in automation

Transcription

in automation
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trends
in automation
The Festo Customer Magazine 1.2010
Compass
Floating perfection
Automated high-tech kites
Impulse
No speed limit
Ready-to-install high-speed
handling units
Synergies
Party time again at
Sugarloaf Mountain?
Brazil recovers from the crisis
In focus
Productivity tomorrow
Solutions that offer more productivity, efficiency and flexibility
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Inspired by nature
With its “Bionic Handling Assistant”
prototype, Festo as a learning organisation is transferring principles
found in nature to biomechatronic
applications.
www.festo.com
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Thinking today
about tomorrow
Dear Readers,
This slogan can be heard more and more often, especially since
the Kyoto protocol on climate change in 1997. It may be obvious
and accurate, yet it is difficult for politicians around the world to
agree on common objectives. But what does this have to do with
production automation?
In the past months, I have noticed a change of attitude in our
customers, no doubt in part as a result of the economic crisis.
The discussions are no longer just about technology and machine equipment, but are increasingly about issues such as
energy efficiency, whether for a single component or complete
systems, or machine concepts that provide flexibility for serial
production as well as small production runs. Despite a larger
number of variants and smaller batch sizes, machine changeover
times have to be swift so that economic production is still guaranteed.
This is closely linked with the topic of machine availability, which
includes condition monitoring and components that have a diagnostic capability.
Dr. Eberhard Veit
Chairman of the Management Board
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. These wise words
also apply to today’s machines. The optimisation of single components alone is not sufficient to guarantee the efficiency of an
entire machine. Efficiency and sustainability are inextricably
linked and have to be considered in tandem. Many customers
acknowledge that improvements in technology and productivity
are very often achieved by closely cooperating with their suppliers, right from the start of the process. Technological know-how
and meeting customer needs quickly and flexibly are essential
factors for success; and so are integrated product and service
concepts as material costs become less important than life cycle
costs.
I am convinced that, as machine producers, we have to change
our current thinking and practices in order to face global competition. That is why we are focusing on the topic “productivity
tomorrow” in this issue of trends in automation.
Dr. Eberhard Veit
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In focus “Productivity tomorrow”: Just as mechanical and electronic developments are leading to
higher productivity today, automation technology
will find solutions for tomorrow’s production
processes, reflecting the demand for large numbers
of variants, “one-off” production, stringent safety
standards and rising energy prices. In this edition
of trends in automation you will find information on
the latest trends and expert opinions on this subject, together with many examples of progress in
production and assembly operations.
trends in automation
1.2010
Editorial 3
Panorama 6
Festo worldwide 43
About this magazine 45
Soft Stop 46
14
A rising star: the CyberKite from
Festo’s Bionic Learning Network.
Compass
8
“The discussion about the ecological
footprint of production installations
will intensify.”
Inspiration
In focus “Mr. Production Technology,
I have a few questions.”
Professor Reijo Tuokko of the University
of Technology in Tampere, Finland, is a
leading expert in matters relating to
tomorrow’s production. We have been
talking to him about sustainable production, the globalisation of machine building and harmony between people and
machines. 8
In focus Faster, smaller, more mobile
The computer has revolutionised our
world and will continue to play a major
role in setting the pace of innovation.
A brief review of 70 years of computer
history. 12
Ingenious ideas take off
Automated kite system with cybernetic
control. Its designers used nature as a
source of inspiration for its development. 14
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1.2010 trends in automation
Contents 4 5
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16
Fast and precise positioning with
high-speed handling units.
Impulse
In focus No speed limit!
High-speed handling units can be used
in all applications requiring fast, flexible
and inexpensive positioning. 16
Performance even in the smallest spaces
The valve series VUVG is setting standards in dynamic operation, flow rates
and cycle times, while requiring very
little installation space. 20
Safety with servopneumatics
The new EU Machinery Directive has been
in force since January 2010. The third and
last part of our series on “Safety technology” deals with safety functions in positioning applications. 22
44
The Tripod enables dynamic handling and
requires little space.
Synergies
Is it party time again?
In Brazil, too, the economic crisis has left
its mark. However, things are starting to
pick up again. 26
Relaxed around every corner
The integral moulded seats of the
Mercedes-Benz E-class adapt to fit
any body shape – thanks to piezo technology. 30
In focus Solar modules produced in a
10-second cycle
Kuka Systems specialises in robotic
systems for the production of photovoltaic modules. Pneumatic proportional
technology from Festo provides the
necessary precision. 33
In focus At the press of a button
Thanks to a Tripod robot and a Festo
vision system, the ifc flexfeeder provides
extremely short set-up times, even with a
large number of workpiece variants. 36
In focus Improved service life
The air gap sensor SOPA enables workpieces to be gripped and clamped to an
accuracy of microns in the automation
cells produced by the Swiss company
Wick AG. 38
The professional profile
The production of aluminium or plastic
profiles demands speed and precision.
elumatec GmbH utilises the advantages of valve terminals VTSA for its
machines. 40
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Back to the future
10 May 1876: the Centennial International Exhibition, the first
international exhibition on American soil, opens its doors in
Philadelphia. The USA was celebrating the 100th anniversary
of its independence and presented a show of superlatives.
A total of 30,864 manufacturers displayed their innovations
over an area of 115,000 m2. For the first time, exhibits were
not displayed together in a single central hall but were spread
over five halls with various themes. The two largest exhibition
buildings were the Machine Hall (photograph) and the Main
Hall, with an exhibition area of 81,600 m2, even larger than that
of the 1851 Crystal Palace in London. The response to the exhibition was equally gigantic: around ten million visitors over 180
days.
Apart from the impressive statistics, the exhibition was also a
dream of the future which the young US nation imagined for
itself. Alexander Graham Bell presented a telephone, while the
Remington company showed the first marketable typewriter
and the H.J. Heinz company displayed the first industrially produced tomato ketchup. At the opening ceremony, US President
Ulysses Grant and the Brazilian emperor Dom Pedro II set a
giant Corliss steam engine in motion that was used to drive all
the other machines in the Machine Hall.
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Panorama 6 7
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Photograph: HistoCard – private archive, www.histocard.com, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
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In focus Interview
“Mr. Production
Technology, I have a few
questions.”
What form will tomorrow’s production take? What will be the dominant trends in machine
building in the coming years? Professor Reijo Tuokko is among the world’s leading experts in matters relating to the future of production technology. We discussed sustainable
processes, the globalisation of machine building and harmony between people and
machines.
trends in automation: Let me begin by asking you, as an expert observer of the industry: where is machine building heading? What are its development objectives?
Prof. Reijo Tuokko: No matter in which direction production
technology develops, the main emphasis will always be the
same: on the harmonious interaction between people and machines. However, the higher the degree of automation and autonomy of machines, the more difficult it is to create this harmony. Even today, robots’ sensory capacity, dexterity and ability
to adapt and interact are far from what would be required to
achieve this harmony, despite all the efforts which have been
made in research and development. Having said that, I hope
that by 2020 we will succeed in creating inexpensive and sustainable production methods. Production equipment must keep
pace with the development of the products for which it is used
throughout its life cycle, while at the same time consuming as
little of our resources as possible. What is more, by 2020 there
will be more and more mini-sized production lines in operation,
so-called desktop factories.
Managers are interested above all in the costs and profitability of machines, while engineers concentrate on flexibility and
miniaturisation and planners attach importance to new
processes. In your opinion, which of these groups will set the
tone in the future? And how will it be possible to find a common
denominator for these different viewpoints?
Tuokko: Of course I can’t give you a magic formula for the
future. It is a fact, though, that the discussion about the miniaturisation of production equipment and its ecological footprint
will intensify, irrespective of individual viewpoints. At the moment, mini-sized production systems are being studied at universities and research centres worldwide with regard to their
environmental viability. Micro and desktop factories are conceivable architectures for the on-demand manufacture of specific products such as medical implants or pocket-sized electronic entertainment devices. These products are typically
characterised by short life cycles, small batch sizes and a large
number of product variants. At the same time, they require an
amalgam of new technologies. Mini production systems based
on modular principles have a greater operational availability, a
clear advantage when it comes to re-configuring a system. And
ultimately they allow costs and the consumption of resources
to be reduced.
What will production lines look like in 2020?
Tuokko: By 2020, we should have reached a level of sustainability where both production equipment and the products made
are fully recyclable, where the effects of production on the environment are zero and where highly trained and motivated workers operate in a safe and pleasant working environment and in
complete harmony with the machines. This is a bold forecast,
but surely I am allowed my visions, aren’t I?
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Inspiration 8 9
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Personal details
Professor Reijo Tuokko
Reijo Tuokko has been Professor of Automation Technology
at the University of Technology in Tampere, Finland, since
1990 and is also Head of the Department of Production Technology. As a member of the high-level group MANUFUTURE,
the European technology platform for production technologies of the future, and a member of the Board of Management
of EFFRA, the European Factories of the Future Research Association, Tuokko has a great deal of experience in international joint research projects. Tuokko began his career with
the automation division of Valmet Oy Machine Tool and Factory, where he worked for eleven years as a research engineer and R&D manager. Since his appointment as professor,
he has been lecturing at the universities of Lappeenranta
and Tampere. Since 1996, Tuokko has also worked on development projects as a programme manager and programme
coordinator for Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation.
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At present, we consider the machine building industry as subject to regional variations. To what extent will globalisation also
result in uniform standards in this industry?
Tuokko: We should note that, even today, suppliers of production machines still have different machine variants for different
markets and regions. The requirements for machine safety, ergonomics, efficiency and sustainability vary from country to
country and in accordance with the applicable standards. That
is why there are not many machines that can be used in all regions or, in other words, that have a neutral specification. In the
course of globalisation, these requirements are moving ever
closer together. This supports the case for producing regionally
neutral machines. Machine builders should therefore increase
their involvement in international joint ventures and look for
business success across national borders.
What is the position at international level? Is there a difference
in standards between continents? Are there different machine
philosophies?
Tuokko: From each country’s individual point of view, the
primary objective must of course be a competitive national industry, as that is the only way in which it is possible to safeguard jobs in the country concerned. With regard to production
efficiency, however, the potential for improvement varies enormously from continent to continent. Even in the highly devel-
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“No matter in which direction production technology
develops, the main
emphasis will always be
the same: on the harmonious interaction between
people and machines.”
Reijo Tuokko
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Inspiration 10 11
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About the project
MANUFUTURE Germany
The MANUFUTURE Germany Platform was founded in September 2005 on the initiative of the German Engineering
Federation (VDMA) together with other associations, the
German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the
German Ministry of Economy and Technology (BMWA) and
numerous industrial companies. The overall project is coordinated by the VDMA, while the Fraunhofer Institute of Production Technology and Automation (IPA) Stuttgart is responsible for the technical management of the implementation
of MANUFUTURE’s working programme. The project is supported by the Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and
the Project Management Agency Research Centre Karlsruhe
(PTKA). The industrial spokesman for MANUFUTURE Germany
is Dr. Peter Post, Head of Research and Programme Strategy
at Festo AG & Co. KG.
www.manufuture.de
Intensive exchange: Prof. Tuokko is always ready to discuss his visions for the future, such
as the complete sustainability of products and production equipment, with partners from
the high-level group Manufuture. From left to right: Dr. Peter Post, Head of Research and
Programme Strategy at Festo, Prof. Reijo Tuokko, Dr. Christoph Hanisch, Head of Future
Technology at Festo.
oped countries this potential is well over 100 %. As I see it, certain countries will take up the challenge to improve efficiency,
while others will relocate their production to countries with low
wage costs or to countries which offer higher efficiency and
performance.
Which are doing better: the countries that carry out development or those with production operations?
Tuokko: The countries that develop technologies themselves
are in a better position. They are better placed to develop and
implement new concepts for the transition from a traditional
economy to a knowledge-based economy, from a use-anddiscard economy to a sustainable economy. These new concepts
will have a great influence on markets, society and technology.
At the same time, they demand a new approach to production.
The objective must be to increase added value and incorporate
knowledge at all levels. The developed countries have the advantage over the developing countries in that they have more
universities, institutes and research centres, which are after all
the catalysts for changes of this kind.
Finally, a question about you personally: how do you relax
after work? Where do you get the new energy to reflect on
“tomorrow’s production”?
Tuokko: I must admit I have a privileged and interesting job,
which has also become my hobby. Through my work in the international community, I have been able to make many personal
contacts and friends. These not only give me time to relax but
also numerous opportunities to learn something new by exchanging ideas. This has heightened my awareness of regional
differences and global trends and the effects of these trends on
tomorrow’s production. However, the best way for me to relax
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In focus Technology yesterday and today
Faster, smaller, more mobile
In recent years, the history of technology has been inextricably linked to the computer.
Electronic computers have fundamentally changed all areas of our lives. Here are some
of the milestones from 70 years of computer history.
1100 BC
1941
The first computer
The first calculation tool appeared
probably in China and had a mode of
operation similar to that of a Roman
abacus. The abacus is one of the oldest known mechanical calculation
tools. This frame-like device, used
above all by merchants, allows addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division as well as the calculation of
square and cube roots. It remained
the preferred calculation tool from
antiquity until the 17th century, when
the first mechanical calculating machines appeared.
The computer is born
In Berlin, Konrad Zuse constructed the Z3,
the world’s first programmable digital
computer. This device, made up of relay
circuits, made it possible to add, subtract,
multiply and divide, calculate square
roots and perform decimal/binary and binary/decimal conversion. The relay memory was able to store 64 words, each 22
bits in length. A further groundbreaking
feature was the mathematical principles
used: the Z3 worked with binary numbers.
The US computer ENIAC of 1944, often
described as the world’s first computer,
was the first electronic device but still
worked with decimal numbers.
1964
The computer becomes flexible
IBM launches the world’s first
range of mainframe computers,
the System/360, which was available in different models with the
same architecture. Customers
were therefore able to start with
a small version and upgrade this
as required without needing to
change the software. The S/360
series was also suitable for scientific and business applications –
another innovation. The amount
of memory available was 8 KB to
8 MB, and the S/360 was the first
computer to use bytes based on
the 8-bit standard. Even the smallest model of the S/360 series was
large enough to fill a room.
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Compass 12 13
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The computer shrinks
The first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, was produced by
Intel, the American chip manufacturer. At the same time,
the first miniature computers appeared on the market. The
Kenbak-1 is often referred to as the world’s first personal
computer. It had 256 bytes of RAM and a processor clock
frequency of 1 MHz. Only around 40 examples of this were
ever built. The commercial breakthrough was created by
the Altair 8800, which was launched in 1974 and which sold
several thousand units in the first month alone. This was the
starting point for the advance of computers, not only into
our private lives but also as decentralised working tools that
would change the world of work forever.
1971
1982
The computer becomes omnipresent
In the years either side of the millennium,
communication using the Internet, e-mail
and other new media has become apparently limitless. The iPhone was named by
Time Magazine as the “Invention of the
Year” for 2007. Smartphones are everywhere, enabling communication and networking just about anywhere. In addition
to a convenient user interface and a wide
choice of functions, however, design is
also a crucial factor in determining sales
success.
2007
Where do we go from here?
The computer becomes mobile
The first notebook to come on the market
was the GRID Compass 1100. A hinged
design remains the distinguishing feature
of a notebook computer even today, although the term “notebook” was only
introduced at the end of the 1980s. The
GRID Compass 1100 had a 4.77 MHz
processor, a 320x200 pixel display and a
340 KB hard disk. The device weighed 5
kg and cost around 10,000 dollars, both
of which factors prevented it from being
a big seller. It was nevertheless significantly lighter than the first marketable
portable computer, presented a year earlier. This was the Osborne 1, weighing no
less than 12 kg.
Connected Life, Mobility, Webciety and Green IT – these
phrases were used at this year’s CeBIT exhibition to
summarise the trends of the future: communication
between people using machines will continue to increase. The Internet will become the Social Net, which
will form the basis for a Webciety. The mobility of the
devices used will mean that everyone will be reachable
and networked everywhere and all the time. Communication between people and machines will also intensify. Users will tend to regard machines less and less
as external devices requiring conscious control. The
machines will become even easier to use, with ever
simpler interfaces. And machines will also be better
at communicating among themselves. The trend in all
areas is away from numerous individual control solutions and towards one central solution. Finally, sustainability will also continue to grow in importance –
not only in IT but in all other areas of technology too.
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Bionic Learning Network
Ingenious ideas take off
Learning from nature is the central principle of bionics. Nature shows the way forward towards energyefficient motion sequences in tomorrow’s production
and provides the impetus for new and amazing practical applications. Take for example CyberKite, an automated kite system with a cybernetic control system
that represents a high-quality, overall biomechatronic
concept with great promise for the future.
T
he wind is unpredictable and it is
always a challenge to get it under
control. Particularly when we try
to make something as lightweight
as a high-tech kite fly in a controlled manner. But this was the task which Festo engineers, working with experts from the
aeroíx company, set themselves within
the context of the Bionic Learning Network. The result is impressive: CyberKite
is a wing in bionic form of up to 24 m² in
size. With stand-alone open and closedloop control and energy supply systems,
it not only demonstrates the high performance of Festo electric drives and controllers, it is also a sustainable model that
shows how companies can make intelligent use of natural energy resources.
The endurance champion at high
altitudes
The CyberKite wing combines a high volumetric capacity for aerostatic buoyant gas
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1.2010 trends in automation
Compass 14 – 15
The servo motors act via cables which are unwound by the lifting force of
the kite and can also operate optionally as generators. The electrical energy
obtained is stored by the system in batteries, thus reducing net energy consumption.
with a good lift/drag ratio and high intrinsic stability. It remains in the air even in
the total absence of wind due to the uplift
created by the gas. It is controlled on the
ground by a Festo mechatronic actuator
unit. This means that the hybrid wing system is able to deal even with major wind
fluctuations. This makes the CyberKite an
elegant flyer that stays up for a long time
under any wind condition.
The high cable forces which are created
under strong and gusty wind conditions
are handled by Festo electric drives and
a Festo controller. These react rapidly to
every new situation and keep the system
stable. The engineers of the Bionic Learning Network have even been able to dispense with any additional stabilising control surfaces. The passive adaptive cable
gearbox system is able to efficiently reduce the effect of wind force when necessary.
To ensure controlled winding and unwinding of the cables, each cable winch
is equipped with a winding positioning axis consisting of an electric linear
drive.
The self-sufficient kite
The central focus of the technological
development of the CyberKite was to
provide it with intelligent behaviour and
make it sustainable. Its energy-efficient
drives make use of wind power, and its
servo motors are able to reclaim energy
from control actions. In battery operation,
the wing system makes use of excess
wind power from the flexible cable drives.
Under appropriate wind conditions the
CyberKite can thus be operated self-sufficiently with regard to energy.
Dependable control, come rain or
sunshine
With the CyberKite, Festo and Aeroíx have
developed a highly modern technology
platform which provides dependable control of complex applications. The intelligent wing system has proven its value in
practical operation, while the sophisticated automation solution has shown it-
self well able to deal with the unpredictabilities of a natural environment.
The CyberKite is an excellent example of
intelligent interaction between people
and technology. It clearly demonstrates
how machine building can provide sustainable solutions in conjunction with
overarching technologies such as mechatronics and measures to increase energy
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The Bernoulli vacuum gripper is
particularly suitable for transporting
thin, highly sensitive and brittle
workpieces such as solar cells and
silicon wafers.
In focus High-speed handling units
No speed limit
Ready-to-install high-speed handling units with an innovative belt drive facilitate highly
dynamic assembly operations. They can be used in wherever fast, flexible and inexpensive
positioning is required. Bernoulli vacuum grippers enable contactless gripping of fragile
workpieces.
T
he requirements for automation
solutions consisting of robots and
handling systems are varied and
complex. Ever smaller batch sizes
and rising numbers of product variants
demand faster set-up times and cost-effective production. Moreover, intelligent
adaptive systems, such as vision systems,
are used more and more often in installations for quality assurance purposes; this
means that solutions must be flexible,
i.e. that they can be expanded and condensed. And, last but not least, unit costs
should be reduced by increased performance. Festo has developed two highspeed handling units as ready-to-install
automation packages precisely in order
to meet these demands. The high-speed
H and T-gantries have been designed for
dynamic handling and assembly operations for handling small workpieces,
weighing from nearly nothing to three
kilograms, need to be transferred quickly
and positioned flexibly. The robotic con-
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Impulse 16 17
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The rigid construction consisting of the
servo motors EMMS-AS and servo controller
CMMS-AS, together with an optimised classic
energy supply concept, ensure maximum
dynamics that no other Cartesian gantry can
achieve.
In comparison with other pick &
place modules or picker solutions,
the high-speed T-gantry requires
considerably less installation space
and can be scaled to any desired
stroke.
troller included in the ready-to-install
package combines mechanical components and electric drive and control
technology to form a kinematic system
solution.
Low design, fast, precise and inexpensive: the high-speed H-gantry
The H-gantry is a lower-cost alternative
to robotic systems with delta kinematics.
The compact design has a low centre of
gravity with correspondingly low frames
of simple construction. This means that
less installation space is required, which
incidentally also makes for a tidier layout
of production lines. In contrast to delta
kinematic systems, the axes can be
scaled to any desired stroke. It is thus
possible to adjust gantries to specific requirements and the ideal cycle time combined with maximised dynamics – and
without a funnel-shaped feeding device
at the edges or corners. The optimised
acceleration and braking characteristics
allow strokes in the X and Y directions
from two metres to one metre with a repetition accuracy of 0.1 mm. What is more,
the high-speed H-gantry combines the dynamics of a linear motor handling system
with the relatively low costs of a toothedbelt handling solution – while being 30 %
faster than conventional handling units.
Linear and rotary motions with one unit
The linear/rotary module expands the
high-speed H-gantry by providing two
additional degrees of freedom and permits linear and rotary motions within the
same unit. The two axes of the module
can move independently, making the
module ideal for assembly applications.
These often require a combined lin-
ear/rotary motion in order to correct the
orientation of components by means of
a rotary motion as they leave a feeding
device and before they can be assembled.
The linear/rotary module consists of a
sleeve with an integrated energy supply
through-feed for the front-end module
and forms a Z-axis onto which a gripper
unit is fitted. The linear/rotary module
can accelerate at 20 m/s² to a speed of
1.5 m/s. This allows the use of vacuum
and mechanical grippers with workpieces
weighing up to one kilogram.
Compact and dynamic: the high-speed
T-gantry
The T-gantry is based on the same technology as the H-gantry. As a high-speed
pick & place module, it allows more dynamic operation than conventional linear gantries and can also be scaled to
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Motor 1
+
+
1000 rpm
Motor 2
•
0 rpm
“The lower moving
masses not only
boost the performance of the overall
installation but
also allow energyefficient operation.”
-
1000 rpm
•
-
1000 rpm
0 rpm
1000 rpm
x motion
Diagonal
y motion
Diagonal
y motion
•
Diagonal
Diagonal
x motion
Mode of operation of H-gantry
The direction of rotation of the motors creates motion in the x/y plane. Performance can be
boosted by overlapping motions.
Motor 2
+
+
Timo Kloker,
Solution Engineering Centre Handling, Festo
1000 rpm
Motor 1
•
0 rpm
-
-1000 rpm
•
-
1000 rpm
0 rpm
-1000 rpm
y-axis
Diagonal
z-axis
Diagonal
z-axis
•
Diagonal
Diagonal
y-axis
Mode of operation of T-gantry
The two motors enable the high-speed T-gantry to be positioned freely in the y-z plane. The
motion sequence can thus be optimised for the application in question.
any desired stroke. The T-gantry is very
compact and offers impressively high acceleration in the Z direction, with strokes
in the X direction of up to 2000 mm, in
the Y direction of up to 1000 mm and in
the Z direction of up to 300 mm with a
repetition accuracy of 0.1 mm.
Clever design feature
The two gantries achieve speeds of up
to 5 m/s and an acceleration of up to
50 m/s² over their entire working area
through a clever design feature: the two
toothed-belt axes are connected to the
cross arm by means of a single recirculating toothed belt round the drive shaft.
This toothed belt is driven by two parallel,
fixed-position servo motors from Festo’s
EMMS series. The positive side-effect of
this is that there is no moving motor on
the X/Y plane with its two degrees of free-
dom. These two factors (recirculating
toothed belt and lower masses thanks
to the two parallel, fixed-position servo
motors) enable fast dynamic motions to
be achieved.
Kinematic system solution
The basis of the high-speed H and Tgantries is the robotic controller CMXR.
It combines mechanical components and
electric drive and control technology to
form a complete kinematic system solution and coordinates highly dynamic motions in three dimensions. The robotic
controller CMXR interpolates and positions all axes which can follow contours
on a centre line, such as is required with
adhesive applications, laser welding or
water-jet cutting. The controller can set
path switching points and thus precisely
control process devices.
The CMXR also acts as an interface to
higher-order control systems on the one
hand and to the motor controller of the
servo axes and the valve terminals on the
other. And what is more, vision systems,
such as the intelligent compact vision
system SBOx, can be easily incorporated.
Using vision systems and various conveyor systems, it is also possible to create
applications for moving objects.
Contactless gripping
Bernoulli vacuum grippers, in combination with a linear/rotary module, are an
ideal solution for handling solar modules
or other fragile workpieces. Workpieces,
such as silicon-based wafers, are picked
up contactless by generating excess pressure at the gripper together with a vacuum at the surface of the workpiece to be
gripped. This draws the workpiece to-
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The high-speed H-gantry offers the
dynamic characteristics of a linear
motor handling system for the price
of a toothed belt handling solution.
It is easy to integrate into existing installation concepts.
These high-speed
handling units are
of particular interest
for the following
industries:
• Electronics
• Photovoltaics
• Special machine building
• Packaging feed functions
• AMI suppliers
wards the gripper until equilibrium is established between the weight of the workpiece, the back pressure from the nozzle
and the pulling force from the acceleration pulse of the fluid. This creates a gap
of between approx. 0.5 and 3 mm between the gripper and the gripping surface of the workpiece, and the workpiece
is held without any contact.
Ready-to-install system integration
Both the H and T-gantries are available
as ready-to-install subsystem solutions,
including a front-end device such as a
Bernoulli gripper. These solutions are
fully tested and assembled and are delivered straight to the machine, together
with all the necessary design data and circuit diagrams as well as a comprehensive
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Miniature Valve Series
Performance even in
the smallest spaces
Festo’s new compact valve series VUVG offers inexpensive solutions for applications where
installation space is tight or where higher performance is required from a given valve size.
V
2 x 3/2-way valves are integrated into
one valve body. Only one VUVG valve is
required in order to operate two singleacting cylinders and the required installation space is accordingly halved.
More performance, less space
This new valve series is setting new standards and offers a better footprint in
comparison with competitors’ valves. The
“footprint” is a measure of the ratio of
size to performance. For users, this
means that in 90% of applications it is
possible to use a smaller valve size compared with other manufacturers’ products. In addition, with a same size valve
users benefit from more dynamic characteristics, a flow rate up to 100% higher
and faster cycle times. A further factor
which reduces users’ costs is that
Cartridge principle ensures maximum
performance
The secret behind the high performance
density of the VUVG valves is their
patented cartridge design. The internal
sealing structure and positive-locking
profile of the seals allow vacuum operation, higher flow rates and an extended
operating pressure range up to 10 bar.
The faster cycle times made possible by
the higher pressure and the use of
smaller cylinders also enhances the overall dynamic characteristics. For example,
a VUVG valve used with a DSNU cylinder
with a piston diameter of 25 mm, a stroke
of 160 mm and a tubing length of 350 mm
at 10 bar gives an advance-stroke time
which is 88% faster than that of other
comparable valves. The cartridge design
also permits reliably separated dual-pressure operation. The VUVG does not have
the overlap between air ducts that is customary with other valves.
UVG valves are particularly
suitable for automation applications requiring inexpensive,
compact and technologically
universal solutions with a high flow rate.
These industry applications can be found,
among others, in the electronics, solar
panel, textile and packaging industries
and special machine building. The compact dimensions of the valves and the low
weight of their aluminium bodies also
make them perfect for front-end applications, for example when directly mounted
on a robot arm.
Quick and easy to install and
commission
The installation of these valves is extremely user-friendly, since Festo has
managed to eliminate the need for
adapter and mounting components. The
bore holes at the side of the valves enable
Technical data for
VUVG
• Valve functions: 5/2, 5/3,
2 x 3/2-way
• Connection sizes: M3, M5, M7,
G1/8
• Flow rates: 100, 220, 380,
750 l/min.
• Temperature range: -5 ... 60 °C
• Voltage variants: 5 V DC, 12 V DC
and 24 V DC
• Valve widths: 10 and 14 mm
• Working ports: QS 3, 4, 6, 8, 10
• Lower power consumption with
holding current reduction of 0.35 W
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The new valve series VUVG offers high performance
in a minimum of space. Thanks to its ability to work
with pressures of up to 10 bar, it provides better
performance density, allowing intelligent downsizing with.
E-box with patented contact system: simply clip into place – ready
to go. No matter whether M8 connectors, individual wires or another
connection system is used: everything matches.
Patented cartridge principle: the design, layout and materials ensure excellent performance.
“Smaller size, more dynamic characteristics and
up to 100% more flow – with the new VUVG, our
customers are buying an extremely well thoughtout valve concept.”
Markus Bronner, Product Management Valves, Festo
these to be mounted in a block without
any special sub-bases or brackets. This
means that a valve manifold can be created from individual valves without any
additional components. Numerous pressure zones can be set up quickly and easily using separators. To save even more
time during installation, the valves are
equipped with retained mounting screws
and a direction indicator for correct installation. The valves also incorporate
an LED with 360° visibility to provide a
clear status display.
Reduced logistics and ordering costs
A flexible electrical connection concept
means that the complexity of ordering
and maintaining stocks of components
is reduced for all users who require a
choice of valve power supply methods.
Just one click is required in order to interchange the patented connection block.
The valve bodies remain the same, only
the connection method is changed. No
matter whether users prefer an M8 electrical connector or individual connecting
wires, everything matches and an enor-
mous range of options is available. And,
last but not least, ordering is simplicity
itself, thanks to the clearly structured
order codes. www.festo.com/en/vuvg
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Safety Technology – Part 3
Safety with
servopneumatics
The new EU Machinery Directive has been in force since 1 January
2010. All the measures specified in it must now be implemented
and the hazards present on production lines must be reduced
through technical safety measures. In the last part of our series,
we show how safety functions can be implemented in servopneumatic and electrical positioning applications.
le 5
du
Mo
le 4
du
Mo
ule
d
Mo
3
le 2
du
Mo
le 1
du
Mo
The model installation has been divided into five modules. For each module, we present applications
based on various principles and ideas for safety solutions.
T
he first two parts of our series
concentrated on the material
feed, coating station and cutting
station modules and on how to
implement solutions to meet the safety
requirements applying to motion control
(see trends in automation 1.09 and 2.09).
In this third and last part of the series, we
will turn to the shaping station (module 4)
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24 23
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ule
d
Mo
d
Mo
ule
5
4
Hazards in module 4: impact or crush injuries due to vertical axis movements.
Hazards in module 5: impact injuries during stacking.
Crush injuries
Impact injuries
Module 1:
Material feed
Support and coating materials are unwound from two rolls and fed to the coating station.
Module 2:
Coating station
The two strips are pressed together by a roller. Coating is carried out using, for example,
the application of heat or adhesive. A further roller completes the bond.
Module 3:
Cutting station
The bonded strips are cut into individual pieces and separated.
Module 4:
Shaping station
The separated pieces of materials are used to produce various shapes with cutter dies.
It would also be possible to print on the workpieces in this station.
Module 5:
Palletising and packing station
A handling system stacks the finished workpieces. Once a stack is complete, it is pushed
towards the packing station. Wrapping foil is placed on the stack by hand, and the stack
is then wrapped automatically, triggered by the two-hand control unit.
and the palletising and packing station
(module 5). Module 4 illustrates the use
of servopneumatics as an alternative to
the solution presented in part 2 with
pneumatic safety components. Finally,
we will be looking at module 5 in which
a multi-channel shut-off function has
been implemented using motor controllers CMMx-AS.
Module 4: Safety solutions with servopneumatics
The stamping tool is positioned pneumatically with the Y-axis. The variable shaping
process and the positioning are managed
by the controller CPX-CMAX, which also
has integrated force control that can be
used in any position. This makes it possible to work with different material thick-
nesses. This solution ensures inexpensive
robust positioning and a comparatively
simple design for the safety circuit.
When stamping out workpieces or during pressing operations, various axes
move in the vertical direction, generally
very quickly. In order to protect the
machine operator against impacts or
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Cost-effective solutions
with servopneumatics
The heavier the mass to be moved, the
more cost-effective servopneumatic solutions are. And these solutions do not require users to compromise on dynamic
characteristics. As an alternative to both
pneumatic and electric drives, servopneumatics allows speed and position-controlled movement of a pneumatic cylinder
and thus combines the advantages of
electric and pneumatic drives.
Reversing (at reduced speed) with servopneumatics.
Stopping a motion with servopneumatics.
Free positioning with servopneumatics
is particularly advantageous in cases requiring compact and inexpensive solutions, where typical moving masses are
between 1 and 300 kg and where an accuracy of a few tenths of a millimetre is sufficient. The controller CPX-CMAX offers
still further advantages: it can switch to
variable force control in any position. This
enables two working steps to be completed in one.
crush injuries, the shaping station has
been equipped with a safety guard. This
has a maintenance hatch for access. It is
important to ensure that the kinetic energy is handled correctly when the safety
door is opened. As a general rule, the
safety functions used are “Reversing a
movement”, “Stopping/blocking a movement” and “Switching to unpowered”.
The first two parts of this series illustrated how these functions can be implemented with the help of standard pneumatic safety components. Festo also
offers special circuits for servopneumatic
solutions that allow safety criteria to be
achieved up to Performance Level “d”
and in accordance with the relevant standards, as the sample circuit diagrams
show.
Safe exhausting with servopneumatics
Designers must select and, if necessary,
adapt a solution that is appropriate to
the hazards present and the overall safety
concept. Festo offers expert advice for
this selection process and can also produce complete solutions, if required.
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Safe stop with the “Stop category 0” function in accordance with EN 60204-1.
Module 5: Palletising and packing station
The final module is the palletising and
packing station. A handling system with
electric axes stacks the finished workpieces in the palletising station. This operation demands high speed and precise
stacking. It must also be possible to approach numerous variable intermediate
positions – which is no problem for fast,
precision electric axes such as the EGC
or EGSK/P.
Ensuring a multi-channel switch-off
A multi-channel switch-off function that
is appropriate to the risk analysis for the
various installation sections must be
provided. To ensure adequate safety, all
components must be monitored using
suitable diagnostic measures. This guarantees that any faulty and inoperable
switch-off path is detected in good time
and that the fault in question can be rectified immediately.
The motor controllers CMMS-AS and
CMMP-AS, for example, are well suited
Safe stop with the “Stop category 1” function in accordance with EN 60204-1.
to providing a multi-channel switch-off
function. These controllers offer a “safe
stop” function in accordance with Category 3 of the current EN 954-1. This
means that the motor is switched by the
controller to an unpowered state on two
channels. The two switch-off channels
are also monitored.
Stop categories 0 and 1 can be implemented with CMMx-AS
A further advantage of the controller
CMMx-AS is that the stop categories 0
and 1 described in the EN 60204-1 standard can be achieved very easily by using
the “Safe stop” (STO) function integrated
into the controller. This allows both controlled and uncontrolled stopping of machine drive components. CMMx-AS controllers can also provide the controlled
stop function required for stop category
2. This does, however, require an additional circuit with non-Festo components,
for example a rotary speed monitor with
a safe power switch-off.
This series of articles on safety technology has shown that Festo solutions enable the design of installations that are
safe and conform to the new Machinery
Directive. The relevant safety function can
be provided by standard or servopneumatic components or electric drives, depending on the application. Every solution
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Automation technology in Brazil
Is it party time again?
Caipirinha, Copacabana, carnival – With its exotic atmosphere, Brazil is the epitome
of Latin-American exuberance. Exuberant was also the mood in the Brazilian economy until the Sugarloaf Mountain country was overtaken by the effects of the world
economic crisis. However, after a recessionary period of only six months, analysts
are already talking about growth again.
Following the crisis, the party at the Copacabana is just getting back into full swing: the Brazilian machine and plant
building industry must find a way to position itself between the high technology available from Europe and the massproduced goods from Asia. Growth prospects are particularly good in the field of process automation.
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A
ccording to Deutsche Bank
Research, there are increasing
signs that the Brazilian economy
has found its way back to
growth. The growth target for 2010 is
around 5%. The Brazilian government has
done its homework and created comprehensive tax breaks to encourage economic recovery. In order to limit the inflow
of short-term capital, which had resulted
in an increase in the value of the national
currency, the real, the government re-introduced a financial transaction tax in
October 2009.
Industry immune to crises
In contrast to many banks in the rest of
the world, Brazilian credit institutions had
relatively little exposure to toxic debts
and Brazilian industry itself proved to be
virtually immune to crises. Even in the
period of hyperinflation in the 1970s and
1980s Brazilian companies found ways
and means to generate and re-invest
profits.
Record sales of cars
The greatest hopes for an economic recovery lie with the automotive industry.
In the middle of the crisis, this industry –
with massive state support – set a record
in June 2009. The good prospects in Brazil
are increasingly attracting the attention
of international companies. The German
business newspaper Handelsblatt reported on 30 November 2009 that Volkswagen do Brasil planned to go on the
attack against the market leader Fiat,
with plans to increase VW sales to one
million units by 2014. The Volkswagen
Group is investing more than 2 billion
euros in expanding its factories and developing new products. This will generate
fresh demand for assembly lines and production machinery for plastic and rubber
products.
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Festo in Brazil
Everyone in Brazil who operates, manufactures or imports machines and installations has been able since 1968 to rely on Festo for high-performance pneumatic
and electrical automation technology. That is when Festo set up a national Brazilian company based in São Paulo, which now has 450 employees in its Customer
Service Centre assembling customer-specific products and six sales offices ensuring a dependable supply of Festo’s high-quality automation technology
“Made in Germany”.
In spite of the crisis: the continually high demand for consumer goods ensures that plastic packaging manufacturers still receive plenty of business.
“We develop projects adapted to the Brazilian market using the products and
technologies available from Germany”, explains Carlos Daniel Raymundo, Sales
Manager of Festo Brazil. Festo supports around 30 different industries, of which
the most important are car manufacturing, food and packaging, petrochemicals,
mining, plastics, electronics, pharmaceuticals, paper, sugar, alcohol and special
machine building. The food and packaging sector alone accounts for one fifth
of the total sales of Festo Brazil. This should come as no surprise, as Brazil is the
world’s biggest exporter of coffee, sugar, poultry, beef and orange juice. However, it is in oil and gas that Raymundo sees the biggest opportunities for growth.
In the Customer Service Centre of Festo Brazil: customerspecific solutions for the fifth-biggest country in the world.
Festo supplies more than
just hardware to its Brazilian customers. Equally important is the skills training
provided by Festo Didactic.
This division handles many
projects in cooperation
with manufacturing companies, technical training colleges and universities.
Users can attend intensive
training sessions in Festo’s
own Training Centre.
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“We develop projects
adapted to the Brazilian
market using the products
and technologies available
from Germany.”
Carlos Daniel Raymundo, Sales Manager of Festo Brazil
Demand for consumer goods
The food industry and the cosmetics and
personal hygiene sectors were also virtually unaffected by the crisis. In the future,
we can expect to see the launch of many
new products, with innovations in form,
fragrance and flavour as well as packaging. Pharmaceutical products, too, offer
good sales prospects, particularly of
generic products. Large parts of Brazil’s
population of almost 200 million have
little or no access to medication or consumer goods and thus represent an enormous potential for automation technology.
The future with process automation
In the energy sector, there are plans for
the construction of many gas, hydroelectric and biomass power stations.
Machines and installations for extracting
and processing oil and gas are becoming
one of the most important areas for
process automation. This industry will
also generate demand for offshore and
shipbuilding technology. The state company Petrobras alone will spend around
43 billion Brazilian reals (approx. 17.5 billion euros) in the period up to 2014 on
equipment for exploiting new offshore
wells and for transporting and processing
crude oil and natural gas.
“Cristo Redentor” attracts up to one million
visitors each year from all over the world. This
statue of Christ the Redeemer impresses with
its sheer size and offers a spectacular view
across Rio de Janeiro. The arm span of the
statue is 28 metres.
Machine building is lagging behind
The situation described above in no way
applies to the machine and plant building
industry as of summer 2009. Many people’s verdict here is: “the party’s over”.
The Brazilian industry association Abimaq
(Associacão Brasileira da Industria de
Maquinas e Equipamentos) announced
a drop in overall industry sales of 14 %.
A dangerous cocktail of low investment,
high taxation, comparatively low import
duties for foreign competitors’ products
(6 to 7 %) and an unfavourable currency
exchange rate is, according to the “Germany Trade and Invest” information serv-
ice, threatening the existence of many
machine builders.
A difficult past
The world economic crisis revealed the
weaknesses of Brazil as a developing
country, particularly in machine and plant
building. Despite the fact that labour
costs are only around half those in Germany, Brazilian employers still need to
pay their workers an hourly rate ten times
higher than that in India, Vietnam or
China. Semi-finished products such as
stainless steel profiles and sheet aluminium are significantly more expensive
than in Europe, and the country often
needs to import high-tech electronic
components.
The Brazilian machine and plant building
industry therefore needs to find its own
way between high technology from Europe and mass-produced goods from
Asia. Nowadays production can be bought
in. It is no longer essential to invest in machine tools.
Latin America as the locomotive of
growth
Brazil is once again being the locomotive
of growth in Latin America. Its well-trained
workforce, highly developed industry and
production technology and large domestic market with great potential are the
factors that will help the country to flourish economically.
Investment in infrastructure will play a
part in this, since in the next decade the
sports-mad Brazilians will host the football World Cup in 2014 and the Summer
Olympic Games in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
These events will certainly get the party
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Safe even at an extreme angle: thanks to piezo technology,
the multi-function seat of the Mercedes E-class adapts to
any driver and driving situation.
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Piezo technology in automobiles
Relaxed around
every corner
Car seats must provide support and comfort. The Mercedes-Benz E-class
demonstrates that even going around corners can be a relaxing experience.
The piezo valves in the Mercedes multi-contour seat ensure that air cushions provide an ideal supportive shape.
I
ntegral moulded seats offer good
lateral support but have only limited
capacity to adapt to a specific body
shape or driving situation. However,
since early 2009 the multi-contour seats
fitted in the Mercedes E-class have been
equipped with high-speed piezo valves
to ensure optimum support. In a joint
project with ATS and Festo, special valves
are used to vary the volume of air in the
seat backrest according to steering angle,
lateral acceleration and travel speed. The
use of the latest technologies increases
the quality of the in-car environment.
Ultra-fast, ultra-light and quiet
Each seat has seven valves with modern
piezo-ceramics that generate the force
used to fill and evacuate the air chambers in seconds. These valves are not
only fast and precise, they are also light
and quiet in operation. There is no clicking to disturb the driver as his or her
high-tech car glides smoothly over the
asphalt. Festo met the seemingly opposing needs for perfect technology and
precisely harmonised processes with
a new piezo valve production line. This
was devel-oped in collaboration with
“Thanks to
patented
piezo technology, an
elegant
solution has
been created which
enhances seating comfort in cars. This is innovation at the highest level through a combination
of people and technology and points the way to
the future.”
Michael Hartmannsgruber,
Head of Business Centre Mobile Pneumatics at Festo
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The ATS production line displays its strengths
through the integration of all kinds of process
steps – from manufacturing through to quality
inspection.
ATS Munich GmbH & Co. KG. Mechatronics was the inspiration for the design of
the machines.
Large quantities, high quality
The fully-automated production line turns
out a piezo valve every 20 seconds. When
building this line, the developers took
care to fulfil the high quality standards
of the automotive industry in every way.
Hence all the batch data for the components and the entire process and test
data are stored within an SAP production
system. More than 300 data items are
available for each valve, allowing realtime representation of the processes.
If even the smallest deviation occurs,
closed-loop corrective action can be
taken.
On modern production lines, it is more
important than ever before to be able
to trace workpieces throughout the
process, from delivery to final dispatch.
This is achieved by affixing Datamatix
codes to the products and through automatic sorting of the finished valves. This
makes it possible to prevent any mix-up.
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The ATS Supertrak machine: the latest mechatronics was the inspiration for the design of this piezo
valve production line.
Automation Tooling
Systems Munich
GmbH & Co. KG
European Regional Headquarters
Marsstraße 2
D-85551 Heimstetten
www.atsmunich.com
Area of activity: Suppliers of special
machines for automated manufacturing, assembly and testing operations, including electronics and
semiconductor production.
Added value thanks to modern
mechatronics
On the new production line, mechatronics as a multidisciplinary technology
dominates all the steps in the production
process. Its strengths lie in the integration of all kinds of process steps into
the same production line, from manufacturing through to quality inspection.
Mechatronics thus provides an elegant
solution that leads to greater efficiency.
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In focus Robotic systems for crystalline photovoltaic modules
Solar modules produced
in a 10-second cycle
Kuka Systems ups the pace in the production of crystalline photovoltaic modules.
Trimming, taping and framing functions are provided by fully-automatic robotic systems. Taping is now even carried out “on the fly”. Festo proportional pneumatic technology ensures that the contact pressure of the tape roller is correct.
One groundbreaking feature is the
further development of the robotmounted tape head, which has a
cycle time of 10 seconds and thus
enables the robot’s capacity to be
optimally used. The tape head travels along the photovoltaic module
and works in time with the machine
cycle to apply tape on the fly to the
solar modules as they pass by.
B
y integrating Kuka robots into
the production process for
photovoltaic modules, the
Energy Solutions Division of
Kuka Systems was able to ensure a high
degree of utilisation of the robot concerned. The results of this development
by Kuka Systems are fully-automatic,
turnkey photovoltaic production lines for
a million solar modules a year.
“Thanks to the process know-how that
we have built up over the many years that
we have supplied automation solutions to
the automotive industry, we can supply
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“By integrating the frame press
directly on the robot, we can
increase the productivity of the
entire production line.”
Elisabeth Schärtl, Solar Technology Sales and Engineering
module production lines which are almost
100 % automated”, emphasises Albert
Vontz, Product Group Manager for solar
technology. Kuka robots support virtually
every step in the process of manufacturing high-quality solar modules – from
glass handling and connecting the cells
and strings to bonding the glass sheets
using butyl sealing material. The interiors
of the modules are thus protected from
air bubbles and moisture. Further operations include trimming, taping and framing, for which very high-speed processes
are now available.
Robo Trim
“Kuka Robo Trim” is the name of the robotic cell which removes projecting laminate film and prepares modules for framing. This robotic edge-finishing station
offers great potential for rationalisation,
as it eliminates the manual work required
with conventional production lines. The
robot uses a pneumatic gripper to guide
the laminated photovoltaic modules
through the trimming station and prepare
these for the subsequent process steps of
“taping” and “framing”.
Robo Tape
The “Kuka Robo Tape” station automatically applies tape and sealant to the
glass, trims the tape precisely and removes excess material. Festo pneumatic
drive types ADN, DFM, DSNU and DZF are
used to feed, guide and control the tape
rollers.
One groundbreaking feature is the
robot–mounted tape head, which has a
cycle time of 10 seconds and thus enables the robot’s capacity to be optimally
used. The tape head travels along the
photovoltaic module and works in time
with the machine cycle to apply tape on
the fly to the solar modules as they pass
by. The roller contact pressure is controlled by a proportional valve VPPM on
a valve terminal CPX/MPA.
Pneumatics in very small spaces
This proportional valve from Festo ensures precision and allows operation in
accordance with individual acceleration
and pressure ramps. The variable flow
rates provided by the proportional valves
enable the cylinder pressures to be
adapted to the needs of the production
process. The CPX terminal offers fieldbus
and Ethernet interfaces, facilitates easy
on-site commissioning and provides a
pressure display and diagnostic functions
thanks to visualisation at field level or
production control systems. Pressure values and all diagnostic data – from upper
to lower limit values – can be remote-controlled and monitored via a fieldbus.
Proportional technology is thus able to
exploit the advantages of the Festo CPX
environment. Remote control and remote
diagnostics can be carried out as desired
via a web monitor, e-mail or SMS alarm.
The tape head is an example of how easily
pneumatic functions can be integrated
within a very small space directly on the
robot arm.
Robo Frame
In the next station of the fully-automated
production line, framing is carried out
using “Kuka Robo Frame”. “We have now
for the first time managed to integrate the
frame press directly on the robot”, explains Elisabeth Schärtl of the Solar Tech-
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The necessary roller contact pressure is controlled by a proportional valve
VPPM on a valve terminal CPX/MPA. This proportional valve ensures precision
and allows operation in accordance with individual acceleration and pressure
ramps.
nology Sales and Engineering department
at Kuka Systems. “That way, we avoid deformation and scratches and thus increase quality in comparison with a standard frame press. In addition, we can
increase the degree of utilisation of the
robotic system,” continues Schärtl.
With “Robo Frame”, the robot grips the
laminate on the glass side and guides it
precisely into the prepared frame sections. Festo pneumatic drives, valves and
vacuum grippers hold the laminate securely. The robotic station adds the frame
sections in four working steps after they
have been fitted with corner connectors.
Thanks to additional clamping and a flat
support surface, the forces acting on the
laminate as the frame sections are joined
together is minimal, thus avoiding deformation. The double frame section feeder
means that no relative motion is created,
which prevents scratching of the profiles.
Scalable automation
The joining forces that can be achieved –
1.2 tonnes – are comparable to those with
a conventional frame press. The process
With “Robo Frame”, the robot grips the laminate on the glass side and guides
it precisely into the prepared frame sections.
is not limited to the use of double-sided
adhesive tape, which means that other
methods of sealing can also be used.
The flexibility of the Kuka robot enables
it to be combined with other automation
functions, allowing a machine to be
scaled, for example, for production lines
with an annual output of 50 or 100 MW. KUKA Systems GmbH
Blücherstraße 144
D-86165 Augsburg
www.kuka-systems.com
Area of activity: Engineering services and flexible automated production solutions for the automotive,
aviation, space-travel and energy
industries.
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In focus Saving set-up time in automotive electronics production
At the press of a button
Large number of workpiece variants and short set-up times – these two market
demands appear at first glance to be contradictory – and would be if not for the
ifc flexfeeder. This flexible feed system with an integrated Festo Tripod robot and
vision system squeezes set-up times down to zero.
T
oday 500 examples of control
unit A, tomorrow 200 examples
of control unit B and the next day
500 examples of control unit C –
the different sensors used with a wide
range of vehicle and motor variants call
for flexibility with small batch sizes. Setting up machines can be laborious and
costly. An answer to the conflicting demands of large numbers of variants and
short set-up times is provided by the ifc
flexfeeder, produced by the special machine builder ifc intelligent feeding components GmbH for Tyco Electronics. This
feed system permits changes of workpiece types at the press of a button.
Saving the need for bowl feeders
The ifc flexfeeder feeds at least six different plastic covers for control units flexibly
and correctly to the next assembly station. The assembly station laser welds the
covers to the control unit housing. A feed
system upstream of the handling unit
separates the plastic covers and feeds
them to the ifc flexfeeder via a conveyor
belt with integrated lighting. For Heinrich
Halling, Head of Equipment Design at the
Speyer location of Tyco Electronics, the
ifc flexfeeder solution was just the right
one: “For the six different types of plastic
covers, we would have required at least
four bowl feeders, which would have cost
far more than the complete ifc flexfeeder
system. What is more, this system is open
to new variants.”
Almost zero set-up times
Tyco saves even more when its plant is
running, as on some days the system setup needs to be changed at least five times
to accommodate different workpieces.
“With a conventional bowl feeder solution, we would have had set-up times of
up to five hours due to the need for mechanical adaptation and adjustments for
each plastic cover variant. With the ifc
An alternative to bowl feeders: correctly oriented
workpieces are picked up from the inspection belt
by the Tripod robotic system from Festo using vacuum grippers and placed in the centring station.
flexfeeder, set-up time is 10 minutes. We
can change variant at the press of a button”, adds Halling. Not only this, but with
this solution there are no interchangeable
bowl feeders and other parts to take up
storage space unnecessarily.
The control system concept is equally
simple. New variants can be parameterised and configured very easily. “We
only need to enter positions, sequences
and settings via the Festo FED front-end
display”, explains ifc General Manager
Andreas Schirmer.
A feed system upstream of the handling unit separates the plastic covers and feeds them to the ifc
flexfeeder. The vision system SBO..-Q from Festo
determines the position and orientation of the
workpieces.
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Workpiece type changeover at the press of a button: no problem with ifc flexfeeder, the flexible feed system.
Integrated vision system
A further important element of the feed
system is the vision system SBO..-Q from
Festo. This determines the position and
orientation of workpieces and transmits
this data to the robotic controller CMXR.
Any incorrectly oriented covers are immediately separated out via a chute and fed
back into the spiral conveyor.
Correctly oriented covers, on the other
hand, are picked up from the inspection
belt by the Tripod robotic system from
Festo using vacuum grippers and placed
in the centring station. A slide unit moves
the centring gripper out of the Tripod handling area and the laser welding station
picks up the precisely positioned plastic
covers and places them accurately on the
plastic control unit housing ready for the
subsequent welding process.
Ready-to-install Tripod robot
Thanks to its low moving mass, this robotic handling unit is dynamic, while its
pyramid-shaped enclosed design makes
it very rigid. Three double rods ensure
that the flange plate is horizontal at all
times. The position of the axis and servo
motors is fixed.
“Position detection with the vision system
SBO..-Q in conjunction with the Tripod ro-
botic handling unit as a ready-to-install
solution provides the necessary degrees
of freedom for fast, reliable and accurate
transfer of the plastic covers”, explains
Schirmer. The Tripod kinematic mechanism offers designers of assembly cells
and system integrators such as ifc a fast
and efficient alternative to conventional
Cartesian gantry solutions or SCARA robots.
The Tripod makes use of standard components from Festo’s modular system. Because of its design, the Tripod is more
easily accessible in the working area than
Cartesian or SCARA robots. What is more,
it is easier to set up using teach-in and is
competitive in price compared with all
other robotic systems. This handling unit
is the ideal choice for the ifc flexfeeder –
and in turn, the ifc flexfeeder is the ideal
choice for Tyco Electronics. This company
anticipates that the machine will amortise
itself after six to twelve months. ifc intelligent
feeding components
GmbH
Neuenstadter Straße 12
D-74229 Oedheim
info@ifc-online.com
www.ifc-online.com
Area of activity: Solutions for
feeding systems
Tyco Electronics
www.tycoelectronics.com
Area of activity: 50,000 products
for automotive production, communications systems, electronic
household appliances, medical
technology and other industries.
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Batch size 1: Flexible storage magazine for palletised
workpieces with integrated 3 to 5-axis linear system.
In focus Reliable loading and unloading of machine tools
Improved service life
Loading and unloading machine tools offers a great deal of potential for rationalisation. Batch sizes of 1 are far from uncommon with workpieces and tools. The
Festo air gap sensor SOPA permits workpieces to be gripped and clamped to an
accuracy of microns.
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Synergies 38 39
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Up to 72 different workpieces can be removed by the
gripper system from a magazine plane in “batch size
1” operation and fed to a CNC machining centre so
that milling, grinding, lathe-turning or erosion can be
carried out.
Fast reliable gripping and clamping of workpieces
with the air gap sensor SOPA, a pneumatic/electrical
distance measuring system.
T
he Swiss company Wick AG has
installed Festo air gap sensors
SOPA in its automation cells for
the palletised loading and unloading of machine tools. The automation
cells, sold under the name ASTRODISC,
operate as a storage magazine for palletised workpieces and have an integrated 3 to 5-axis linear system. With
their cell management software, they are
ideal for the automation of processes
with batch size 1.
For batch size 1
They load and unload workpieces automatically and thus ensure a continuous
CNC machining process. The axis system
removes up to 72 different workpieces
from a magazine and feeds them to a CNC
machining centre. They are then milled,
ground, lathe-turned or spark-eroded.
Workpiece-specific programming controls
the individual machining of the workpieces. “This enables us to make better
use of skilled workers than for the manual
loading and unloading of machine tools”,
explains Rudolf Wick, Managing Partner
of Wick AG.
Perfect position
Depending on the cycle time and the size
of the storage, Wick automation cells are
able to operate autonomously and are
only limited by the time taken needed for
tool changes. “This is of course possible
only with reliable loading and unloading
processes”, says Guido Lüönd of Wick
Customer Support. “This reliability is provided by air gap sensors SOPA during the
gripping and clamping of workpieces,
which requires an accuracy of microns.”
This pneumatic/electrical distance measuring system reflects the ever increasing
demands for higher accuracy with CNC
“Even with workpieces weighing
100 kg, the SOPA
provides dependable monitoring
of the zero-point
clamping system.”
Guido Lüönd,
Customer Support, Wick
machining centres. The air gap sensor
SOPA covers a measuring range of 20 to
200 μm. In this microscopic range, the
sensor checks the correct positioning of
a workpiece, either horizontally or vertically, before it is clamped and that it is
precisely aligned with the spindle. As a
comparison, the thickness of a human
hair is roughly 40 to 120 μm.
High speeds for heavy weights
“SOPA works perfectly, even with workpieces weighing 100 kg”, reports Lüönd.
If the gripper is wet and dirty due to erosion fluid or coolant, the air gap sensor
blows on all surfaces and cleans them.
As the gripper closes, the sensor measures the air gap using the so-called speed
measuring system. The distance, and
thus the air gap, between the pallet and
the contact surface of the gripper or
clamp are increased if foreign matter is
present. This results in a change in flow
rate, which is detected by an ejector with
a differential pressure sensor. This value
is then converted into a value for the gap
and displayed.
“The all-electronic measuring system
which we used previously also operated
with a differential pressure sensor but
took a great deal of experience to set up”,
explains Lüönd. Commissioning is now
very easy, using teach-in or numerical
setting. “And if servicing is required, we
can rely on a worldwide partner who can
supply spare parts to operators of our automation cells on every continent”, says
Managing Partner Wick delightedly. Wick AG
Alte Zuger Strasse 10
CH-6403 Küssnacht am Rigi
www.wick-ag.com
Area of activity: Automation solutions for mechanical workshops
and the machine-building industry.
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Machining profiles for windows and building facades
The professional profile
They need to be fast and precise as well as gentle. A very great deal is asked of the machines used to produce aluminium and plastic profiles. But when the results need to look
good, as with windows, there can be no compromises. And it is precisely here that the valve
terminal VTSA can display its strengths with a combination of pressure zones and vertical
stacking modules.
I
n the metalworking and plastics industries, machining operations are
an everyday occurrence. This also applies to the production of aluminium
and plastic profiles for window-making,
which in itself is not a problem. Machining
does, however, become a problem if the
chips which it generates enter the profile
guides and cause damage to the painted
profiles. However, it is possible to prevent
this damage by using very low clamping
pressures.
With the modular SBZ 600 profile machining centres, elumatec offers an efficient automation solution for machining
plastic and aluminium profiles tailored
to individual needs.
An ingenious clamping system
elumatec, a manufacturer of profile cutting machines, uses a dual-pressure
clamping system for particularly sensitive
steps in the process. The modular profile
machining centre only applies full clamping force to the clamping rollers during
actual machining. This is achieved by
switching pressures or by switching off a
counter-pressure. The machine transports
the profiles in an almost floating state between the individual machining stations.
The clamping components, which hold
the profiles in place and straighten these
if they are bent, are actuated by standard
cylinders type DNCB. These enable operation which is virtually stick-slip free.
Individual activation
“In order to be able to activate the cylinders with different pressures, we exploit
the options for creating pressure zones
and for fitting vertical stacking modules
which the valve terminal VTSA offers us”,
explains Andreas Hettler, Project Manager
for profile machining centres at elumatec.
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Synergies 40 41
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“For our customer, the top priority
in machining PVC profiles is speed.
VTSA valve terminals give us that
extra speed and thus a decisive competitive advantage.”
Andreas Hettler, Project Manager for profile machining centres at elumatec
Pressure zones are used in order to activate a number of clamps with the same
pressure. If it is necessary to apply control pulses to individual clamps, elumatec
uses vertical stacking modules. These enable a pressure regulator plate to be fitted under each valve in order to use different pressure for the advance and
return strokes of a cylinder.
Smaller, faster, less expensive
Reversible pressure regulators allow
higher speed and reduce costs. With
The travelling tool magazines ensure fast tool
changeover and thus optimum machining cycles.
these pressure regulators, the exhaust
air is fed back directly, not via the regulator. The cylinder thus exhausts faster
and a higher speed can be obtained with
smaller valves. “With the machines for
processing PVC profiles, the most important criterion for our customers is speed
and the associated high productivity”,
says Andreas Hettler. Every cylinder that
is not travelling at top speed is slowing
down production. This is why elumatec
uses different valve sizes to optimise
flow rates.
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Machining profiles is a tough business.
The components used must be able to
take punishment. They have to withstand
chips, aggressive spraying agents in the
case of aluminium profiles and, with plastic profiles, HCl vapour, which combines
with the moisture in the air to form liquid
hydrochloric acid. Reliable operation of
the VTSA valve terminal – despite such
harsh conditions – is ensured by the high
degree of protection provided by the electrical sealing, together with the heavyduty valve bodies. Users benefit from the
development history of the VTSA, which
was based on well-proven and heavy-duty
ISO valve terminals. In comparison with
earlier models, however, the valves on the
VTSA are considerably more compact and
easier to replace. There is no need to remove pneumatic connections or electrical
wiring in order to replace valves.
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Easily expanded at any time
“The tough design of the VTSA is, however, not the only reason why we chose
this valve terminal”, explains Andreas
Hettler. “The VTSA also offers us the option of changing over at any time from the
current multi-pin connection to a fieldbus
connection.” The fieldbus connection reduces the amount of wiring work required
and, in conjunction with the modular electrical terminal CPX, opens up new possible applications. For example, it would be
possible to use the CPX terminal to activate pneumatic servo axes without changing the valve terminal configuration, as
the mechanical interfaces remain unchanged. elumatec GmbH
Pinacher Straße 61
D-75417 Mühlacker
www.elumatec.com
Area of activity: Manufacturer of
machine tools for aluminium and
plastic profile production
The central pneumatic module with switch box for the elumatec
KSA 605 automatic notch-cutting machine. This can be integrated into various lines for the fully automatic production of
PVC profiles for windows and doors.
The valve terminal VTSA allows up to four valve
sizes to be combined. Each cylinder size is allocated an optimum valve.
The central pneumatic module and associated I/O terminals of the elumatec
SBZ 609 machining centre. This machining centre can be integrated into automatic production lines for the reinforcement and machining of cut PVC rods
for windows and doors. At the top of the picture: the swivelling reinforcement
screw driver system on its 3-axis support.
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Synergies/Festo worldwide 42 43
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Turkey
Water for
Istanbul
Festo Turkey supports the
modernisation of the drinking
water supply
An impressive panorama: the Blue Mosque with a view of the Bosporus.
Water is a valuable commodity in Istanbul. The Turkish metropolis has around
14 million inhabitants who all need to be
supplied with drinking water. The Istanbul
utility company ISKI (Istanbul Su ve
Kanalizasyon Idaresi) accordingly operates five plants which together treat more
than two million cubic metres of river and
rain water every day. In order to tackle the
increased level of contamination present
in river and rain water and the growing
shortage of drinking water, ISKI decided
in 2003 to modernise its water treatment
plants.
ISKI has since benefited from numerous
advantages. The operation and maintenance of the plants today is much simpler
and costs significantly less. The water
quality is measurably better, and the utility company is confident of being able to
react quickly in an emergency. Moreover,
the plants now have an automation structure that can be expanded flexibly at any
time. ISKI has thus not only taken a major
step towards securing a high-quality
water supply for the metropolis on the
Bosporus in the long term but has also
carried on a long tradition. Back in 330
AD, Istanbul (then known as Constantinople) was supplied with water by the
longest Roman aqueduct built up until
that time, covering a distance of 242 kilometres.
The major partner in this project was the
Festo national company in Turkey. Step
by step, Festo Turkey modernised the automation systems of the filtration installations at four locations: shut-off valves,
drives and position controllers at the filter
tanks were replaced, and modern closedloop control systems, flow and filling level
sensors were installed. Festo Turkey replaced the old control desks with modern
control panels. At the same time, it implemented a new automation structure and
modernised the air preparation system.
Everything at a glance: the automation system of the filtration installations is controlled by new panels
with a Festo FED touch screen, a manual control interface and CPX modules.
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Greece
In good shape
Innovative shaping, filling and sealing machine
The FRS 16/26 by the Greek packaging technology specialist Alfa Machine is a new
type of shaping, filling and sealing machine. The company once again relied on the support of Festo in the development of this new machine generation, thus creating another
chapter in a successful partnership which goes back 20 years.
Faster filling: thanks to its pneumatic components, the machine achieves up to 25 cycles a
minute.
Whether for yoghurt pots or individual
portion packs for use at home or in the
hotel industry, with the FRS 16/26 all
kinds of containers can be produced in individual shapes and sizes. To do this, a
plastic membrane is warmed using contact heater plates and brought into the re- In good shape with Festo pneumatic components.
quired shape and size. The containers are
then filled and sealed with a composite
foil consisting of hot-seal material and aluminium or another material. A further
groundbreaking feature of the FRS 16/26 is its innovative labelling system, which has
enabled Alfa Machine for the first time to use the in-mould labelling process for a shaping, filling and sealing machine. The advantage: the machine can label containers with
either vertical or conical surfaces.
Germany
Double award
Design Prize of the Federal Republic
of Germany 2010
The Design Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany
is the country’s highest official award in the field
of design and is regarded as the “prize of prizes”.
Participation in this competition is limited to products that have been nominated by the Ministry of
Commerce and Technology or the commerce ministers and senators of individual federal states.
Festo won the prize twice over, in the “Product” and
“Communication” categories. The MS9 service unit
series caught the jury’s eye as a series product, as
did the “AirJelly” future concept from Festo’s Bionic
Learning Network.
Dr. Heinrich Frontzek, Head of Corporate Communication
at Festo, accepted the prize for communication design.
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1.2010 trends in automation
Festo worldwide/About this magazine 44 45
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USA
About this
magazine
trends in automation
1.2010 – July
The Mobile Mechatronics Lab brings customers information on automation solutions to
their doorsteps.
No distance too far
The Festo Mobile Mechatronics Lab brings automation trends to customers.
24 metres long, 4 metres high and 8 metres wide when fully extended: the
American version of the Festo Expotainers, the Mobile Mechatronics Lab
(MML), attracts attention wherever it goes, and not just on the highway. Once
it has arrived at a customer’s location, it reveals its inner secrets: more than
40 information panels and exhibits showing products, services and the mode
of operation of numerous solutions. A generously-sized LCD screen is available
for presentations and film shows and, if required, a seminar room with space
for 40 people can be attached to the truck.
Since its début in June 2009
in Long Island, New York State,
this mobile exhibition has
travelled tens of thousands
of miles right across the USA
and Canada. The truck makes
an average of two stops a day
at customers’ and dealers’
premises – around 500 stops
are planned during an elevenmonth tour. Without leaving
their bases, visitors can discuss the latest automation
solutions with the Festo experts who travel along with the Lab and ask questions about their individual projects. The silver truck was also a welcome
sight at the WorldSkills compe-tition in Canada where the Festo team counted
almost 10,000 interested visitors.
Publisher
Festo AG & Co. KG
Ruiter Straße 82
D-73734 Esslingen
Project Management
Silke Gartenmeier, Customer Magazine
Phone +49 711 347-3902
gtm@de.festo.com
Responsible for content
Dirk Ebertz,
Head of Marketing Instruments
dbrt@de.festo.com
Ralf Sohn, Head of Direct Marketing
rso@de.festo.com
Copyright 2010 Festo AG & Co. KG
All rights reserved.
All images, graphics and texts are covered by copyright or other laws to protect intellectual property. Copying or
modification of contents or their use in
other printed or electronic publications
is permissible only with the express approval of Festo AG & Co. KG.
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1.2010 trends in automation
Soft Stop 46
Do you sometimes
keep students in
after school,
Mr. Höschle?
No, of course we don’t punish students
by keeping them in after school. In contrast to normal schools, the Festo Academy team and I as its leader are not
concerned with grades or any kind of selection process.
Our objective is to help Festo staff develop professionally
so that they can expand their skills and perform their duties even better and more efficiently than before. We use
a whole range of training tools that are suitable for different applications and that complement one another perfectly when used in combination.
Among our methods is the classic classroom-based training in the form of seminars, workshops and training
courses. In order to ensure successful learning, the Academy not only offers a bright and friendly learning atmosphere and the latest equipment, but also uses the most
modern methods. Instead of teachers or lecturers we have
trainers or moderators, while lectures are replaced by discussions in which the focus is on the concerns of the participants. We place particular emphasis on the period after
the seminar, which is crucial if participants are to make
effective long-term use of what they have learned.
To complement this we have the Virtual Academy, a webbased learning platform offering so-called e-learning. This
focuses on product, data-processing and technology training. Festo staff can learn foreign languages via our intranet
and also acquire organisational skills. The advantage is
that they can use these training facilities when it is most
convenient for them, as e-learning is available worldwide,
around the clock and seven days a week. In terms of content, every participant can concentrate on the material
that is most important to him or her.
Our most important and most frequently used form of
learning, however, is “learning on the job”, in other words
informal “unorganised” learning in the workplace. The
Academy cannot and does not wish to intervene directly
in this form of learning. What we can do, however, is to
make Festo management aware of the subject of learning
on the job and show them how they can create an environment and a climate in their departments that encourages
learning from, with and for colleagues. It is precisely for
this reason that learning on the job is such an important
complement to our “Festo Leadership Initiative”, which
we have been rolling out since 2009 as a training programme for management personnel.
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30 % faster!
High-speed H and T-gantries: turbo
power throughout the working area.
For a new age of handling technology:
more dynamic operation at lower cost
means higher productivity.
www.festo.com
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www.festo.com
Australia
Head Office
Festo Pty. Ltd.
Melbourne
179 –187 Browns Road
Noble Park Nth VIC 3174
Call Toll Free: 1300 88 96 96
Call Toll Fax: 1300 88 95 95
Wuxi
Tel: +86-510-82 75 53 88
Nashik
Fax: +91-253-2316044
Xiamen
Tel: +86-592-239 61 23
Delhi (Noida)
Tel: +91 (0)120-2460861/2/3/4
Xi’an
Tel: +86-29-88 37 25 72
Pune
Tel: +91-20-25521401/
25512227
Branch Offices
South Australia (Adelaide)
Call Toll Free: 1300 88 96 96
Zhengzhou
Tel: +86-371-67 94 49 28
Queensland (Brisbane)
Call Toll Free: 1300 88 96 96
Western Australia (Perth)
Call Toll Free: 1300 88 96 96
New South Wales (Sydney)
Call Toll Free: 1300 88 96 96
China
Head Office
Festo (China) Ltd.
1156 Yun Qiao Road
Jinqiao Export Processing Zone
201206 Pudong, Shanghai,
P.R. China
Tel: +86-21-6081 5100
Fax: +86-21-5854 0300
Branch Offices
Beijing
Tel: +86-10-65 15 50 96
Changchun
Tel: +86-431-88 96 90 30
Changsha
Tel: +86-731-8256 4272
Chengdu
Tel: +86-28-86 19 98 70
Chongqing
Tel: +86-23-63 63 68 66
Dalian
Tel: +86-411-83 60 63 56
Hangzhou
Tel: +86-571-87 22 37 97
Hong Kong
Head Office
Festo Ltd
6/F New Timely Factory Building,
497 Castle Peak Road,
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852-27 43-8379
Fax: +852-27 86-2173
Branch Offices
Guangdong Province
Guangzhou
Tel: +86-20-8732 1613
Guangzhou Tianhe
Tel: +86-20-8600 3032
Shenzhen
Tel: +86-755-2650 5798
Dongguan
Tel: +86-769-2236 7890
India
Head Office
Festo Controls Pvt. Ltd.
237-B, Bommasandra
Industrial area,
Bangalore Hosur Highway,
Bangalore 560 099
Tel: +91-80-22894100
Fax: +91-80-27832058/
27833362
Branch Offices
Ahmedabad
Tel: +91-79-26565836
Aurangabad
Tel: +91-240-2337961
Jinan
Tel: +86-531-88 11 39 10
Bangalore
Tel: +91-80-22240994/
22277582/22243518
Kunming
Tel: +86-871-8 23 51 26
Baroda
Tel: +91-265-2321749
Lanzhou
Tel: +86-931-2 35 35 19
Chennai
Tel: +91-44-28554491/
28517143
Ningbo
Tel: +86-574-87 28 92 18
Nanjing
Tel: +86-25-86 81 91 18
Qingdao
Tel: +86-532-85 79 83 26
Shenyang
Tel: +86-24-23 25 00 92
Suzhou
Tel: +86-512-68 28 11 19
Tianjin
Tel: +86-22-26 26 40 76
Wuhan
Tel: +86-27-87 32 27 37
Coimbatore
Tel: +91-422-2499975
Hyderabed
Tel: +91-40-27847286
Kolhapur
Tel: +91-231-2660479
Kolkata
Tel: +91-33-22821276
Ludhiana
Tel: +91-161-2407742
Mumbai
Tel: +91-22-26673133/
26673134/26673113/
26673181
Branch Offices
Busan
Tel: +82-(0)51-205 4921
Changwon
Tel: +82-(0)55-288 7797
Cheonan
Tel: +82-(0)41-533 4871
Indonesia
Head Office
PT Festo
Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda no. 68
Arteri Pondok Indah
Jakarta 12240, Indonesia
Tel: +62-21-27 50 79 00
Fax: +62-21-27 50 79 98
Daegu
Tel: +82-(0)53-604 4365
Branch Offices
Bandung
Tel: +62-22-732 1329, 732 1330,
732 0753
Suwon
Tel: +82-(0)31-217 5163
Batam
Tel: +62-816 50 23 10
Cikarang
Tel: +62-21-893 67 49
Glodok
Tel: + 62-21-659 97 69-70
Makassar
Tel: +62-813 42 05 52 00
Medan
Tel: +62-61-453 89 35, 452 00 11
Semarang
Tel: +62-24-355 66 53, 355 48 24
Surabaya
Tel: +62-31-849 10 44, 841 05 12
Iran
Festo Pneumatic S.K.
#2, 6th street, 16th avenue,
Km 8, Special Karaj Road,
P.O.Box 15815/1485
Tehran 1389793761
Tel: +98-(0)21-4452 2409
Fax: +98-(0)21-4452 2408
Branch Offices
Esfahan
Tel: +98-(0)31-1235 7148
Tabriz
Tel: +98-(0)41-1524 1809
Mashad
Tel: +98-(0)51-1853 7604
Japan
Head Office
Festo K.K.
1-26-10 Hayabuchi
Tsuzuki-ku, Yokohama 224-0025
Tel: +81-(0)45-593-56 10/-5611
Fax: +81-(0)45-593-5678
Branch Office
Osaka
Tel: +81-(0)6-6320-3427
Korea
Head Office
Festo Korea Co., Ltd.
470-1 Gasan-dong
Geumcheon-gu
Seoul #153-803
Tel: +82-(0)2-850 7114
Fax:+82-(0)2-864 7040
Daejeon
Tel: +82-(0)42-861 7797
Gwangju
Tel: +82-(0)62-955 4168
Ulsan
Tel: +82-(0)52-292 4215
Malaysia
Head Office
Festo Sdn Berhad
10 Persiaran Industri
Bandar Sri Damansara
52200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +(60 3) 62 86 80 00
Fax: +(60 3) 62 75 64 11
Branch Offices
Penang
Tel: +(60 4) 643 0918
Ipoh
Tel: +(60 5) 548 1002
Johor Bahru
Tel: +(60 7) 352 3719
Malacca
Tel: +(60 6) 335 1018
New Zealand
Head Office
Festo Ltd
20 Fisher Crescent
Mount Wellington
Auckland
Tel: +64-(09)-574-10 94
Fax: +64-(09)-574 10 99
Branch Offices
Christchurch
Tel: +64-(0)-33488796
Hamilton
Tel: 64-(0)-78466080
Philippines
Head Office
Festo Inc
Festo Building
KM 18, West Service Road
South Super Highway
1700 Paranaque City
Metro Manila
Tel: +63 (2) 77 66 888
Fax: +63 (2) 82 34 219
Branch Offices
Bacolod and Iloilo
Tel/Fax: +63 (34) 434 3341
Baguio
Tel: +63 (74) 447-0394
Batangas
Tel: +63 (919) 275-5857
Cebu
Tel: +63 (32) 345-1120
Cagayan de Oro
Tel/Fax: +63 (88) 857-4904
Davao
Tel/Fax: +63 (82) 221-4586
General Santos City
Tel: + 63 (83) 382-0005
Iligan
Tel/Fax: +63 (63) 221-1966
Tarlac/Pampanga
Mobile Phone: +63 (0928-5028288)
Zamboanga City
Tel: +63 (62) 991-0489
Singapore
Festo Pte Ltd.
6 Kian Teck Way
Singapore 628754
Tel: +65-62640152
Fax: +65-62611026/62659276
Taiwan
Head Office
Festo Co.Ltd
9 Kung 8th Road
Linkou 2nd Industrial Zone
Linkou Hsiang, Taipei Hsien
24450 Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: +886-2-2601-9281
Fax: +886-2-26019286-7
Branch Offices
Hsinchu
Tel: +886-3-658-8318
Taichung
Tel: +886-4-2475-7278
Kaohsiung
Tel: +886-7-384-2856
Thailand
Head Office
Festo Ltd.
67/1 Phaholyothin Road
Klong 1, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Tel: +66 (0) 29 01 88 00
Fax: +66 (0) 29 01 88 33
Branch Offices
Laemchabang/Chonburi
Tel: +66 (0) 38 33 06 04
Saraburi
Tel: +66 (0) 36 31 54 10
Vietnam
Head Office
Festo Co., Ltd
(Cong Ty Tnhh Festo)
No. 206 Tran Nao Street,
Ward Binh An, District 2
Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam
Tel: +84 (0) 87406909
Fax: +84 (0) 87406910
Branch Offices
Hanoi
Tel: +84 (0)4 35 56 15 08
Fax: +84 (0)4 35 56 15 10