At our booth at the CIIF, you can gradually experience the innovation and value that Festo brings to users in the digital wave.
In recent years, in response to the increasingly prominent digital trend in the automation industry, Festo has launched a new generation of communication technology - Festo AP communication. It has both highly integrated versions (CPX-AP-A) and flexible decentralized installation CPX-AP-I). In order to better showcase AP communication technology, you can find CPX-AP-I or CPX-AP-A products on all the dynamic booths of Festo at this trade fair.
AP technology benefits: An AP bus node can support up to 80 modules, with 2048 byte input and 2048 byte output, and a communication rate of up to 200Mbps. With the addition of Festo AP technology, users can easily connect data from all existing input and output devices, or directly connect Festo valve terminals with AP interfaces (VTUG-AP). What's even more exciting is that Festo AP communication can seamlessly connect to the Internet of Things gateway, allowing users to easily achieve digital upgrades on their existing traditional devices without the need for tedious redesign and modification, saving huge device update costs.
The Multi-task Intelligent Assembling Unit showcased by Festo at 2023 CIIF integrates two sets of 4-axis gantries in one unit, achieving four process flows: unstacking, tightening, gluing, and testing. Festo's EGC/EGSC electric axis, combined with a CMMT/EMMT servo system, achieve reliable long-distance transportation of workpieces in different process stages in a narrow space. The lightweight and flexible layout of the CPX-AP-I remote IO system communicates quickly and stably with the upper PLC through fieldbus. The friendly IoT gateway in the Festo AP communication architecture can upload the real-time status of the machine to the cloud, making it easy for users to achieve remote monitoring and operation, demonstrating the advantages of multi task intelligent grabbing units in digitization and intelligence.
For the manufacturing industry in the future, relying solely on mass production to reduce costs is no longer feasible. In the future, whoever can achieve low-cost customization and flexible production will be able to seize the opportunity in market competition. When it comes to the concept of flexible production, guests can also see application examples on our dynamic booth. We can use a single device to achieve multiple process steps that traditionally require several different devices to complete, truly achieving multi-functional flexible production. Under the trend of flexible production, Festo has launched a landmark product - Motion Terminal VTEM, which is also the best example of Industry 4.0 products.
Why is it epoch-making? This starts with the use of traditional pneumatic components. In traditional pneumatic systems, we always rely on many scattered components to control speed and flow, in order to adjust the system to optimal performance. The introduction of Festo digital control terminals will completely change all of this. Each VTEM valve will integrate familiar functions in automation systems such as directional control, flow control, pressure control, terminal soft stop, leak detection, etc., and will be called and switched at any time through various modular application programs (APPs).
Similar to the layout of traditional valve terminals: VTEM's valves will be centrally installed on the manifold base. At the same time, VTEM also integrates modules for communication with upstream fieldbus and input/output modules for collecting various field signals, making cumbersome electrical connections simple and easy. Simply put, Festo's Motion Terminal VTEM perfectly meets the needs of future industrial digitization. By calling and switching valve functions through the APP, infinite possibilities have been created for parameter adjustment and line switching in the production process, greatly expanding the flexibility space of the pneumatic system. We believe that Festo Motion Terminal VTEM will lead a revolution in the field of pneumatic automation, achieving a giant leap for enterprise automation upgrading.
The EOAT for Lights exhibited at 2023 CIIF is a manifestation of Festo's flexible production solution.
With the rapid development of the automotive manufacturing industry in recent years, we can see that cars on the market have become more diverse in terms of interior and exterior decoration. Our customers need to design multiple sets of fixtures for different sizes of the same product during the production process to meet such market demands for demolding or gripping. In order to help customers solve such pain points, we have developed EOAT. With our simple electric drive system, we only need a set of fixtures to complete this multi position movements. Helped customers reduce the number of end clamps while also eliminating the need to replace gun discs, reducing hardware costs while also saving time for fixture replacement. This device demonstrates the function of using the same set of equipment to grab different car lights.
The Mini Palletizer mainly demonstrates palletizing used in the food packaging industry. For scenarios with various palletizing shapes and diverse product specifications, flexible switching can be achieved through the configuration of the upper PLC. The upper PLC software can conveniently enable, reset, teach operations on the workstation, and can automatically generate the stacking trajectory after setting the stacking disc parameters, product specifications, and stacking form, which is ultimately completed by the gantry system.
In Festo Automation Experience (Festo AX) offer, we have introduced artificial intelligence technology into the process of predictive maintenance and energy efficiency management. Taking predictive maintenance as an example, the operational status data of components collected from the on-site end is modeled using artificial intelligence to ultimately present the concept of "health value" to customers. This approach allows users to have a very intuitive understanding of the current performance status of components, enabling more planned and targeted replacement of components with low health values before a possible failure occurs, thus achieving predictive maintenance. Festo AX are like an experienced device manager, providing professional advice and advice to users in real-time.
The welding gun monitoring system exhibited at this trade fair simulated the scenario where a car factory uses Festo electric servo welding guns to achieve predictive maintenance.
This dispay simulates the working process of a set of electric servo welding gun, and collects and monitors real-time process data such as displacement, force, speed, and operation times during the welding process through the PROFINET bus, ensuring accurate completion of each welding process and achieving comprehensive monitoring of the equipment. The visual interface displays the current status of the welding gun, equipment information, and historical logs in real-time.
The parameters of each welding gun can be debugged on the OEM end. Festo provides independent software for debugging, testing, diagnosis, and parameter modification, saving on-site debugging time. The software can also be used for motor image acquisition and other maintenance or remote support services, which is very convenient and simple.