2022/01/13
ID: 2561

Electronics industry challenges its suppliers

Compact automation technology from reliable partners is the key to success

In no other industry is there such pressure to innovate and keep prices low as in the semiconductor and electronics industry. For OEMs, this means developing ever faster and more productive machines and plants in time frames of less than 18 months. On top of this, reliable compact and cost-efficient automation components are also needed. The Festo core range offers the perfect solution: it is quickly available worldwide, has a long service life and is attractive priced.

Electronic components are rapidly finding their way into other industries too. In addition to the classic products associated with smartphones, computers and TVs, the automotive industry, medical technology and trade logistics are demanding more powerful electronics and sensors, e.g. for electro-mobility or self-driving vehicles. And even the food and packaging industries are hungry for smart, intelligent packaging that comes equipped with electronic chips.

 

Development and product design in Europe, the US, China and South Korea are generally separated from production in China or South East Asia. That is why it is hugely important for OEMs that their suppliers be close at hand all over the world – with products, spare parts, consultancy and services, and also with individual, customised product solutions. Automation specialists from Festo with their industry expertise are therefore increasingly travelling to China and the Asian countries to advise their customers.

 

Double the manufacturing capacity

Large quantities, high speed, worldwide availability and attractive prices – these are the minimum requirements of the semiconductor industry and electronics manufacturing for automation technology. "Festo has therefore doubled its production capacity worldwide with a focus on Asia, which means it is now prepared for the high demand for electric and pneumatic standard products," explains Arian Scholz, Head of Global Key Account and Industry Segment Management at Festo.

 

Particularly attractive for the electronics industry are the compact cylinders ADN, the mini slide DGST and the guided drive DFM, in addition to matching proximity sensors, the VUVG valves and the MS2 series of service units. All products enable a pneumatic control chain with a very compact design.

 

2200 components in the core range

The automation components mentioned are part of the Festo core range. These "Stars in Automation" include over 2200 components from every phase of the pneumatic and electrical control chain – from compressed air preparation, valves and cylinders to accessories, such as matching tubing and fittings. With the core product range from Festo, textile machine manufacturers can realise around 80% of all applications effortlessly and quickly at attractive prices, even when large quantities are needed.

 

Fast availability worldwide

Many of the components marked with the star are ready to be shipped just 24 hours after the order is received, while configurable products are ready for delivery within five days. All products in the core range are available worldwide and with the same level of quality thanks to automated production at various decentralised locations in the core markets of Germany, China and the USA. There are further plants in India, Brazil, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Switzerland. Distribution is also decentralised thanks to highly automated logistics centres in Germany, China and the USA, so 70% of all customers can be reached within one day.

 

Efficient production

The hallmark of the latest components of the core range is the collaboration between the design engineers and production planners at Festo. They worked closely together during the development of these products to ensure that the components can be manufactured in the Festo plants with a high degree of automation. For the new mini slide DGST, for example, the yoke and slide are manufactured fully automatically as a single part. In addition, the developers successfully reduced the number of components by 60% compared with the previous model.

 

This enables the DGST to be produced in large quantities with maximum efficiency. This approach also allowed the cycle times for the guided drive DFM to be reduced by almost 50%. Festo plants can now produce a DFM every minute. Another example is the fully automated production line for the standard valve VUVG, which produces a fully assembled valve every 12 seconds.

费斯托 (Festo)是一家全球性的独立的家族企业,总部位于德国埃斯林根。自成立以来,Festo在工业自动化技术和技术教育方面制定标准,从而为环境、经济和社会的可持续发展做出贡献。公司为超过35个行业的30万家工厂和过程自动化客户提供气动和电驱动自动化技术解决方案,其中生命科学和实验室自动化业务受到越来越多的关注。Festo产品和服务遍布176个国家。2022年,费斯托在全球61个国家的250多个分支机构拥有约20800名员工,实现销售额38.1亿欧元。每年约7%的销售额用于研发。在这家学习型企业,1.5%的销售额用于基础和进一步培训。Festo 教学培训 (Didactic SE) 是全球领先的技术教育和培训供应商,为全球客户提供工业环境中全面的数字化和常规学习解决方案。

© Festo SE & Co. KG
Electronics manufacturing
In no other industry is there such pressure to innovate and keep prices low as in the semiconductor and electronics industry. On top of this, reliable compact and cost-efficient automation components are also needed.  
© Festo SE & Co. KG
DGST
Particularly attractive for the industry: compact mini slide like the DGST from Festo.
© Festo SE & Co. KG
Arian Scholz
Arian Scholz, Director de Global Key Account y de Industry Segment Management de Festo.