Festo offers software and hardware to shorten packaging-machine development time and reduce engineering overhead. These components, systems, and software tools will be on display at Pack Expo on September 23 to 25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center Booth LS-6349.

Design a pick-and-place robot and control cabinet in minutes

Festo demonstrates a Cartesian robot and control cabinet that were designed in minutes using the Handling Guide Online and Festo Motion Control Package online tools. These productivity tools slash the costs of engineering, assembling, and programming Cartesian robots – robots that can be used for pick and place, assembly, and general-handling applications.

With Handling Guide Online, engineers enter application parameters such as load and speed and the online tool designs the optimum two or three-axis robot. The design process averages 20 minutes. At the completion of the session, the engineer receives a CAD file, bill of materials, and quote. Festo Cartesian robots are assigned a customer specific part number that facilitates reordering and global support. Robots are purchased as an all-in-one-box kit or as a ready-to-install subassembly.

The Festo Motion Control Package concurrently designs the control panel. Control panels arrive fully assembled. Personnel simply attach power and communication cables and begin the teaching process, which involves function blocks, not a specialized programming language. Robots can be in operation in a matter of hours after arrival.

Fast changeovers with pneumatics

The VTEM Motion Terminal’s intelligent pneumatic valves change functionality based on downloadable apps. The Motion Terminal is suitable for products with short lifecycles, lines where multiple stock keeping units (SKUs) are manufactured, and small lot production. At Pack Expo, Festo shows the Motion Terminal changing functionality in a matter of seconds. Functionalities include:

• Pressure control with a fluidic muscle DMSP; presetting travel time with a DGC linear drive

• Flow control with flow sensors SFAH; caudal regulator with the DGC linear drive

• Pick and place with a DGSL mini slide; fast, trouble-free assembly with these linear axes

The low-cost linear actuator ELGC and mini slide EGSC are designed for interoperability and assembly in a matter of seconds. Visitors to the Festo booth can try their hands at assembling ELGC and EGSC and see for themselves how quick and easy these components go together. Actuator and slide offer an optimal ratio between installation space and working space and don’t need mounting plates.

Fast engineering with this innovative end-of-arm tool

The new DHEF adaptive shape gripper is an end-of-arm tool that offers maximum gripping flexibility with minimal engineering. The adaptive shape gripper automatically grasps mixed objects, multiple shapes, fragile items, and unaligned objects. The flexible silicone cap gently forms around objects, gripping it firmly. This gripper is suitable for collaborative robotics.

Other Festo Pack Expo highlights include grippers, vision systems, and a portfolio of IO-Link solutions. Festo Stars of Automation ensures a guaranteed 24-hour shipment of core products.

For more information, visit www.festo.us or Booth LS-6349 at Pack Expo.