Festo debuts suite of new products at Rockwell Automation event

November 14, 2018 – At the 2018 Automation Fair this week, Festo introduced new solutions that work with Rockwell Automation’s data-driven manufacturing and processing initiatives.

The Festo CPX-FB36 is the first Rockwell Automation third-party device that provides FactoryTalk Analytics for Devices (Shelby) with valve terminal health and diagnostic details. When combined with the MSE6-E2M intelligent energy efficiency module, Shelby creates a dashboard providing the pneumatic response of a system with up to a six-month look-back. The CPX-FB36 diagnostic data is also accessible by FactoryTalk TeamONE mobile app users via the Action Deck.

The CPX-FB36 brings the Festo VTEM digital pneumatic valve terminal into the Rockwell Automation Connected Enterprise. Each VTEM-intelligent valve changes functionality based on downloadable apps from Festo. These flexible valves can potentially replace up to 50 pneumatic components. Festo also introduced two new downloadable apps: Soft Stop, which enables the fast acceleration of a linear actuator without the use of shock absorbers, and model-based pressure control, which ensures precise control of a pneumatic actuator without having to incorporate additional sensors.

Festo also previewed its soon-to-be-released CPX-IoT Gateway. CPX-IoT gives customers preconfigured dashboards for Festo devices, including all CPX valve terminals and the MSE6-E2M intelligent energy efficiency module. Festo dashboards are designed to enhance energy savings and to improve overall equipment effectiveness. User programming is not required.

Finally, Festo AppWorld now has a SaaS solution for EPLAN. Users can enter a configuration of any Encompass Referenced valve terminal and the service creates an error-free EPLAN project in minutes.