Festo Brings Hazardous Area Automation to Class I, Division 2 Applications
MASON, Ohio, September 1, 2026 — In Class I, Division 2 hazardous locations, pneumatic actuators have traditionally been controlled from control cabinets in distant, safe locations. Long wiring runs increase installation and commissioning time, complicate maintenance and troubleshooting, and make future system expansion difficult.
Festo addresses this challenge with its VTUG-EX valve terminal, which extends fieldbus connectivity into Class I, Division 2 areas. Fieldbus Ethernet connects the VTUG-EX directly to a PLC and eliminates the need to wire individual actuators over long distances.
The VTUG-EX valve terminal now supports EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, and PROFIBUS communication using interchangeable bus nodes. It also connects directly to an IO-Link master for added flexibility. The space-saving VTUG-EX accommodates up to 24 valve stations (up to 48 solenoid coils) with flow rates up to 630 l/min (22 CFM). Hot-swap valve replacement, multiple pressure zones, and panel-mounted installation simplify maintenance and system design, while global certifications, including UL Class I, Division 2 and IECEx, enable deployment in hazardous locations worldwide.
Festo Supplies Control Cabinets for Hazardous Locations
Bringing intelligent automation into hazardous locations is only part of the solution. Machine builders, engineering firms, and system integrators must also safely distribute power, communication, and control through certified control cabinets built for hazardous environments.
Festo designs, builds, assembles, tests, and certifies complete control cabinets for hazardous and non-hazardous areas, then delivers finished units ready for installation.
Unlike a traditional panel shop, Festo also manufactures most of the automation products installed in these control cabinets, including valve terminals, air preparation, emergency shutdown, and I/O. Because the engineers designing the cabinet understand the capabilities and integration of those components, customers reduce engineering risk, simplify procurement, and receive a fully integrated solution from a single source. That expertise helps ensure the control cabinet and its automation components function together as one certified system rather than as individually selected products. Festo customers have reduced control cabinet costs by up to 50%.
For more information about Festo hazardous-area automation solutions, including VTUG-EX valve terminals and certified control cabinet engineering and manufacturing for hydrogen, chemical, and refining applications, contact a Festo sales representative or distributor. Visit www.festo.com for the entire range of Festo solutions.
