Festo launches pre-engineered solutions
Keywords: Assembly, Robots, Festo
Automation specialist, Festo, has introduced a range of standardised system solutions to reduce installation and commissioning times and maximise ease of use for customers. First off the pre-engineered line is a comprehensive solution for handling applications (Plate 6).
The advantages for Festo customers include single part number ordering for a complete handling solution. All wiring and piping for the pneumatic and automation components are already in place, thereby eliminating the most common source of installation errors. In addition, the packages include full documentation, CAD drawings and 3D illustrations ready to be dropped into machine designs and technical files.
Festo supplies the entire package, from a simple handling axis to a multi-axis system complete with control system utilising touchscreen industrial PC and bus technology. "All the user needs to do is bolt down the handling system to their machine, connect mares voltage, and watch it run!" says Festo Product Manager Nigel Dawson. The company has registered the term 'Festo Plug and Work' to highlight the ease and speed with which applications can now be built.
Plate 6 New "Festo Plug and Work® pre-engineered handling solutions consist of pick and place gantries and cantilever designs across a range of sizes and movements
The new Plug and Work pre-engineered handling solutions consist of pick &place gantries and cantilever designs across a range of sizes and movements."Customers simply select the mass of the component, the required cycle time and the movement required for their application," Dawson explains. "The new handling system solutions include free consultancy to advise on appropriate equipment configurations." Typical pre-engineered solutions cover loads from 150g to 150kg in single or multi-axis formats with accuracies down to 0.01mm. A broad selection of pneumatic and servo- electric drives complete the package to address all positioning possibilities.
Along with tested designs, proven performance, fixed costs and Festo Plug and Work® functionality, Festo customers also benefit from access to specialist automation expertise, applications support and advanced software solutions -including the latest PALM programming software free of charge (for use with Palm and Handspring PDAs) for the handling system PLC controllers.
"The advantages of customers sourcing a pre-engineered Festo Plug and Work®handling system from Festo is that they can have a proven standardised solution up and running in days for a fraction of the cost of in house design and build,"claims Dawson. "For applications outside the scope of a standardised pre-engineered solution, we can use our full range of over 16,000 products to modify the package to suit the special requirements," Dawson adds.
Contact: Nicola Meadway, Festo Ltd, Automation House, Harvest Crescent,Ancells Business Park, Fleet, Hampshire, GU13 8XP, UK. Tel: 01252 775000; Fax:01252 775001; E-mail: nicola_meadway@festo.com
