding
lines for presses and punching
machines
2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 44 – 45
Water for the
Cape Whale CoastHermanus on South Africa’s Cape Whale Coast is a tourist hotspot. Just two
hours outside of Cape Town, the number of holiday complexes being built along
this idyllic coast is increasing. The problem is that the city is in a water scarce
area. The answer lies in an upgrade of the Preekstoel water treatment plant.
Automation of wastewater treatment plants
Appeal for water conservation: Seen here
in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa, three of
South Africa’s eleven offi cial languages.
Wasser an der Walküste: nährstoffrei-
ches Meerwasser für die Meeressäuger, zu
wenig Trinkwasser für die Menschen.
There is no shortage of nutrient-rich
water on the Cape Whale Coast.
This area of the coast gets its name
from the great southern whales
that migrate there from the Antarctic dur-
ing the South African winter, providing a
huge attraction for the thousands of tour-
ists who come to watch them. On shore,
however, water is a scarce resource. The
Preekstoel water treatment plant gets its
fresh water from groundwater wells and a
reservoir dam in the city’s mountainous
interior where the water level has been
continuously dropping in recent years.
This drop in the water level is due to the
decreased winter rainfall as well as the ever
increasing demand for water caused by
the brisk building activity. The water supply
authority of the Overstrand Municipality
had to take action, deciding to upgrade
the Preekstoel water treatment plant built
in 1974 and add more automation to
increase effi ciency.
Pneumatics instead of electrics
“As part of the modernisation mea-
sures, the Overstrand Municipality
decided to replace electric actuators
for opening and closing butterfly valves
or ball valves with pneumatic ones,”
explains Coen Pretorius, sales engineer
at Festo Cape Town. “We were able to
convince the authorities that pneumatic
automation technology can reduce
investment, installation and operating
costs in comparison with electrical
installations by more than 50% in some
cases,” he adds.
Pneumatic drives remain maintenance-
free for the duration of their service life.
Since process valves are irregularly
actuated in water technology, residues
or build-ups can occur that result in
signifi cantly higher breakaway torques.
The overload protection of pneumatics
is an important feature here. If the drive
comes to a standstill, the pressure can
be easily increased at the pressure re-
gulator to be able to apply more force –
there is no need for costly maintenance.
A further advantage is that the com-
pressed air is available even if the power
fails, since in addition to a compressor
there is also an air reservoir for genera-
tion and preparation.
Reliable actuators
The Overstrand Municipality replaced
the butterfl y valves at the fi lter basins
with pneumatic actuators and position-
ers from Festo and installed control
loops with fl ow and level sensors. The
butterfl y valves and slide valves in
the sand bed fi lters and ultrafi ltration
plants of the Preekstoel water treatment
plant are now equipped with pneumatic
actuators of the type DLP and DAPS. The
linear actuator Copac, or DLP for short,
is the ideal solution for shut-off, safety
and control slide valves. It acts directly
on the slide gate and ensures that various
positions can be approached accurately.
Its high corrosion resistance also means it
can be used without any problems out
in the open without being affected by the
salty air of the Cape Whale Coast.
Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast: Nutrient-rich sea water for sea life, but not enough drinking water
for those on land.
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2.2012 trends in automationSynergies 46 – 47
The sturdy quarter turn actuator DAPS
controls ball valves and butterfl y valves
with various media fl ows and an angle of
rotation that is limited to 90°. The torque
is generated via a scotch yoke mecha-
nism, which helps to overcome the valve’s
high breakaway torques.
Systematic automation
The decentralised valve terminal is the
core of pneumatic systems in water
technology. Located in the vicinity of the
process valves, it is ideal for fast and
simple automation solutions featuring
the optimum interaction of process
valves, pneumatic components and
electronic components. The valve
terminals have a modular confi guration
based on the number of process valves,
while the fi eldbus provides the system
with a single, clearly defi ned, standard-
ised interface between the controller (PLC)
and the valve terminal. The system con-
cept has the advantage that extensions
or modifi cations can simply be made at
control level, without having to replace
the hardware. And, last but not least, all
the components are perfectly matched.
Sturdy pneumatic components
The butterfly valves are controlled by
valve terminals MPA. These also pro-
vide information about the f ilter’s
current status by determining its f ill
level, differential pressure and flow
rate. If a filter needs to be rinsed, the
PLC controls the valve terminal, and
“Pneumatic automation technology reduces
investment, installation and operating costs
in comparison with electrical installation by
more than 50% in some cases.”
Coen Pretorius, sales engineer at Festo Cape Town
Reliably evacuates sludge deposits: The linear
actuator Copac, or DLP for short, can be used
without any problems in the salty air thanks to
its high corrosion resistance.
Closes and opens the sand bed fi lters: The
sturdy quarter turn actuator DAPS controls ball
valves and butterfl y valves.
thus the order in which the butterfly
valves are actuated, in step with the
rinsing programme. After the rinsing
programme has been completed,
normal fi lter operation is resumed. The
valve terminal is confi gured based on
the number of pneumatic drives, limit
switches and measuring instruments.
The Preekstoel water treatment plant,
built in 1974, currently treats 10 million
litres of drinking water each day. The
upgraded plant will have a capacity of
28 million litres of drinking water per
day. The groundwater pumped into the
plant will be treated by a biological fi lter
system. This is all part of the Overstrand
Municipality water authority’s plan to
guarantee the water supply for the Cape
Whale Coast for the coming years.
www.festo.com/catalog/daps
www.festo.com/catalog/dlp
www.festo.com/water
is 2.12-07Partner for automation – water technology
The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger airliner.
Did you know that one of the companies that helped to get it
off the ground is based in Austria? Tyrolean company Micado
worked together with the aircraft component manufacturer
FACC to develop a flexible universal holding device for the
manufacture of the fl ap track fairings. Automation technology
from Festo plays a key role in this.
Flap track fairings are structures that cover the landing flap
mechanisms on the underside of the A380 airliner. The new
universal holding device brings the carbon-fi bre components
into the correct shape. This enables a multitude of differently
sized components to sit on a single device. With just a single
push of a button, 32 axes clamp 36 different fl ap track fair-
ings at 88 contact points. The clamping device is moved by
numerous cylinders from Festo. They are controlled by
the integrated valve terminal combination CPX/MPA, which
also processes all digital inputs of the cylinder sensors and
vacuum switches.
For Micado CEO Edwin Meindl, the cooperation with Festo was
a major advantage: “Cylinders, vacuum technology, valves,
the interfaces to control technology developed by Hella, the
corresponding CAD data and an international on-site service.”
Thanks to the excellent collaboration of everyone involved,
the project was completed in just nine months.
Flexibly coveredFunctionally integrated automation for the Airbus A380
Pneumatics in the smallest of spaces: Support and vacuum cylinders with
vacuum grippers on ball heads specially developed by Micado.
Flap track fairings encase
mechanical components on the
underside of the wings of the A380.
Photo: MMicado / Martin Lugger
Austria
2.2012 trends in automationFesto worldwide 48 – 49
They boast outstanding inventive talent, exemplary innovation
processes and are successfully translating ideas into market
success – that’s why they are Germany’s most innovative SMEs.
On 22 June in Friedrichshafen, well-known science editor Ranga
Yogeshwar presented the “Top 100” award to the winning SMEs,
and the Festo Education Fund from Esslingen was one of them.
The objective of the fund is to give young people the opportu-
nity to successfully complete their studies. The fund provides
fi nancial assistance, professional training and access to a
network of industry and academic contacts. At the ceremony,
Prof. Dr. Speck from Festo praised the efforts of his team as
a critical success factor: “I see this award as recognition for
the dedication of our network companies and universities.
Enthusiasm and hard work are our number one innovation
factor.” The Festo Education Fund has received more than
1,600 applications to date, and almost 500 contracts have
been signed with talented young individuals.
Award for think tankFesto Education Fund receives
the “Top 100” seal of quality
Germany
Ranga Yogeshwar presents Prof. Dr. Peter Speck, Head of
the Festo Education Fund, with the “Top 100” award.
Greece
Greek company Inox Design has used Festo components such
as the valve terminal VTSA to develop a machine for stacking
Feta cheese. The system fi rst stacks six moulds on top of each
other, before they reach a transfer device, which removes the
water from the cheese. The cheese is then turned, an automatic
separator grips each mould in turn and shakes it to release the
cheese for further transport.
Good taste takes shape
Stacking, turning, shaking, transporting: High performance for Feta cheese
thanks to valve terminal VTSA.
With three different valve sizes to match the different sizes
of the pneumatic cylinders, the valve terminal VTSA offers
very high performance. An additional benefi t is the improved
reliability, thanks to the valves being quick and easy to replace.
Automatic stacking of Feta cheese
,
,
Eight universities, around 1,000 participating students and
over 4,000 kilometres travelled: in February 2012, Festo
South Africa and SEW Eurodrive launched the fi fth PneuDrive
Challenge. With the Festo Expotainer, the high-tech roadshow
visited eight universities in 38 days and kicked off the nation-
wide student competition.
In the PneuDrive Challenge, students of mechanical, electronic
and mechatronic engineering put their theoretical knowledge
into practice. They need to take an idea, design it and
put forward their views on the maintenance and long-term
functionality of the design. This year’s theme is “Engineering
for a Better Life for South African Communities”.
The PneuDrive Challenge gives South African students
hands-on experience with state-of-the-art technology.
The winning team receives products from Festo and SEW
Eurodrive to the value of 10,000 euros for their university
plus a trip to Germany for the team members.
Drives on the move PneuDrive Challenge 2012
South Africa
Flown in specially for the occasion: AirPenguin from Festo.
USA
40 years in the USAFesto employees the key to success
In May 2012, the Festo national company on Long Island
celebrated its 40th anniversary. US general management
greeted a gathering of 250 employees as well as shareholders
and Members of the Management Board from Germany at the
Atlantis Marine World Aquarium. An AirPenguin and numerous
AquaJellies made an appearance to highlight the company’s
reputation as an innovator. Rich J. Huss, CEO of the Festo Cor-
poration in the USA, explained how it is the vision, mission
and most importantly the employees that differentiate Festo
from its competitors. With the support of Festo Germany, the
Long Island company has become an extremely successful and
innovative manufacturer.
Festo Expotainer on tour: Around 1,000 students visited the PneuDrive
Challenge 2012 Roadshow.
2.2012 trends in automationFesto worldwide 50 – 51
Training and ConsultingRange of courses 2013
www.festo-tac.com
Vision, Stuttgart 06.11. – 08.11.
MSR Rhein-Ruhr, Bochum 07.11.
Schüttgut, Düsseldorf 07.11. – 08.11.
FMB, Bad Salzufl en 07.11. – 09.11.
FoodTech 2012, Herning, Denmark 13.11. – 15.11.
Compamed, Düsseldorf 14.11. – 16.11.
SPS IPC Drives, Nuremberg 27.11. – 29.11.
Valve World, Düsseldorf 27.11. – 29.11.
BETT, London, England 30.01. – 02.02.
didacta, Cologne 19.02. – 23.02.
intec, Leipzig 26.02. – 01.03.
HORIZON, Stuttgart 16.03. – 17.03.
Hannover Messe 08.04. – 12.04.
TechnoPharm, Nuremberg 23.04. – 25.04.
For more information, see www.festo.de/messen
Festo at trade fairs and conferenceNovember 2012 to April 2013
From 27 to 29 November 2012, Festo will be show-
ing visitors to SPS IPC Drives in Nuremberg what
can be achieved with electrical automation. At its
information platform for products, innovation and
trends in Hall 9, Stand 361, visitors will get a unique
insight into the latest technology. One of the exhi-
bition highlights is the electric cylinder EPCO from
Festo. This low-cost, pre-assembled unit combines
an electric cylinder (with piston rod or non-rotating
piston rod), motor and basic controller in one.
Visitors will be fascinated by CogniGame and Exo-
Hand from Festo, the fl agship projects of tomorrow.
CogniGame is a virtual game played on a real playing
fi eld, which opens up new perspectives for opera-
tional concepts for human-machine interaction. The
ExoHand shows how hand movements can be trans-
mitted to robots in real time. A visit to the Festo stand
is an absolute must for automation experts.
Informative and fascinatingFesto at SPS IPC Drives
Germany International
Germany
Festo Training and Consulting employs 200 trainers and consultants and has
a wealth of knowledge and experience built up over 40 years. The new seminar
schedule for 2013 with updated contents shows the full range of subjects
available. It extends beyond the boundaries of automation technology and
covers the entire value creation process. Popular subjects include shopfl oor
management, calculation using the SISTEMA software, optimisation of service
processes and organisation of successful training. Energy effi ciency and safety
engineering are special focus topics.
You can order a copy of the seminar schedule free of charge by calling +49 (0) 800 3378682 or by
sending an e-mail to [email protected]
Bringing knowledge to the customerOrder your 2013 seminar schedule now
International
Glimpses into the world of the latest technologies, new products,
company information and direct social media exchange – since
the start of the year Festo’s presence is stronger than ever.
Whether customers, partners, journalists, young professionals
or the general public, more than 10,000 Festo fans already know
more. Make sure you stay up-to-date with the latest information
by following Festo on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Fans know moreFesto goes social media
www.festo.com/twitter
www.festo.com/youtube
www.festo.com/facebook
Now it’s your turn!
This issue is all about intelligent products
and processes. And there’s no better
board game for exercising your brain than
chess. The games between the chess
grandmasters Bobby Fischer and Anatoli
Karpow in the 1970s are legendary.
The same rule always applies – practice
makes perfect. To ensure that you’re well
prepared for your next challenge, you can
win one of eight tournament chess sets.
6. The capacity of which system in South Africa is being increased by 10 million litres?
(page 46)
1. What is the name of the fund that was awarded the “Top 100” seal of quality? (page 50)
2. In which city will Festo China celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2013? (page 33)
3. What do you call the compact valves that have between one and three times
more volumetric capacity? (page 20)
4. Which electric axis is at the heart of handling systems for surgical instruments?
(page 39)
5. Which component provides a varying air cushion for metal sheet handling?
(page 44)
7. What transports up to 140 wheels per hour through a wheel testing system?
(page 34)
8. What is the name of the artifi cial hand that can support humans in many areas?
(page 16)
9. What type of component moves the clamping device? (page 49)
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About thismagazinetrends in automation 2.2012
November 2012
Print run
35,000 copies
Publication dates
Several times a year
Cost: € 3
Publisher
Festo AG & Co. KG
Ruiter Strasse 82
D-73734 Esslingen, Germany
Tel. ++49 (0) 711 347 11 11
Fax ++49 (0) 711 347 20 71
Project management
Silke Gartenmeier, Customer Magazine
Tel. ++49 (0) 711 347 3902,
Responsible for content
Dirk Ebertz,
Head of Marketing Instruments
Ralf Sohn, Head of Direct Marketing
Please note
All terms such as customer, user,
specialist or technical consultant
refer to both men and women.
Copyright 2012 Festo AG & Co. KG
All rights reserved.
All images, graphics and texts are
protected by copyright law or other
intellectual property rights. Any
reproduction, modifi cation or use in
other print or electronic publications
is prohibited without the express
consent of Festo AG & Co. KG.
Subscription service
change of address, feedback or
unsubscribe request?
It’s easy: Visit us online at
www.festo.de/trends, send an
e-mail to [email protected] or
send a fax to ++49 (0) 711 347 2071.
1st – 8th prizes:
Tournament chess set
Submit the correct answers to the ques-
tions below at www.festo.de/trends by
1 December 2012 to be entered in the
draw. Only one entry per person is per-
mitted. There is no right of appeal and
no cash alternatives are available. Festo
employees and their families are exclud-
ed from participating.
The winners from the current and last
issues will be announced online at
www.festo.de/trends. Best of luck!
2.2012 trends in automationFesto worldwide/About this magazine 52 – 53
Where to next, Ms Lin?
It’s home to Taiwan tomorrow and
then back on a plane next week to fly
to Singapore. As a marketing expert at
Festo, I’m on the road a lot and always
need to be reachable. If my smartphone
or laptop battery runs fl at, I always have a spare one in
my luggage. That takes care of my gadgets, but I get my
energy from what I do everyday: talking to people, learn-
ing and passing on knowledge, being part of the fl ow of
information.
Since I spend around 80 days a year travelling in more
than ten different countries in Asia, my work can also be
stressful. But it’s like so many other things in life: doing
something that you love boosts your energy rather than
draining it. My work at Festo really enriches my life since
it is so varied. When planning and organising trade fairs
and customer events, I’m in close contact with colleagues
from our different national companies. I love the challenge
of adapting to each country’s culture and idiosyncrasies.
I’ve always found people and how they behave and com-
municate very interesting. That was one of the reasons
why I studied sociology in the USA before doing my MBA
at the University of Applied Sciences in Esslingen.
I see my visits to the headquarters in Esslingen as an
opportunity for intensive information gathering. Like
now. I spend these two weeks every year bringing
myself up to date. I get a real buzz from being in the
very place where Festo’s technical solutions are
developed and the course is set for the coming years.
It gives me renewed energy for my next trips.
2.2012 trends in automationSoft Stop 54
Heavy traffi c
27 – 29 November 2012
Hall 9, stand 361 www.festo.com
Replaces even duo axes in handling
systems and 2D/3D gantries: the electric
linear axis EGC-HD. Maximum power for
torques and loads – but at significantly
reduced costs.
When things start to think
We all know that networking can help you to climb the career
ladder. But did you know that exchange of information is also
helping to shape the production environment of the future?
Experts believe that in just a few years, traditional production
methods will be replaced by cyber-physical systems as a result
of Industry 4.0.
By networking things, it will be possible to reach new levels
of productivity and quality. Products and production facilities
will be able to communicate with one another using embedded
intelligent systems. An interactive network of sensors will
record locations and processing states and exchange information
on additional production steps using the “Internet of Things”.
The material fl ow of the future will thus control itself. Products
will be able to think and processes will take on new forms,
creating a whole new dynamic in industrial manufacturing.
Festo Inc.
5300 Explorer Drive
Mississauga ON L4W 5G4
Tel: 1 877 GO FESTO
Fax: 1 877 FX FESTO
www.festo.ca
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