Festo Broadens the ELGD Electric Actuator Family to Meet More Motion Demands
ISLANDIA, N.Y., April 15, 2026 — As packaging, life science, and light assembly machines evolve, linear axes are increasingly expected to handle new performance demands without expanding machine envelopes or triggering platform redesign. When an actuator family reaches its performance ceiling, OEMs face a difficult choice: redesign the motion system or constrain machine capability to fit existing hardware.
To address this expansion pressure, Festo has broadened its ELGD rodless electric actuator family to extend load capacity, stiffness, and configuration range while preserving the compact architecture machine builders rely on. The expanded ELGD-TB toothed belt and ELGD-BS ball screw models provide higher force capability, longer stroke lengths, and additional mounting options, allowing OEMs to scale linear motion performance without reworking the surrounding machine structure.
Machine builders gain a broader selection of axes, all designed for quick configuration, global availability, and full compatibility with Festo servo drives and motion tools. The expanded ELGD family is part of the Festo FAST program, with standard models stocked in the U.S. for rapid shipment within one day.
With its combination of range, precision, and clean design, the ELGD family supports a wide spectrum of electric motion applications. Typical uses include pick-and-place, packaging, laboratory automation, assembly, gluing, and light machining. The actuators can be used as single axes or integrated into complete gantry and Cartesian systems with Festo drives and controllers. Each unit is verified to deliver the performance calculated in Festo’s design tools, giving OEMs confidence that system performance and accuracy will meet specifications.
The ELGD family integrates fully with Festo’s digital engineering ecosystem, giving OEMs faster and easier ways to specify, size, and configure electric motion systems. With the Electric Motion Sizing tool, engineers can select the correct actuator, drive, and motor combination in minutes for single-axis motion. ELGD axes have been added to the Festo Handling Guide Online platform, which enables complete multi-axis configuration, including axes, drives, motors, and accessories, to be specified in about 20 minutes.
Clean, Sealed, and Easy to Integrate
The expansion introduces new ball screw and toothed belt versions engineered for higher forces, longer strokes, and greater rigidity. Stroke lengths reach up to 8.2 feet for ball screw drives and 27.9 feet for toothed belt versions. For reduced-force applications, the wide-body ELGD-WD weighs 30 percent less than larger units while maintaining similar rigidity and guide load capacity.
The family’s bearing and carriage design promotes smooth motion, lower vibration, and higher torque capacity. These updates enable machine builders to configure axes to match both precision and high-speed system requirements.
The actuators integrate with the newest Festo CMMT-AS and CMMT-ST servo drives and EMMT-AS servo motors and EMMT-ST stepper motors. Festo also offers motor mounting kits for third-party motors.
For customers that need under-machine mounting, the ELGD now includes an option for direct mounting installation. The under-machine mounting option simplifies the design in tight envelopes.
A stainless-steel cover strip with magnetic deflection protects against particle ingress and wear for a longer and more trouble-free service life. And the actuator includes a breathing port that allows a flow of sealing air, typically 0.1 to 0.2 bar, creating positive internal pressure to prevent contamination in dirty work environments. ELGD also supports cleanroom, laboratory, and industrial applications where cleanliness and reliability are critical by applying vacuum to the breathing port.
OEMs benefit from the company’s global engineering and manufacturing network, standardized components, and digital tools that shorten project timelines. For more information on the family of ELGD electric actuators, contact a Festo sales representative or distributor. For insights into how the Festo ecosystem reduces engineering overhead and speeds time to market, visit www.festo.com.
