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German Chancellor visits Festo for its centenary celebrations

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the exhibition stand of the industrial automation giant Festo for its centenary celebrations, and remarked on how he finds the “incredible machine” inspirational.

During a tour of the Hannover Messe at the Festo stand, Federal Chancellor Scholz congratulated Festo on its 100-year success story.

In the anniversary year, Festo welcomed the Federal Chancellor accompanied by Stéphane Dion, Special Envoy of the partner country Canada to the European Union, and Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, with a special exhibit, the “Festo Incredible Machine”. [Read more…] about German Chancellor visits Festo for its centenary celebrations

Festo celebrates its centenary: 100 years in the world of motion

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One hundred years on from its humble beginnings in Germany, creating added value for customers through innovation has been the driving force behind the family-owned company from the very beginning and remains the key to industrial automation specialist Festo’s success today.

With its constant determination to make people’s work easier and thus increase efficiency, Festo has shaped an entire era of industrial production.

Today, the company is a global player and a front runner in automation technology, as well as a world leader in technical education and training. Festo’s anniversary is being celebrated with employees, customers, and partners worldwide throughout the year. [Read more…] about Festo celebrates its centenary: 100 years in the world of motion

Top 10 robotic insects: Can robotic bees save all plant life on Earth?

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As someone who eats honey on toast almost every day, I’ve been quite interested over the past few years by stories about the supposed collapse of the global bee population.

Bees not only produce honey, they are, of course, nature’s great pollinators. Although not the only pollinators around, they’re the only ones who produce honey, as far as I know.

So, I thought I’d delve into this topic a little bit, in light of various academic institutions and companies developing tiny flying robots or drones that could potentially do the job of natural pollinators. [Read more…] about Top 10 robotic insects: Can robotic bees save all plant life on Earth?

Festo unveils flying robotic bee

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For more than 15 years, the Festo Bionic Learning Network has been focusing on the fascination of flying. In addition to the technical decoding of bird flight, the team has researched and technologically implemented numerous other flying objects and their natural principles.

With the BionicBee, the Bionic Learning Network has now for the first time developed a flying object that can fly in large numbers and completely autonomously in a swarm. The BionicBee recently presented its first flight show at the Hannover Messe 2024.

At around 34 grams, a length of 220 millimetres and a wingspan of 240 millimetres, the BionicBee is the smallest flying object created by the Bionic Learning Network to date.

[Read more…] about Festo unveils flying robotic bee

Festo electric drive automation achieves ‘perfect’ Easter egg flavour combinations for Mondelez

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Mondelez, a multinational confectionery, food and beverage company, has chosen Festo electric drive technology for a new automated chocolate Easter egg mixing installation at its site in Herentals, Belgium.

The egg mixing line uses an ingenious system of conveyors to ensure that everyone finds a nice mix of flavours in their pack of chocolate eggs at Easter.

Electric drives were chosen over pneumatics because they offer lower energy consumption, higher safety and more flexibility in controlling speeds and positions. [Read more…] about Festo electric drive automation achieves ‘perfect’ Easter egg flavour combinations for Mondelez

Festo unveils new ‘compact, simple and precise’ electric parallel gripper

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Festo has unveiled its new “compact, simple and precise” electric parallel gripper.

The automation specialist says modern manufacturing requires handling solutions capable of managing product diversity, shorter product life cycles and growing levels of product customisation.

The HEPP electric gripper from Festo addresses this need for greater flexibility in the gripping of multiple workpieces with adaptable stroke lengths and gripping forces. [Read more…] about Festo unveils new ‘compact, simple and precise’ electric parallel gripper

Festo automation technology aids restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral

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Rapid leaps in innovation characterise the development of additive manufacturing processes. Rotterdam-based company Concr3de has been working on a 3D printer for stone for more than five years, developing an inkjet technique to participate in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. They achieved this aim using automation technology from Festo.

Architectural applications were the catalyst for the development of Armadillo White, the inkjet 3D stone printer.

The founders of Concr3de, architects Eric Geboers and Matteo Baldessari, started with a geopolymer – a material made by binding a residual product from the coal and steel industry with a chemical binder (“ink”). [Read more…] about Festo automation technology aids restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral

MassRobotics unveils participants in healthcare robotics startup competition

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MassRobotics – in partnership with Festo, Mitsubishi Electric, Novanta and Mitre – has announced the participants in the Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Cohort II.

The selected companies are:

  • Acumino;
  • Robot on Rails;
  • Able Human Motion;
  • Andromeda Robotics;
  • Unlimited Robotics;
  • Maestro Surgical Robotics; and
  • Zeta Surgical.

The Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst is designed and led by MassRobotics along with Festo, Mitsubishi Electric, Novanta and Mitre. [Read more…] about MassRobotics unveils participants in healthcare robotics startup competition

Festo showcases robot dragonfly and swift

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Festo has been showcasing it flying robotic dragonfly and swift at the recent RoboBoston event – the MassRobotics sponsored 5th annual Robot Block Party.

The design of the Festo BionicOpter was inspired by the flight of the dragonfly. Like its natural role model, the ultra-light aircraft can move in all directions, hover on the spot, and sail without flapping its wings.

The BionicOpter for the first time makes it possible for a single model to carry out more flight maneuvers than helicopters and motorized and non-motorized gliders combined. [Read more…] about Festo showcases robot dragonfly and swift

Festo Didactic and SICK release new curriculum for robot safety awareness

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Smart Technology is rapidly evolving, especially in the automation and engineering space. This can make it difficult for professionals and aspiring engineers to be adequately prepared throughout their careers.

Festo Didactic, a leading equipment and solution provider for industrial and technical education, developed the program to holistically teach students robot safety. Students can learn the latest industry best practices and become valuable contributors to their employer from the first day on the job.

With safety as the main focus, Festo Didactic and SICK created a Safety Awareness Bundle that combines curriculum and hardware. The content of the curriculum focuses on robot risk assessments as well as the implementation of the system approach vs automation à la carte. [Read more…] about Festo Didactic and SICK release new curriculum for robot safety awareness