Seeds are the new gold. Why is that? Plant-based foods can feed an ever-growing world population. But climate change, pests and diseases threaten plant breeding. To help develop resistant seeds and make them available to agriculture, plant breeders need vast amounts of DNA. That is precisely why Synchron Lab has developed the "DNA factory", which is automated with handling gantries, electric axes, pneumatic grippers and sensors from Festo.

Adjusting the proximity switches for detecting the end position of a pneumatic cylinder’s piston stroke is often a complex process. Not so with the SDBT-MSX from Festo, the first proximity switch with automatic switching point adjustment.

The high-performance image-processing system makes carrying out inspections from several perspectives or with a large field of view very simple and intuitive. High-resolution cameras and a powerful controller form the core of the system. The applicable image-processing software delivers fast, process-reliable results for automation and robot technology.