Festo has added the first edge device to its range of AX Controllers. CEPE is a high-performance industrial PC and control unit designed for industrial motion and IoT applications.  It uses the Festo AX operating system (OS), which is based on PLCnext Technology and offers an open ecosystem for modular automation and easy programming.

Industrial automation specialist Festo introduces the OVEH compact vacuum generator, a versatile and innovative End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) solution designed to enhance human-robot collaboration (HRC) and other robotic applications. Featuring integrated sensors and precise valve control, the OVEH joins Festo’s growing portfolio of EOAT technologies, which are engineered to meet the evolving demands of modern manufacturing environments.

Festo’s AX Smartenance software is improving the maintenance of seven Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines, which are being used to construct the High Speed Two (HS2) rail link between London and the Midlands.

Innovation in stepper motor technology means the gap between stepper and servo technology is narrowing. In applications where the performance of a servo motor is not required because there are no highly dynamic loads or high speed demands, the stepper (with its choice of battery-less encoders and motor brakes) offers closed loop positioning.