Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

festo

Festo shows off BionicFinWave underwater robot

by

BionicFinWave, which Festo presented for the first time at the Achema 2018, has been inspired by nature. The bionics team examined the undulating fin movements of marine animals such as the polyclad or the cuttlefish.

To move through the water, the animals use their fins to generate a continuous wave that progresses along the entire length of their bodies. This undulation forces the water backwards, thereby producing a forward thrust.

The BionicFinWave also uses this principle to manoeuvre itself forwards or backwards. The underwater robot manoeuvres itself autonomously through a system of acrylic glass tubing. This project is providing impetus for future work with autonomous robots in the process industry.

[Read more…] about Festo shows off BionicFinWave underwater robot

Festo offers smaller controls and valves package

by

There is a growing trend towards ever smaller control cabinets, and control systems, remote I/Os and valve terminals from Festo are no exception. The modular control system CPX-E and the universal valve terminal VTUG are now combined into one solution package.

The package offered by Festo, consisting of the modular automation system CPX-E and the universal valve terminal VTUG, is said to be more compact and cost-efficient than other control cabinet solutions.

The modular control system CPX-E is an automated system for factory and process automation. It consists of individual function modules which enable a flexible, modular design: depending on the module combination, the system can be configured as a purely remote I/O system with bus module or as a control system with control unit.

[Read more…] about Festo offers smaller controls and valves package

Festo invests in artificial intelligence

by

Festo has bought IT enterprise company Resolto Informatik GmbH, which offers solutions including high-performance artificial intelligence for real-time applications in industrial companies.

Resolto solutions allow data to be interpreted in the field, and in close proximity to machines. This makes it possible to save energy, shorten cycle times, decrease the number of machine failures and minimise production scrap rates.

“We’ve been able to gain a leading company in the field of artificial intelligence for industry applications with Resolto”, said Dr Frank Melzer, Member of the Management Board Product and Technology Management at Festo.

[Read more…] about Festo invests in artificial intelligence

Festo showcases bio-inspired robots including rolling spider and flying ‘fox’ which actually looks more like a bat

by

Festo, a supplier of automation equipment, has unveiled two new lightweight robotic concepts inspired by nature.

The BionicWheelBot and BionicFlyingFox are this year’s creations from the company’s Bionic Learning Network, where Festo’s experts looked at the motion of spiders and bats to navigate complex situations – from crossing rocky terrain to learning efficient flight paths.

BionicWheelBot robot is based on the flic-flac spider, which lives in the Sahara and escapes predators with cartwheels and flips.  [Read more…] about Festo showcases bio-inspired robots including rolling spider and flying ‘fox’ which actually looks more like a bat

Festo credits digitalisation for record growth in 2017

by

Festo recorded an increase in sales of over 12% to approximately €3.1 billion for the 2017 financial year. This positive development continued into the first quarter of 2018. The strongest driver of growth was the electronics industry.

With the “digital customer journey”, the company is placing the customers at the focus of its digitalisation strategy and is launching the first digital products on the market this year.

Festo reinforced its technological standing in late 2017 with the appointment to the Management Board of Dr. Frank Melzer, who will further advance the digitalisation of the core business and the future-oriented industries. The global workforce grew to 20,100.

[Read more…] about Festo credits digitalisation for record growth in 2017

Festo builds ‘world’s first’ superconductive motor

by

Festo has built a compact, superconductive claw pole motor with solid-body cooling, called SupraMotor, which it claims is a world first.

It has a highly compact design, a high holding torque and a durable electrical direct cooling system. For a number of years, the company has also been investigating superconductive drive units in addition to automation concepts with superconductor technology.

Along with the movement concepts with SupraMotion that are being developed for industrial application, Festo is also investigating technologies for superconductive direct drive units.

[Read more…] about Festo builds ‘world’s first’ superconductive motor

Festo to show bionic and future concepts at Hannover

by

From 23rd to 27th April 2018, Festo will be exhibiting new future and bionic concepts as well as further product innovations for factory and process automation at its main booth in Hannover Messe, with the stations “Learn, Build, Operate, Inspire”.

Festo will present a self-learning workplace for human-robot collaboration, the digital customer journey from “Learn”, “Build” and “Operate” to “Inspire”, the fusion of hardware and software in the context of digitalisation and further bionic and future concepts.

The networking of humans, machinery and IT is shaping tomorrow’s production. Not only production plants are now increasingly automated: even the components themselves are becoming more intelligent and are being networked to an increasing extent.

[Read more…] about Festo to show bionic and future concepts at Hannover

Festo and SAP combine to offer insight into the future of manufacturing

by

Companies say their Open Integrated Factory is designed to help people understand Industry 4.0 concepts

What will manufacturing processes of the future look like, and what will be their defining features?

Festo Didactic and SAP created the Open Integrated Factory giving an example on how shop floor and a Manufacturing Execution System can be linked successfully in the era of Industry 4.0.

Work pieces in Festo Didactic’s CP Factory “tell” the machine how they should be processed.  [Read more…] about Festo and SAP combine to offer insight into the future of manufacturing

Huawei and Festo link up for smart manufacturing and robotics as a service based on 5G slicing

by

Huawei has partnered with Festo to jointly explore the 5G network application of manufacturing and to promote the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry with 5G slicing technology.

5G slicing refers to the practice of segmenting a portion of the 5G network for a specific client or requirement – it’s like what cloud computing is to the internet.

The agreement between Huawei and Festo is based on 5G cloud robotics to test the “robot as a service” concept, or RaaS, which is part of the manufacturing digital transformation that supports the shift from mass production to mass customizing and offers value-based services in smart factories.  [Read more…] about Huawei and Festo link up for smart manufacturing and robotics as a service based on 5G slicing