Festo AX Controls automation portfolio in use
Fresh on the market, the Festo AX Controls automation portfolio is showing its open side: voraus robotik, an innovative software company from Hanover, is integrating its automation software into Festo AX Controls. With the software voraus.core, manufacturers, integrators and end users can easily create and execute solutions for a wide range of applications and optimize and monitor their entire automation.
The company voraus robotik is integrating its agnostic software core voraus.core for flexible automation solutions into the new Festo Festo AX Controls automation environment. Thanks to the powerful development environment voraus.pioneer, visitors to SPS can experience programming, simulation, testing and deployment for an application with gantry robots at the Festo stand 305 in hall 9.
Real-time applications can be integrated
Festo AX Controls consists of the operating system Festo AX OS, the control software Festo AX Motion, the visualization software Festo AX Machine Visualization and the first edge controller CEPE. The result is a flexible solution portfolio for industrial control tasks. Fields of application can be developed from classic motion controllers to a wide range of motion, IoT and edge tasks in the industrial environment, depending on customer requirements. The containerized runtime environment opens up new possibilities for the integration of modern AI-based software.
The Festo Edge Controller CEPE is the first product based on Festo AX Controls. With the containerized runtime environment Festo AX OS, different software applications can be integrated and executed in parallel. Both cyclically executed real-time applications and non-real-time applications are used in parallel. The data is available to the applications transparently and can be parameterized by the user.
This creates the conditions for combining established industrial applications with the possibilities of modern information technology. Existing application modules from classic automation can continue to be used and combined with new software methods. Existing proprietary components can be integrated via open interfaces of the software platform and then addressed in a standardized way - this reduces effort and risk. Festo AX Controls OS is based on PLCnext Technology from Phoenix Contact.
Platform Festo AX Controls
"Festo AX Controls from Festo provides us with an industry-compatible platform. The existing interfaces and the integrated basic software relieve us of standard tasks and allow us to focus on customer benefits. Together, we can guarantee uncompromisingly flexible automation and maximum reliability," explains Jens Kotlarski, Managing Director of voraus robotik.
"The automation market is undergoing profound change. Rapid product iterations, a wide range of variants, short response times and growing cost pressure present companies with major challenges. For Festo, cooperation with innovative software companies plays an important role. Working with voraus robotik gives us access to a great deal of know-how and creativity," explains Dr. Wolfgang Sperling, Head of the Electric Automation business unit at Festo.
About voraus robotik GmbH
voraus combines the methods of modern software development (IT) with those of automation technology (OT). Thanks to the software from voraus, manufacturers, industrial companies and integrators can efficiently and sustainably create and implement solutions for any application - independently and easily expandable. The powerful development environment from voraus makes it possible to decouple programming from hardware availability: control code tested and optimized in the simulation can be executed directly in the real system - maximum speed with minimum risks.
Festo is a global player and an independent family-owned company with headquarters in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany. Festo has set standards in industrial automation technology and technical education ever since its establishment, thereby making a contribution to sustainable development of the environment, the economy and society. The company supplies pneumatic and electrical automation technology to 300,000 customers of factory and process automation in over 35 industries. Digitalization, AI and the LifeTech sector with medical technology and laboratory automation are becoming increasingly important. The products and services are available in 176 countries. With about 20,600 employees in over 250 branch offices in around 60 countries worldwide, Festo achieved a turnover of around €3.65 billion in 2023. Each year around 7% of this turnover is invested in research and development. In this learning company, 1.5 % of turnover is invested in basic and further training. Festo Didactic SE is a leading provider of technical education and training and offers its customers worldwide comprehensive digital and physical learning solutions in the industrial environment.
