trends - Pneumatic & electric automation technology · trends in automation: The Natural History Museum in Vienna (NHM) houses around 30 million objects, making it one of the world’s

trendsin automationThe Festo customer magazine 1.2016

Inspiration

Under one roofInterview with Viennese museum director Prof. Dr. Köberl

Impulse

1040 variationsBehind the scenes at the new Scharnhausen Technology Plant

Synergies

Viva Mexico!History, traditions and opportunities

In focus

DiversityFrom diversity in nature to production of multiple variants

Rotation at a low price

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Dr. Ansgar Kriwet, Member of the Management Board, Sales

Dear reader,

Diversity is the key to a company’s long-term success no matter what size it is. Different perspectives generate new ideas, concepts and strategies. Diversity gives companies the freedom they need to shape their future.

The Scharnhausen Technology Plant in Germany will enable us to better meet this demand for diversity in the future. The Scharnhausen Technology Plant as no other building symbolises the future direction of Festo. It is an investment in customer- oriented, highly fl exible production capacities, fast delivery and high quality. It also embodies our vision of the learning and research factory, where process-oriented employee training and the development of new products and production concepts go hand in hand. The networked production environment, energy-effi cient organisation and integrated training at Scharnhausen will create a direct link to Industry 4.0. Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, too, was very impressed by the Scharnhausen Technolo-gy Plant when she visited in March of this year.

To see how diversity is managed and organised in an entirely different context, you can read our fascinating interview with Prof. Dr. Christian Köberl, Director General and Scientifi c Director of the Natural History Museum in Vienna, starting on page 8. The museum’s extensive natural history collection also shows us how diversity requires order and direction in order to be produc-tive. To help you navigate our diverse range of products quickly and easily, we provide engineering tools and product fi nders in the Online Shop, and with our new core product range we have compiled 2,000 of our most important components for you.

Our studies on SupraMotion give you an insight into the future of automation. Starting on page 14, you can read about the diverse range of completely new motion concepts based on the use of superconductors.

We hope that the diverse range of topics in this issue of trends in automation will provide you with inspiration for your business too.

Best regards,

Ansgar Kriwet

1.2016

Inspiration

Compass

trends in automation

Editorial 3 Panorama 6 Festo worldwide 41About this magazine 45Soft Stop 46

Interview with Prof. Dr. Köberl at the Natural History Museum in Vienna.8

Treasury of evolutionThe Natural History Museum in Vienna is one of the world’s most important natural history museums. Prof. Köberl talks to us about his job as Director General, the importance of museums and the role of research. 8

SupraJunction & Co.SupraMotion allows objects to be movedwhilst levitating. Festo presented threeconcepts at Hannover Messe 2016. 14

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AVCO In focus Diversity The richness of life

presents itself in different ways – as seen here in the varying colours and shapes of the Carib-bean brain coral. In this issue of our customer magazine we look at diversity in nature and in the world of automation. We cover topics inclu-ding modular production, system design based on the “LEGO® principle”, and an antipasti multi-fi lling machine.

SupraJunction: one of three new SupraMotion concepts.14

Viva Mexico, viva diversity!Mexico is a country with a fascinating history, culture and traditions. It is also a land whose dynamic economy is opening up new opportunities. 24

Perfect curvesThe “mini-dis” desktop machine from bdtronic allows high-precision dispensing processes for casting resin in a very small space – thanks, among other things, to the compact handling system YXMx. 30

All in good tasteFilling antipasti specialities such as peppers is time-consuming and expensive. A new machine from Karb Maschinenbau GmbH dispenses cream cheese auto matically. 34

Handling viscose substances with precisionThe Modular Sample Processor from global laboratory equipment manufacturer Anton Paar is a reliable solution for auto-mated specimen preparation. The solution uses electric axes and control systems from Festo. 38

1040 variationsThe new Festo Scharnhausen Technology Plant shows how flexibility and speed go hand in hand. The production range extends from manual production at the Customer Solutions Performance Centre to highly flexible, energy-efficient assembly lines. 18

Impulse

Highly flexible: the new Festo Scharnhausen Technology Plant.

18

Synergies

High precision with thecompact handling system YXMx.30

1.2016 trends in automationContents 4 – 5

A unique natural wonder awaits visitors to the western part of Yellowstone National Park in the US state of Wyoming. Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world. The basin measures approxi-mately 75 × 91 metres and is 50 metres deep. The spring discharges an average of 2,000 litres of 71 °C water per minute.

Apart from its impressive size, what makes this spring so special is the range of colours, which resemble a rainbow. This is due to the single-cell microorganisms that form a biofi lm around the edges of the

Nature’s play of coloursmineral-rich hot spring. They adapt to the water temperature and concentric circles in colours ranging from dark green to orange and red can be seen in the water depending on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids as well as the time of year. The centre of the spring is free from micro organisms. The deep blue colour stems from the purity of the water in the centre of the pool.

177 years after it was fi rst discovered by a group of trappers, Grand Prismatic Spring is today one of the top fi ve hot spots in Yellowstone National Park.

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1.2016 trends in automationPanorama 6 – 7

1.2016 trends in automationInspiration 8 – 9

Treasury of evolutionProf. Dr. Christian Köberl is Director General and Scientific Director of the Natural History Museum in Vienna. The impressive building dating from 1889 houses approximately 30 million objects. The museum director talks to trends in automation about his work and the importance of research, modern approaches to conveying the diversity of nature and his passion for meteorites.

Interview

trends in automation: The Natural History Museum in Vienna (NHM) houses around 30 million objects, making it one of the world’s largest and most valuable collections showing the diver-sity of species and featuring a wealth of minerals, meteorites and prehistoric remains. How many of these objects can visitors actually see?

Prof. Dr. Christian Köberl: It varies signifi cantly depending on the collection. The fi gure could be anywhere between 0 and 50 per cent, though the average is less than one per cent – which is still around 300,000 objects. Our meteorite collection, for example, is the oldest and largest in the world. Here we are displaying 1,100 meteorites out of a collection of 8,000. Our insect collec-tion includes six million beetles, which are incidentally the most biodiverse group of all fl ora and fauna in the world. We only exhibit less than one per cent of them, however.

Our botanical collection is also one of the biggest and most important in the world, and contains almost fi ve million objects. Yet only a small number of these objects are on display. For one thing, we don’t have enough space. Also, the majority of the

botanical collection consists of herbaria, which quickly fade and are basically rather boring to look at. However, many of our his-torical artefacts are of great scientifi c importance – particularly the type specimens. These exhibits are the fi rst of a type to be described and are therefore new scientifi c discoveries. They are one of the reasons why our collection is so special.

You have been Director General of the NHM since 2010. What does a museum director do?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: First and foremost I have overall responsibility for everything here. My main job is to set a direction for the museum. The museum itself is divided into different scientifi c departments. These include the individual fi elds of research cov-ered by the collections, such as anthropology, botany, geology, palaeontology, mineralogy and meteoritics, zoology as well as central research laboratories. I partly restructured the research department and we have acquired new research equipment.I should point out that the NHM is much more than just an exhib-iting museum. The NHM employs around 60 scientists who carry out fundamental research in a wide range of fi elds related to the

Diversity in historical surroundings: the Digital Planetarium, one of the anthropology halls, the dinosaur hall and the biggest turtle that ever lived. It is 74 million years old and was found in South Dakota, USA.

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About the interviewee

Prof. Dr. Christian Köberl

Professor Dr. Christian Köberl has been Director General and Scientific Director of the Natural History Museum in Vienna since 2010. He studied technical chemistry and astronomy and wrote his dissertation in cosmochemistry. After completing his PhD, he qualified as a professor of geo- and cosmochemistry. In 2008, he was appointed professor of impact research and planetary geology at the University of Vienna. A passionate meteorite researcher, his main fields of interest include meteorite craters, planet-ary geology as well as the evolution and origins of Earth.

In 2006, Prof. Köberl was elected as a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In the same year, an asteroid was named Koeberl in his honour. He is co-editor of the journals “Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta” and “Meteoritics & Planetary Science”, and since 2009 he has been editor of the international geological journal “Bulletin of the Geological Society of America”.

earth, life and human sciences. We always look at the bigger picture and research not just the specimens themselves, but also the areas to which they belong.

The dedication in gold letters “Dem Reiche der Natur und seiner Erforschung” (“To the realm of nature and its exploration”) has adorned the entrance to the museum since 1889. Is this motto still valid today?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: It is indeed. We are guided by this motto and it is also our legally defined responsibility as a federal museum. Federal museums are committed to preserving collections and expanding them where necessary, to carrying out public rela-tions work and to conducting research. This is also a big part of what I do. Although I am Director General, I am officially also the Scientific Director.

Our collections are also working collections. We analyse, take samples and examine them. Sometimes we have to sacrifice the odd beetle for a DNA analysis. This is the only way in which we can conduct scientific research. We don’t just view objects, we work with them. I can’t carry out scientific work just by looking at something. Scientific exchange is also very important to us. We cooperate with dozens of institutions worldwide and publish many joint papers.

The NHM exists thanks to collections dating back to the year 1750. The old records of explorers and researchers would make the heart of any antiquarian leap. But you also deal with questions relating to the future of mankind and of our planet. Do museums need to move with the times too?

“Our collections are impressive examples of the diversity of nature and at least one way in which we can preserve it.”Prof. Dr. Köberl

Treasure on display: Prof. Dr. Köberl stands next to the Hraschina meteorite, which fell to Earth in 1751 and is the foundation of the meteorite collection.

Prof. Dr. Köberl: I believe that in a museum such as ours, which is so steeped in history, we need to adopt a contemporary ap-proach to conveying modern natural sciences. We can learn from the past and see into the future. I think that’s really important. We are not an institute for the history of natural sciences. We are a scientific institution and it goes without saying that every scien-tist uses the knowledge from the past. However, we also believe that it is our role to conduct modern, state-of-the-art research and to make it accessible to the general public.

What does this mean specifically for visitors?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: For me, it is very important that our research and findings are visible to visitors and are reflected in special exhibitions, for instance. Our current exhibition “Planet 3.0 – Climate. Life. Future.” takes a journey through the history of climate change on Planet Earth and predicts how our climate will develop in the future. This also means that we have to change the permanent exhibitions every 30 to 40 years as new scientific discoveries are made. Instead of just displaying an object with a year and a name, we need to show what we have learned from it. What is the current state of research? What is its purpose? If you

visit our newly renovated meteorite hall, for example, you will see old wooden display cases alongside modern wall displays. The impact simulator allows visitors to simulate asteroid impacts with realistic 3D animation. A few rooms away, the modern world sits beneath the high stucco ceilings in the form of the Digital Planetarium, which was established two years ago and features an inner dome with a diameter of 8.5 m and seating for 61 people.

The NHM receives up to 700,000 visitors annually. Admission for school groups and for young people up to the age of 19 is free. What is the educational role of a museum such as the NHM?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: We want to get all visitors, but particularly young people, interested in natural sciences. And I believe that we can generate this interest by establishing a link to today’s world in terms of content as well as through the use of modern, interactive media. It is a question of finding the right balance, and it depends on how we convey the content. In Austria and in many other countries, there are not enough students of natural and technical sciences. We want to say to young people: “Look here! Science is exciting. Science is important. It also has social relevance.”

“We want to say to young people: “Look here! Science is exciting. Science is important. It also has social relevance.”Prof. Dr. Köberl

In addition to your role as director, you have been involved in impact crater research for almost 30 years and are a professor at the University of Vienna. Meteorites are your passion. What do you fi nd so fascinating about them?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: Meteorites are not particulary decorative and don’t appear very exciting at fi rst glance. What matters is what we have learned from examining them. There are two major topic areas, which we would not have been able to understand without me teorite research. Firstly, where do the chemical elements come from? Secondly, when, how and with which processes were Earth and the solar system created? It was meteorites that showed us how old the Earth is. No rock on our planet could provide us with this information. The oldest rocks on Earth are around 3.8 billion years old, while our Earth and our solar system are 4.5 billion years old. It was an American geochemist who came up with the idea of using meteorites to determine the age of the Earth at the end of the 1950s. They are the witnesses to the creation of our solar system. Only through them do we know exactly what happened. Our collection was started in 1751 and by the end of the 18th century we had the largest collection in the world. To-day we provide smaller specimens to research teams worldwide on request.

What would you say is the highlight of the museum? Do you have a favourite exhibit?

Prof. Dr. Köberl: Some visitors are fascinated by our vast collec-tion of birds and marine life, while others enjoy the way in which we present the history of evolution. Many visitors are simply impressed by the overall concept. When you ask small children what they like best, the answer is usually the large dinosaur hall. I am often asked what my favourite exhibit is. But that’s like

asking someone which of their children is their favourite. I love all of them! However, one thing that is special to me is the Hraschina meteorite from 1751. It is the foundation upon which the collec-tion was built. At the time of the fi nd there was still no explan-ation as to the origin of these rocks. They were given descriptive names such as “aerolite” and “falling stone” because people believed that they looked like hailstones that originated in the atmosphere and thus fell from the skies. It wasn’t until the 19th century that it was possible to defi nitively prove that meteorites are extraterrestrial. This is what makes history so fascinating. Many objects were collected at a time when nothing was known about them other than the fact that they were unusual. The same is true of the Nissit meteorite, which fell in India in 1865. By 1868 it was already here in the museum. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that we were able to determine that it was in fact a Martian meteorite.

These examples illustrate the importance of preserving and storing objects whose origins are unknown. This is why museums and collections of this type play such an important role in natural sciences. Over the course of time they continue to provide new fi ndings. They are also impressive examples of the diversity of nature and at least one way in which we can preserve it.

Natural History Museum Vienna (NHM)

The foundation for the collections of the Natural History Museum in Vienna (NHM) was the private collection of Em-peror Franz I, which was started in 1748. The palatial museum building, which measures 170 x 70 metres, was completed in 1889 and today houses one of the fi ve most important botanical collections in the world. The NHM has a fi sh collec-tion of around 500,000 specimens and one of the world’s largest insect collections with 10 million specimens.

The zoological collections are among the oldest, largest and most important in the world. In addition to its activity as a collector, the NHM has 60 scientists who are actively involved in scientifi c research and is one of the top ten museums in the world in the fi eld of natural sciences.

www.nhm-wien.ac.at

The interview took place on 26 January 2016 at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. (Photos Prof. Dr. Köberl: Peter Mayr, Vienna)


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SupraJunction & Co.Superconductors: transporting and gripping whilst levitating

SupraMotion allows objects to be moved whilst levitating – even through walls or water. At Hannover Messe 2016, Festo presented three new concepts for industrial use – SupraJunction, SupraGripper and SupraTube. From transport across water to movement within an enclosed liquid-filled tube, these new developments show what is currently happening with superconductor tech-nology in the field of automation.

SupraJunction transports objects across enclosed surfaces and through sluice gates without contact.

1.2016 trends in automationCompass 14 – 15

S uperconductors allow objects to be held in position contactlessly without any control technology and to be moved with only very

little energy. Entirely new forms of move-ment can be generated that until now seemed impossible. With the new Supra-Motion exhibits, Festo has further extend-ed the range of options for positioning and movement shown to date. With super-conductor technology, effective and constant cooling is important. The three new applications have electrically regu-lated coolers with a maximum power rating of 80 watts.

“As soon as we get below the transition temperature, we can precisely determine the necessary cooling temperature with the regulator, in accordance with the sys-tem requirements,” explains Georg Berner,

Head of Strategic Corporate Development, Group Holding Festo and Project Coord-inator for the SupraMotion concepts. “If the superconductor is to carry a greater load, we can cool it to a lower tempera-ture, for example.”

SupraJunction levitates above waterWith SupraJunction, Festo demonstrates the contactless transport of objects across enclosed surfaces and through sluice gates. Two carrier plates levitate above the superconductors thanks to magnetic rails mounted on the underside of the plates. They transport small glass contain-ers around a circuit and are transferred from one superconductor element on one transport system to the next element on a different handling system.

During the contactless transfer from one cooling tank – the cryostat – to the next, an electromagnet attached to an electric axis draws the carrier plate in the effect-ive direction of the magnetic rails. Festo has thus for the fi rst time realised auto-mated transfer from one system to another in the horizontal plane and is making sus-pended transport possible in long process chains and across system boundaries.

The levitating SupraGripper also grips and transports objects across enclosed surfaces.

Throughout this process, the plates hover over a fl at basin of water. The carrier sys-tem and the automation mechanism are thus entirely separated from each other. This protects the components against dirt and facilitates cleaning – ideal for applica-tions in the packaging industry, laboratory automation, medical technology, or the food and pharmaceutical industries.

SupraGripper works in separate spacesWith SupraGripper, two grippers, each with three gripper fi ngers, levitate freely above two semicircular plates. This tech-nology enables objects to be grasped and transported within enclosed spaces – a practical solution for cleanrooms or for working in liquids, gases or in a vacuum. The levitating effect is generated by three cryostats, which are installed beneath the plates and can be driven up or down. The grippers thus either levitate above the plates or are placed on them. In addition, the two plates can be rotated and precisely positioned by two rotary drives, so that the two grippers can be transported from one cryostat to the next.

To grasp an object, electric coils fi tted on the cryostats emit an impulse, which either severs the stored connection to the magnetic gripper elements or restores it as required. This impulse causes the indi-vidual fi nger elements to fold up or down, making the grippers open or close.

SupraTube rotates within a tubeThe SupraTube exhibit shows how a con-trolled movement can be executed within a tube without direct intervention from the outside. A round cryostat with super-conductors is attached to the outside of each end of a liquid-fi lled glass tube. Inside the vertical tube is a magnetic puck that is virtually tethered to the two cryo-stats with a levitation gap of around fi ve millimetres and is initially suspended beneath the upper cryostat. A ring magnet, which surrounds the cryostats, is set to rotate by a stepper motor, and transfers the motion to the suspended magnet. The magnet is repelled from the cryostat by an electrical impulse and drifts downwards in a spiral motion. At the lower end, it is captured once more and centred by the superconductor in the other cryostat.

In a slightly modifi ed SupraTube confi g-uration, drive units with superconductor magnetic couplings can be fi tted along the longitudinal axis of the tube in order to draw a cleaning unit through it, entirely free of contact. Alternatively, the contents of a closed container – such as hazardous substances or explosive gases – can be set in rotation.

Research for the production of the futureAfter several years of intensive research and three years of experience in this fi eld at trade fairs, Festo is now meeting with partners and customers to discuss and explore their specifi c ideas for application. “We have now created 12 different con-cepts that have really inspired our custom-ers and given them lots of ideas for new applications,” says Georg Berner. He and his team are currently working on getting the fi rst pilot projects off the ground.

SupraTube executes a movement inside a tube without direct intervention from the outside.

More information on

superconductor technologyand the new projectscan be found atwww.festo.com/supramotion

1.2016 trends in automationCompass 16 – 17

variations

Highly fl exible assembly lines at the Scharnhausen Technology Plant

Whether it is a batch size of one or an annual production volume of 2.5 million, the new Festo Scharnhausen Technology Plant shows how fl exibility and speed go hand in hand. Industry 4.0 has been implemented wherever possible. Thanks to the synergy between manual production and modular assembly lines, the plant can produce 1040 product variations.

Valves are automatically assembled in the production cells of the large modular lines.

1.2016 trends in automationImpulse 18 – 19

The components are immersed in electroplating tanks to give them the necessary surface properties.

the Technology Plant. High-quality products, valves and valve terminals, electronic components and customer solutions are thus produced under one roof in a very short space of time.

In perfect shapeThe Technology Plant is divided into four areas: (1) machining, (2) assembly, (3) electronics manufacturing and (4) customer solutions. Metal-cutting ma-chines weighing several tons stand in an area covering 14,000 square metres on the ground fl oor of the Technology Plant.

Turning, milling, drilling and grinding – in the machining department, precision components made of metal are manufac-tured for further processing in the assem-bly process. The production lines work around the clock to produce the basic elements for Festo products, such as valve housings and individual components for linear units. They produce millions of valve sealing cartridges for valves per year and tens of thousands of valve housings per day. The components are given their sur-face fi nish in the plating tanks, which are housed in the same building.

T he new Festo Scharnhausen Tech-nology Plant symbolises cutting-edge automation: 66,000 square metres, 1,200 employees, a

sophisticated, highly effi cient value chain, open communication with the Learning Factory and creative think tanks. Net-worked systems enable the fi rst Industry 4.0 technology solutions to be created. Every day employees interact directly and safely with a fl exible robot. Information and materials fl ow quickly, fl exibly and reli-ably in seamless value streams.

Short routesIn the lean Technology Plant, the individual manufacturing processes are linked to each other by the shortest of routes. They are arranged so that, as far as possible, there is no need for interim buffering across warehouse stocks. For example, while some processes used to be distrib-uted across several plants over a distance of 32 kilometres, they now take place in a space measuring just 120 metres inside

Machining department with electroplatingIn an area covering 14,000 square metres, the highly automated production lines work around the clock to produce the basic parts for Festo components.

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The latest information technology is used consistently throughout the Technology Plant – for example, tablets are used for service, maintenance and monitoring energy consumption.

Fully mounted: the circuit boards are manufactured us-ing the latest production and soldering.

Fully automated and manual The production range of the Technology Plant extends from manual production at the Customer Solutions Performance Centre to highly fl exible, energy-effi cient assembly lines, such as the two modular assembly systems for manufacturing valves from the VUVG series. Here, eight production cells spread over 30 metres operate in sequence. Several million valves can be assembled annually, with cycle times of less than 15 seconds. Many of the company’s own products and solu-tions are used here. In other words,

Electronics manufacturingIn an area covering 6,000 square metres, 200 employees produce complex electronic assemblies and products.

AssemblySmall, compact solenoid valves VUVG are automatically assembled on state-of-the-art assembly lines.

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Festo products are used to manufacture Festo products. Each line produces over 50 individual variations of different sizes, with 20 variations making up over 80 per cent of the total volume.

Manual work is still required when it comes to assembling the valves into valve ter-minals as well as for special solutions and single components for individual customer needs. Quantities vary from a few thou-sand a year or a small batch of several hundred to just a single item. For some products, which have to be made accord-ing to individual customer specifications

in a very short space of time, there may be as many as 1040 variations.

Electronics includedMany products simply wouldn’t exist with-out electronics. In the Technology Plant, 200 employees produce complex elec-tronic assemblies and products in an area covering 6,000 square metres. 2.5 million of them are produced each year for use by the company itself. The areas responsible for further processing receive either complete assemblies in their housing or mounted circuit boards. Here too, the vari-ations run into the hundreds.

Human-machine interaction

Many of the aspects of Industry 4.0 – such as human-machine interaction – are already a reality in the Scharnhausen Technology Plant. The assem-bly robot grips housings, joins cartridges and frames together and passes the component on to a worker for further processing. Such teamwork poses no risk for the individual. Sensors continuously monitor all the robot’s actions. It does this thanks to a specially developed plastic “skin” fitted with highly sensitive sensors. As soon as an employee comes too close to it, the robot slows down or just stops. Thanks to effective safety mechanisms, the robot does not have to be behind bars.

“The Scharnhausen Technology Plant has flexible, highly automated and energy-efficient production processes.”Stefan Schwerdtle, Head of the Global Production Centre Scharnhausen

An employee works with the assembly robot in an intuitive and safe manner.

Innovation in automationBesides offering highly effi cient and com-petitive production, the new plant also sets an example. It is used by Festo as a reference factory for its customers to demonstrate the latest automation tech-nology. The Technology Factory is charac-terised by lean and energy-effi cient pro-cesses as well as highly sustainable and environmentally-friendly production. The plant’s green credentials were acknow-ledged with a Platinum Certifi cate by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) which was awarded in September 2015. The high degree of adaptability of

the production site and the creation of effi cient value chains and value streams were decisive factors for the overall plant concept. Plant manager Stefan Schwerdtle is positive about the future: “With the Technology Plant we are well prepared for future requirements. We have created the space necessary for co-operative tech-nology and product development and con siderably improved the time to market through optimised procedures and reori-ented core processes.”

www.festo.com/technologyplant

Customer solutionsAt the customer’s request: special solutions and individual components for individual customer needs are produced by hand.

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Find out more about the

Learning Factoryas an integral part of the Technology Plant in the next issue.


PACIFIC OCEAN

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)

MEXICO CITY

GUADALAJARA

BAJA CALIFORNIA

GULF OF MEXICO

GUATEMALA

PUEBLA

BELIZE

TULUM

CHICHENITZA

Viva Mexico, viva diversity!“One does not explain Mexico. One believes in Mexico.” While renowned Mexican author Carlos Fuentes may not have agreed, an attempt to explain Mexico is certainly worth the effort. When you take a look beyond the stereotypical images of sombreros and mariachi music, tequila and tortillas, you will find a land where there is a wealth of natural and cultural diversity to be discovered. A land whose dynamic economy is opening up unprecedented opportunities.

1.2016 trends in automationSynergies 24 – 25

So how do you describe Mexico? Firstly, it forms the bridge between two subcontinents and two oceans. Geographically, the country belongs to North America, but culturally it is part of Latin America. The waves of the

Atlantic and Pacifi c oceans break on a coastline covering a total length of 9,000 kilometres. While the image of the bridge is cer-tainly fi tting, Mexico can also be described as an entire world in one country. Mexico is a land of unparalleled diversity – from the deserts and cactus forests of Baja California to the snow-covered twin volcanoes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, from the temper-ate regions of the central highlands to the steamy rainforests of Chiapas and the sandy beaches of Acapulco. It is a land of vibrant, modern metropolises such as Mexico City, picturesque colonial towns such as the baroque San Cristóbal de las Casas, and sleepy villages where time seems to stand still. And last but not least, there are the breathtaking ruins of ancient indigenous civilisations.

The huge variety of landscapes and climates – dry and hot, mild, subtropical and tropical – is refl ected in nature. Mexico is home to no fewer than 200,000 different animal and plant species. In other words, around 12 per cent of all species that inhabit our planet live in an area covering 2 million square kilometres – or 1.5 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Virtually no other country has such a huge biodiversity. The cacti that cover much of the landscape are exceptionally diverse. Around 4,000 of the 6,000 cactus species known worldwide originate from Mexico. One of the most famous is the agave tequilana. As its name suggests, it provides the base ingredient for Mexico’s national spirit, tequila.

One country, many languagesMexico has a population of around 120 million, making it the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Along with Span-ish there are no fewer than 84 indigenous languages, 62 of which are offi cially recognised as national languages. Nahuatl, for example, is spoken by around 1.5 million descendants of the Aztecs. In the former Mayan territory of Chiapas alone there are 12 different languages.

Mexico is the only country in the Americas in which the Mestizo, people of combined European and indigenous descent, make up the majority of the population – in this case 60 per cent.

(A) Photo: © torremayor.com.mx / Reichmann International


The heritage of the indigenous peoples and that of the Spanish conquistadores are not unconnected or hostile to one another. Instead, they enhance, overlap and connect with one another in an ever surprising number of ways.

Typically Mexican The best example of this is the most Mexican of all Mexican fi estas, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). From 31 October to 2 November, Mexicans celebrate the cycle of life and death – enjoying food, drink and music and decorating streets and ceme-teries with fl owers. Family is very important to Mexicans and they love to spend this time with friends and relatives. Colourful symbols representing the transience of life can be seen every-where. The Day of the Dead is remarkable as it is essentially an Aztec festival with a Catholic blessing. The Aztecs traditionally

Unique landscape: Tulum on the Riviera Maya with its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and one of the last cities to be built by the Maya.

The blue agave is one of 400 types of agave plants and is essential for making tequila.

(A) Torre Mayor: the huge metropolis of Mexico City is expanding upwards. Standing 225 metres high, this modern skyscraper is one of Mexico’s tallest buildings.

(B) Palacio de Bellas Artes: the Palace of Fine Arts in the heart of Mexico City was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 and is today Mexico’s most impor-tant cultural institution.

(C) Chichén Itzá: one of the largest and best preserved Mayan ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Photos: © Shotshop.com

(B)

(C)

Photos: © Shotshop.com

celebrated the brief return of the dead to the world of the living following harvest time each year.

There are many other examples that illustrate this blending of cultures. For instance, the heart of modern Mexico is located in the same place as that of the Aztec empire. Plaza de la Con-stitución in the centre of Mexico City, where Mexico’s seat of govern-ment is located, is where the palace of the last Aztec emperor, Montezuma, stood 500 years ago. And Frida Kahlo, Mexico’s most famous painter, created works combining realism with fantasy, bring-ing together European and indigenous influences.

A country constantly reinventing itselfBefore the Spanish arrived on Mexican soil, a number of ad-vanced civilisations had already come and gone. The builders of the 2,000-year old Pyramid of the Sun of Teotihuacán were already a distant legend for the Aztecs. In Yucatán, after the first millennium BCE, the Maya established a system of rival city-states, constantly trying to outdo each other with the construc-tion of magnificent buildings. The Temple of Kukulcán at Chichén Itzá, the Temple of the Sun at Palenque, the palaces at Uxmal and many other examples of these buildings can still be seen today. The Maya created highly sophisticated mathematical and astronomical systems as well as a script that was only deci-phered in recent years. However, the reason why this advanced civilisation collapsed during the 9th century remains a mystery.In the case of the Aztecs, however, who had built a huge empire

in Central Mexico after the 14th century, we do know what

brought about their decline. It came in 1521 with the Spanish conquistadores led by Hernán Cortez. In their lust for gold, the conquistadores did not appreciate the country’s true treasures. These treasures continue to enrich our lives to this day, and it is thanks to

them that we can even speak a little Aztec in Europe. Xocólatl,

Cacauatl and Xitomatl are better known to us chocolate, cocoa and

tomato. Maize, paprika and vanilla, avo-cado, pineapple, tobacco and cotton also

found their way around the world via Mexico.

The Spanish conquest was followed by 300 years of colonial rule from which the Mexicans were liberated in 1821. The century that followed was marked by unrest which saw the country ruled by a series of emperors, presidents and dictators. There were wars with the US and France, and 1910 was the year of the Mexican Revolution, from which the current political system emerged. The 1917 Constitution saw Mexico become a federation comprising 31 states with a democratically elected president.

An economy in the fast laneMexico is a dynamic, modern state with all of the flaws and conflicts, but also all of the opportunities of the modern world. Traditional Mexican society has changed fundamentally in recent decades. While rural Mexico continues to play a central role in terms of cultural heritage, four out of five Mexicans now live in cities. The Mexico City metropolitan area is one of the biggest

Flying high: the Festo hot-air balloon at the foot of one of the biggest ancient monuments in existence, the Pyramid of the Sun of Teotihuacán.

The modern Festo building in Guadalajara lies in the west of the highlands of Mexico.

Successful cooperation

The Mexican market also offers enormous potential in the area of basic and further training. Demand by German as well as Mexican and international companies for qualifi ed workers, par-ticularly in the industry sector, is on the increase. For example, at 2,400 metres above sea level, in the Mexican city of San José Chiapa, Audi is currently building a state-of-the-art production plant. Around 3,800 employees will begin production of the Q5 here this year. Although the plant is still under construction, the Audi Mexico training centre opened nearby in October 2014.

The new building, which measures 20,000 square metres, will host more than 1,500 training courses a year for employees and apprentices. The training rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Festo Didactic has provided a total of 24 modular workstations for practical basic and further training using indus-trial components. Effi cient and effective production work requires technical expertise in all areas of automation technology. That is why Mexican employees working in maintenance and production

were brought over to Audi in Germany (Ingol-stadt and Neckarsulm) in advance to prepare them for their jobs in Mexico. Festo Training and Consulting hired German and Mexican trainers, who, over an extended period of time, provided the par-ticipants with intensive and individual support as well as training tailored to the needs of the car manufacturer in the areas of pneumatics and problem-solving techniques. All programmes are based on training using special learning systems for direct knowledge transfer to profes-sional practice.

Audi Mexico: The new training centre willhost more than 1,500 training courses a year.

“It is people who make the differ-ence. One of our key strategies is staff development.”Bernd Schreiber, General Manager of Festo Mexico


in the world, with over 20 million inhabitants. Other major cities include Guadalajara, Monterrey and Puebla.

With the exception of the global crisis years of 2008/09, Mexico has recorded steady growth rates in recent decades. Mexico is the world’s fi fth largest economy. It is the ninth biggest exporter and the tenth biggest importer. Mexico is also the tenth biggest oil exporter and the seventh biggest carmaker in the world. In 2014 alone, Mexico produced 3.2 million cars. This was an increase of 9.9 per cent over the previous year. Around 600,000 Mexicans work in the automotive industry. Because the industry imports the majority of its components, this opens up opportun-ities for automotive suppliers.

More than 40 years of FestoFesto identifi ed the opportunities and potential offered by Mexico at an early stage. Founded in 1974, Festo Pneumatic S.A., Edo. de Mexico today supports more than 30,000 customers through-out the country. They include companies in the automotive and food industries as well as chemical, pharmaceutical and electron-ics companies. Customer support is provided by 500 employees working at the company headquarters in the Tlalnepantla munici-pality of Mexico City and in 32 sales offi ces. Festo Mexico has been certifi ed according to ISO 9001 since 1995. Since 2012, the multinational contact centre in Mexico has also been supporting customers in Colombia, Argentina, Peru and Chile.

Photo: © AUDI AG

C asting resins protect high-quality electronic components against undesirable penetration by dirt and moisture. Precise and reli-

able dispensing technology is essential for the automatic application of these resins. bdtronic GmbH, a company located in Weikersheim in Baden-Württemberg, is one of the world’s leading suppliers of dispensing systems, including complete systems for automating the assembly and production of electronic components. bdtronic has now worked with Festo on a groundbreaking project to expand its product portfolio. The new mini-dis from bdtronic, based on the compact handling system YXMx, opens up another fi eld of application in the front-end processing of electronic and telecommunications prod-ucts. The integrated CECC-X controller allows curved travel paths, thus making it possible to produce even complex casting patterns. Designed as a space-saving and fl exible desktop application, the new complete solution from Festo facilitates cost-effective production of extremely short production runs.

From car parking sensors through to smartphones and electric toothbrushes, sensitive electronic components need protection against undesirable substances. That is why special casting resins are used. The “mini-dis” desktop machine from bdtronic allows high-precision dispensing processes in a very small space – thanks, among other things, to the compact handling system YXMx from Festo.

Perfect curvesDispensing casting resin

Precise and flexible: the mini-dis desktop application with the compact handling system YXMx can apply even the fi nest adhesive beads with the interpolating controller CECC-X.

Precision and reliabilityThe microdispensers and the mini-dis are used with semiconductor products and circuit boards, with the electronic compo-nents of numerous automotive modules and sensors, in medical technology and with smartphones. The mini-dis processes single- or two-component materials with an epoxy, polyamide, silicon or acrylate base and soldering pastes in the µl range. Across the world, several thousand differ-ent casting materials are used.

When it comes to the dispensing technol-ogy itself, two criteria are especially im-portant: precision and process reliability. To achieve these, bdtronic works extremely closely with its clients’ experts. In the company’s own application and technical centre, each product is extensively tested to check the interaction between the cast-ing resin, the dispensing technology and the components to be processed. One of the greatest challenges in the dispensing

process is the optimum preparation of the casting resins. These must fi rst be homo-genised and then evacuated. This avoids even the smallest air pockets.

Flexible and compactAn important criterion for bdtronic when selecting handling systems for dispensing is an interpolated actuator control system which allows travel along radii and thus

fl exible contours. This is the only way to defi ne precise dispensing points, create intricate patterns and fully encapsulate components of different shapes. The new desktop application with a Festo control-ler CECC-X with SoftMotion functionality fulfi lled this need. A key role was played by the programming language CODESYS, with which the bdtronic software engineers had already been working for many years. Since the CECC-X can be integrated via CODESYS, it could be added to the com-pany’s component family in no time at all. A further important criterion is easy read-ing-in and fast processing of CAD data.

“With the compact handling systems from Festo, we have a complete unit consisting of kinematics, a controller and software from a single source. This saves us time and money.”André Hellinger, Head of Development, Dispensing Technology, bdtronic


bdtronic GmbHAhornweg 497990 WeikersheimGermanywww.bdtronic.de Area of business:Production of complete solutions in the areas of dispensing technology, plasma pre-treatment, hot sealing, impregnation technology and process automation.

(A) On the move: the compact planar surface gantry provides maximum working space coverage. And it can travel to any required position within the working space.

(B) Just as compact as the handling system is the interior of the control cabinet, with a controller CECC-X (top right), a valve ter minal VUVG (bottom left) and a service unit from the Festo MS series (bottom right).

With its compact dimensions, the control-ler is a perfect match for the planar surface gantry EXCM-30, which offers many func-tionalities for working loads of up to 3 kg. The gantry provides maximum working space coverage. And it can travel to any required position within the working space.

Perfectly matchedFesto has designed its compact handling systems as a kit with perfectly-matched standard components. The bdtronic mini-dis uses a planar surface gantry EXCM-30 with additional Z-axis EGSK as a kine-matic mechanism including the controller CECC-X. It also includes a comprehensive software package for simple programming and commissioning, which is an integral part of the Festo complete solution. Having

a large number of functions available in a very small space avoids the problems of both under- and over-dimensioning. The controller software, based on CODESYS, offers the most important basic functions that are needed to program travel paths even without an in-depth knowledge of programming. The controller interfaces allow the compact USB cameras, sensors, actuators and valves all to be connected. All of this results in great efficiency and saves considerable amounts of time and money.

www.festo.com/hgo www.festo.com/cecc

(A)

(B)

Kinematics, controller and software in one package

Compact handling systems for moving workpieces or tools help machine and system builders in electronics and small parts manufacturing to signifi cantly reduce their engineering costs – and they get a cost-effective system thanks to standard components. Predefi ned function modules from the software library and intuitive application programming with the sequencer simplify programming and commissioning.

The system kit from Festo consists of perfectly matched components and functions from a single source. These components can be used to simply combine complete systems, consisting of kinematics, controller and even software. Systems of this kind open up entirely new potential for savings. They enable machine and system builders to concentrate fully on their core business.

Programming and commissioning with the predefi ned function modules of the Handling Motion Lib is quick and easy. The following functions are possible: parameterisation, reference travel and jogging operation for the interfaces for communication with host systems, fi le management and a message system for error handling and sequence processing.

Included in the system kit is a compact controller CECC-X. This allows numerous functions to be carried out in very small spaces. It contains a range of predefi ned interfaces to a master control system – including the OPC-UA interface for Industry 4.0.


Filled antipasti specialities are becoming increasingly popular, and an ever-expanding range of these products can be found on our supermarket shelves. The job of filling these tiny delicacies used to be done by hand, and was therefore time-consuming and costly. A new machine from Karb Maschinenbau GmbH has made this process easier. Equipped with cylinders, valves and valve terminals from Festo, it fully automatically fills peppers and other choice foods with cream cheese.

All in good tasteAutomatic antipasti multi-filling machine

P eppers, chillies and olives are classic Mediterranean antipasti. Many consumers are familiar with Mediterranean cuisine and there-

fore expect high standards from these delicacies – they must be fresh, tasty and a feast for the eyes. To meet the demands of their customers, food producers must work quickly and hygienically. Thanks to a new antipasti multi-filling machine from Karb Maschinenbau GmbH that is, accord-ing to the manufacturer, the only one of its kind worldwide, production is now more than 3.5 times faster. Festo components are used to ensure smooth movements at process and production level.

14,500 items per hourDespite so many work steps in industrial food production being automated, the fill-ing of vegetables is still done by hand. Trained employees can produce up to 1,000 items per hour, but it is a tedious process, and the manual aspect means it requires high standards of hygiene. Each item must be picked up by hand and then filled with cream cheese. Thanks to the new automatic antipasti multi-filling machine from Karb, this job is now much easier and, above all, faster. Employees simply need to place the vegetables on the filling nozzles. The machine does the rest – producing up to 14,500 items per hour. Although the system is currently being used to fill pointed peppers, it can be used to process all kinds of vegetables. The only requirement is that the vegetables have a cavity for the filling.

Automatic filling and cleaningSophisticated, highly sensitive sensor technology – details of which Karb Maschinenbau is keeping under wraps for product protection reasons – ensures that the correct amount of filling is dispensed. The sensors automatically detect when the pepper is full and report it to the machine controller within a fraction of a second. The machine controller then sends the stop signal to the Festo cylinder EPCO, which is responsible for the filling process. Because hygiene is as important as speed in the food industry, the system has an automatic cleaning program. A solution of water and cleaning agent instead of cream cheese is flushed through the pipes to clean them.


20 peppers in one goTwo EvoGuard valves, 20 EPCO cylinders, five valve terminals CPX/MPA, 20 cartridge cylinders EGZ and an MS series service unit keep the process running smoothly. The hygienic valves EvoGuard, which are tailored precisely to the requirements of the food industry, control the infeed of the cheese at process level, while the EPCO electric cylinders take care of the actual filling process. They draw cream cheese into a type of syringe and inject it into the vegetable. The combination of system controller and sensors ensures the perfect fill quantity. 20 vegetables can be filled at a time in this way. Because the cavities of peppers, chillies, etc. vary in size, the sys-tem uses its sophisticated sensor technol-ogy to detect the level of each individual vegetable and waits until the last is filled to the top with cream cheese before placing all the vegetables onto a conveyor

“It was important for us to have a partner like Festo to guide us through the entire process of developing a new machine.”Erhard Karb, CEO of Karb Maschinenbau

Peppers in neat rows: the vegetables stand on filling nozzles waiting to be filled with cream cheese.

The EvoGuard valve controls the butterfly valves for feeding the cream cheese.

Karb Maschinenbau GmbH

Lochmühlenstraße 112-11397357 PrichsenstadtGermanywww.karb-maschinenbau.de

Area of business: Planning, consulting, design and manufacture of special-purpose machines, tools and equipment

Fills 14,500 fresh vegetables in an hour: the new antipasti multi-filling machine from Karb Maschinenbau.

Everything under control: the grippers developed by Karb Maschinenbau use Festo cartridge cylinders EGZ.

at the same time. The valve terminal CPX/MPA, which controls the proportional valves for the grippers, ensures highly sen-sitive gripping without pressure marks.The grippers developed by Karb Maschinenbau use Festo cartridge cylinders EGZ.

Expertise and worldwide availabilityThe machine took around fi ve years to develop from the initial idea to fi nal fi ne-tuning. Behind the smooth-running system that makes the fi lling process look so easy lies a lot of complex and time-consuming work that had to be accomplished on the journey from the initial concept to com-missioning, including design, manufacture and control. Throughout this period, Karb Maschinenbau was supported by Festo employees. Along with their expertise, they provided sample parts for extensive test-ing and carried out trials in the Festo test laboratory. The many years of cooperation

with Festo together with the high quality of the products and their availability worldwide were pivotal to the project. The machine building experts are already working on the next step of automating the feeding and packaging process.

www.festo.com/oms


Handling viscose substances with precision

Automation of laboratory sample preparation

Laboratories in the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food technol-ogy industries are increasingly relying on automation for sample preparation. The Modular Sample Processor, a development from the global laboratory equip-ment manufacturer Anton Paar, is one such solution – and uses electric axes and control systems from Festo.

Handling viscose substances with precision

T he advantages of laboratory auto-mation are plain to see: it frees up laboratory technicians from monotonous, repetitive tasks,

and eliminates the need for them to handle hazardous substances. It permits 24-hour operation seven days a week, and increases the quality, reproducibility and traceability of samples. But the most important advantage for the majority of laboratories is that automation not only saves time and money, but also guaran-tees an error-free analyses and therefore accurate results.

Compact bench-top platformThe Modular Sample Processor is a system for preparing samples, such as for chro-matographic analysis with high-pressure throughput for samples within a range from a few up to 100 millilitres – as required in the petrochemical, food or fragrance industries. The compact bench-top plat-form prepares samples which are then tested, for example, for their water content, density, viscosity, suspended particles or pH value. “We use it for automating

time-consuming manual work such as pipetting, sampling, dosing and weighing across a wide range of volumes and for many different types of samples,” explains project manager Markus Schöllauf from the Automation and Robotics division of Anton Paar. This ensures the volumes, concentrations and mixtures are correct. The Modular Sample Processor can be used as a bench-top unit for liquid media and solids, or integrated into complete automation solutions.

Precise pipetting proceduresCompact handling gantries with electric axes from Festo – the DGEA axis in the X-direction and the EGSK axis in the Y-dir-ection, equipped with motors of the type EMMS-ST – ensure precise pipetting pro-cedures. Once a pipetting procedure has finished, a pneumatic AEN cylinder from Festo ensures that the used pipette is ejected into a waste chute.

Another handling system equipped with the same axes takes the sample holders from the output trays and places them on

the weighing unit. There, a pipette pro-vides the sample holders with the exact amount and volume of the substance to be tested. The sample holder is then held by the handling gantry over a scanner so that the sample can be allocated using a data matrix code. This integrated barcode reader enables the samples to be traced throughout the entire specimen prepar-ation process. At the end of this process, the sample is placed on the output tray.

Tested complete solution“Festo didn’t just supply us with the axes, but also a complete system solution in-cluding a CECC CODESYS controller,” says project manager Schöllauf, reporting on the cooperation with Festo. He continues by adding, “Without that, it would not have been possible for us to meet the extremely short development deadline of four months.” This also made it possible to program the two handling gantries so they would never collide despite the fact that they move within the same working space. This was checked and tested by Festo before delivery.

Precise pipetting processes: thanks to compact handling gantries with electric axes from Festo.


Anton Paar

Anton-Paar-Straße 208054 GrazAustriawww.anton-paar.com

Area of business: Development and manufacture of highly accurate laboratory instruments and process measuring systems and custom-tailored auto-mation and robotic solutions.

Developing the dispensing head was no minor task either. This is where VODA valves come in. These media valves are directly actuated diaphragm valves. Depending on how the pressure is defined, the metering of the fluid to be transported is higher or lower. The opening pressure of the valve is therefore defined by the pre-tension and flexibility of the diaphragm. This enables the medium used to be dis-pensed extremely accurately. With the Modular Sample Processor the samples are precisely assigned to the correct con-tainer – to the last millimeter.

Reliability worldwide“In this sub-project, the engineers from the Med ical Technology and Laboratory

Compact bench-top platform: the Modular Sample Processor can be used as a bench-top unit for liquid media and solids, or integrated into complete automation solutions.

“Right from the initial CAD concept we worked closely with our system partner Festo to create the platform.”Project manager Dipl.-Ing. Markus Schöllauf from the Automation and Robotics division of Anton Paar

Automation division of Festo demonstrated their level of expertise combined with high commitment,” continues Schöllauf. This provides reliability for follow-on pro-jects, adds the project manager – as does the fact that products, solutions and ser-vices from Festo can be supplied quickly almost anywhere in the world. This is also important for companies like Anton Paar, so that the Modular Sample Processor can be marketed on a worldwide basis.

www.festo.com/laboratoryautomation

Austria

LED it be Ready-to-install handling system in headlight production

Full LED headlight with matrix function for optimum light output without dazzling.

Phot

o: ©

GM

Com

pany

DSL swivel/linear drive units pull on the light module and check that it is fi rmly positioned.

A ready-to-install handling system ensures even application of a two-component thermally conductive paste.

Austrian plant engineering fi rm Vescon developed a solution for producing full LED headlights for the plant of Slovakian automotive supplier ZKW Group. The solution is an LED light module that avoids dazzling other road users thanks to a “matrix arrangement” of the LEDs and the ability to dip individual LED segments, while at the same time ensuring good visibility for the road ahead.

The design had to take processes such as the tricky application of a two-com-ponent thermally conductive paste into account. Thermally conductive pasteis used here because powerful LEDs produce heat that must be dissipated. It is important to check whether the correct amount of heat-conducting paste has actually been applied to all required surfaces. A second particularly challenging part of the headlight assembly system is hot riveting. A plastic dome is deformed at a precisely determined temperature to create a rivet head.

A three-axis handling system from Festo is used for applying the thermally con-ductive paste. The basic axes are two toothed belt axes type EGC. The Y-axis is a heavy-duty axis with sturdy double guide. An electric slide EGSL operates in the Z-direction. All axes are equipped with servo drive packages. The controllers are motor controllers type CMMP. The operator places the heat sink in the station and the thermally conductive paste is applied automatically on both sides using the Festo handling system. It always brings the two-component dosing system to exactly the right position on the right track. The second handling system is responsible for moving the rivet head tools. These are mounted on the handling system and are moved the last bit of the way by cylinders ADN controlled by VTUG. Both handling systems were designed, built and delivered by Festo as a subsystem – complete with documentation.

www.vescon.at

1.2016 trends in automationSynergies/Festo worldwide 40 – 41

Tension guaranteedProducing bandages using the fl uidic muscle DMSP

Wernli AG was founded in 1932 and was the fi rst textile manufacturer in the world to produce coloured dressing materials. Today, it is cohesive and adhesive elastic bandages as well as compression bandages that are securing Wernli a leading position in the global market. The company processed 336 tons of yarn in 2014. Laid end to end, the fi nished bandages would reach over 51,000 km. 85% of the 10 million bandages produced each year are exported. According to Ruedi Leutert, Head of Prework/ Weaving, Development and Yarn Purchasing at Wernli, for long-term success, you need more than just product innovations. The fl exibility to custom-manu-facture small-scale series and deliver quickly is also important. New effi ciencies are being identifi ed all the time and implemented gradually. This was the case with the looms for the Bi-Flex type bandages, which are elastic both lengthways and crossways. The warp beams from which the yarn is continuously unwound must move under constant tension. Without the use of compensating lead weights, the speed of the warp beams would increase as more yarn is unwound and produce an unevenly elastic bandage fabric. The weights, which weigh between 2.5 and 15 kg, previously had to be hung manually on the warp beams by employees. The fl uidic muscle DMSP from Festo has revolutionised this complex process.

The innovative pneumatic drive has clear advantages for this application compared with a conventional pneu-matic cylinder. Since there is no need for a piston rod, friction and therefore the stick-slip effect – the jerking motion that can occur while two solid objects are rubbing against each other – are not a problem. This means that, together with the precise closed-loop control provided by the fl uidic muscle DMSP, the yarns are now optimally tensioned. This guarantees the high quality of the fi nished bandages. Without the weights used previously, the quality of the products is improved and the risk of accidents is reduced. A further advantage is that the fl uidic muscle needs much less installation space compared with the weights.

www.festo.com/fl uidicmuscle www.weroswiss.com

Clever solution: thanks to the fl uidic muscle there is no longer a need for the weights and the yarn tension can be set precisely.

Switzerland

USA

From New York to OhioNew Regional Service Center is opened

Optimum location, optimised processes: the new Regional Service Center in Mason, Ohio.

Cincinnati at night: the new Regional Service Center in Mason is only around 40 km from the economic and industrial metropolis.

Modern workplace: in the manual packaging area, Festo products are packaged according to customer specifi cations and prepared for delivery.

Phot

o: ©

Sho

tsho

p.co

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The new Regional Service Center (RSC) in Mason, Ohio, has 9,000 square metres of logistics space, a manufacturing area of 7,000 square metres and 2,600 square metres of offi ce space. The logistics operation is already up and running, deliveries to customers have commenced and the relocation of production from headquarters in Hauppauge, Long Island, to Mason is now completed and operational. Over 40 members of staff moved to Ohio along with production. The remaining job vacancies will be fi lled by applicants from the Cincinnati region. Special train-ing courses and webinars developed in cooperation with Festo Didactic are helping to prepare staff for their new roles.

The site in Mason sets new standards in the areas of automat-ed stock management, software technology and product con-fi guration. The automated distribution system will enable even very large order volumes to be processed effi ciently. The high technical standards and optimised processes guarantee fast and reliable delivery to customers. The location was chosen for its good infrastructure thanks to numerous highway links, several airports in the region as well as distribution centres for large shipping providers.

Hauppauge will remain the corporate head offi ce in the United States. As well as the Sales, Customer Service, Engineering, Marketing, Finance and IT areas, Prototype Development and Assembly as well as current Process Automation projects will remain in Hauppauge.

1.2016 trends in automationFesto worldwide 42 – 43

Spain

All wrapped up Fully automatic stretch wrapping

The stretch wrapping machine achieves high speeds and optimises film consumption.

The modular automation platform CPX is a key component of the stretch wrapping machine from Movitec. It integrates pneumatic and electrical control chains easily, quickly, flexibly and seamlessly into all automation concepts and company-specific standards.

Movitec Wrapping Systems based in the Spanish city of Lleida specialises in manufacturing automatic rotary ring stretch wrapping machines for wrapping palletised loads. The fastest model in this range of packaging machines is capable of handling 160 loads per hour fully automatically. Wrapping the products protects them if they are dropped during transport or storage and protects them against moisture and dust. The machine also optimises film consumption, as it requires up to 10 per cent less film compared with manual wrapping.

The rotary ring stretch wrapping machines are based on a stable four-column design. The load sits in the centre. The roll is mounted on the rotary ring, which rotates in concentric circles at over 40 r.p.m. until wrapping is completed. Despite the system’s high speed, it still succeeds in saving significant amounts of energy. The system features a modular automation platform CPX, various pneumatic cylinders and a service unit for compressed air preparation.

www.movitec-ws.com

PublisherFesto AG & Co. KGRuiter Strasse 82D-73734 Esslingen, GermanyTel. +49 (0) 711 347 11 11Fax +49 (0) 711 347 20 [email protected]

Manager Customer MagazineSilke GartenmeierMarket Media CreationTel. +49 (0) 711 347 [email protected]

Responsible for contentDr. Guido Purper, Head of Market [email protected] Sohn, Head of Direct Marketing [email protected]

Please noteAll terms such as customer, user, specialist or technical consultant refer to both men and women.

Copyright 2016 Festo AG & Co. KGAll rights reserved

All images, graphics and texts are protected by copyright law or other intellectual property rights. Any reproduction, modifi cation or use in other print or electronic publications is prohibited without the express consent of Festo AG & Co. KG.

About this magazinetrends in automation 1.2016April/May 2016

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A lot of bottleEffi cient process for bottling drinks

Palletising, which used to be the manual bottleneck of the system, has now been fully automated thanks to Festo components.

The new palletising system from Gaudium used at a drinks fi lling plant in San Juan in western Argentina handles 5,200 bottles per hour. Palletising the bottle packs is the last stage of the PET bottle production process. The process used to involve a lot of manual work. By changing the plant layout and using Festo components, the cycle time was shortened and the process was made more effi cient. It is now possible to switch between up to eight different formats, depending on the bottle shape and the arrangement of the packs on the pallet.

The plant contains numerous technical solutions, including classic pneumatic drives for linear movement and rotation, electric drives for positioning, toothed belt axes as well as magnetic, inductive and optical sensors. Valve terminals are used to control the processes.

www.grupogaudium.com.ar

Argentina

Germany/International

Awarding performanceFesto as a Bosch Preferred Supplier

The Bosch group, high-tech company and the world’s largest sup-plier to the automotive industry, has chosen Festo as a preferred supplier of pneumatic technology. Festo has received the Preferred Supplier status for above average performance in collaboration with the Bosch group. The supplier evaluation criteria include strong delivery reliability, advanced technical solutions, fulfi llment of inter-national standards and global orientation.

Bosch honours its best suppliers each year with the Preferred Sup-plier status. The Preferred Supplier status is valid worldwide for all Bosch plants and all business divisions of the high-tech company and the world’s largest supplier to the automotive industry.

1.2016 trends in automationFesto worldwide 44 – 45

Do you enjoy doing research, Mr Paul?

Yes, and not just in my job as an engineer in the Research Mechatronic Components department. As an amateur beekeeper, I am always making new discoveries. My six hives stand in the middle of orchards

in the foothills of the Swabian Jura. After 15 years, I am still fascinated by how the bees organise themselves, how they communicate with one another and how they differ from one another. As a good beekeeper, I have to be able to understand the hive’s condition – in other words, whether I need to expand or split the hive or replace the queen. I observe the bees’ flight behaviour and the amount of honey and always keep an eye on the environment. For example, which blossoms are producing nectar at that moment and how the weather is affecting the bees. It is important to respond flexibly and I am constantly learning – thanks also to regular contact with other beekeepers.

The same is true of my work at Festo. I communicate with my colleagues, with other companies and with research institutes. Right now we are doing a great deal of work on the topic of Industry 4.0. As part of the EU research project AVANTI, for example, we are developing methods and technologies for the cross-company process of virtual commissioning. The objective is to save time and costs along the entire value chain. To optimise the planning and commissioning of production plants, we create a virtual reality image that is accurate down to the last detail. This enables us to improve process flows and cycle times, avoid unintended conflicts and program control sequences in advance. Test cases are used for generating scenarios, for example to simulate errors in the motion sequence or the programming, and their effects. This increases safety dur-ing actual commissioning and in everyday work too.

My tasks are extremely varied. As a mechatronic engineer specialising in automation technology, I am able to combine these two different disciplines in my work. I really enjoy working in an industrial environment. But working outside with nature is a very welcome change. And I get to see as well as taste the results of my work.

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Fascinating underwater world

Coral reefs are called the rainforests of the sea because of their diversity, colours and shapes as well as their inhabitants. With 6,500 different species, they are the most diverse group of theso-called coelenterates. Their variety of colours and shapes is refl ected in the scientifi c name “Anthozoa”, which literally means “fl ower animals”. In addition to being biodiverse, coral reefs provide new habitats for many marine animals. The world’s largest coral reef, the Great Barrier Reef, located off Australia’s northeast coast, is home to around 5,000 species of mollusc, 1,500 species of fi sh and 1,500 species of sponge as well as 800 species of echinoderm.

The Caribbean brain coral (pictured above and on the cover) cer-tainly lives up to its name. Its incredible diversity makes it not only fascinating to divers, but also something of a scientifi c enigma. Even specimens from the same coral colony appear to have differ-ent shapes and colours, as the photo taken by Evan D’Alessandro shows. Whether they are genetically identical despite their diffe-rent appearance and the reason why they take on another shape despite being in the same habitat remains a mystery.

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Festo AG & Co. KG

P.O. BoxD-73726 EsslingenPhone +49 711 347-0Fax +49 711 [email protected]

trends - Pneumatic & electric automation technology · trends in automation: The Natural History Museum in Vienna (NHM) houses around 30 million objects, making it one of the world’s

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