At the Hannover Messe, Festo presented its latest development: digital pneumatics. A development they call - with some justification - a revolution. A pneumatic valve whose function is determined by an app.
At a press conference in Paris at the beginning of July, Dr Julia Duwe, head of the Future Motion Solutions Management department and responsible for development of the Motion Terminal, explains in detail what this development entails and what it will mean for machine builders and engineers. Going. Because the development is so hot off the press that it is not yet for sale, for which hungry techies will have to wait a few more months. The stage the technology is at now is that of pilot projects.
Piezo technology
The technology that allows pneumatics to be controlled digitally finds its basis in piezo technology. In a very compact valve, two piezo valves control the operation and thus the function. A combination of four booster valves form Motion Terminal. A valve island that replaces functions of up to fifty (!) components.
Sensors
The opening of a valve is controlled via a closed loop and measured by integrated position and pressure sensors. The booster valve is a valve seat valve whose flow rate is measured directly. And because one valve island can perform so many functions purely by the way it is controlled - via an app, but more on that later - the work for the engineer becomes easier and more interesting. It is now about using the available functions as efficiently as possible instead of putting all kinds of components together. And, of course, making the functions of the valve work well with the other systems in the line.
Self-learning
The same valve hardware is used for all the different functions, the whole thing is like an amalgamation of mechanics with electronics, motion control and software. The result is a high-end self-learning product where the functions are woven into the components and can be switched during use.
The combination of functions of different valves allows you to fill standard pneumatics applications, but you can also partly replace electric actuators with them. The simple interchange of functions makes it ideal for high-mix/low-volume environments. A machine builder building special machines can now make do with one component and then assign functions to it. There is no need to reinvent the wheel every time. If he or she creates a basic machine version, different functions and customer-specific settings can then easily be assigned to each machine. It is possible to build much more compactly, no power controllers are needed and there is no need to choose multiple technologies. At first, we hear during the meeting, this requires some thinking around.
Apps
The function performed by a valve is programmed in an app. With that app, the engineer sets the parameters for the function. The Motion Terminal comes standard with the valve function app. Ten apps are already planned for this year. There is a basic software package consisting of five additional apps and other function apps can be ordered integrated with the hardware, or can be purchased later. Dr Duwe: "We really see it as the beginning of a growing digital ecosystem. Many more apps are in development and you can actually speak of 'Pneumatics as a Service', to stay in today's terminology. Because here too, you purchase a unit for a relatively low amount of money that holds incredible capabilities. If you want to use those features, you pay for them. If you don't use certain options, you don't pay for them either. Very customer-friendly!"
The apps Festo has in development:
- Directional control valve functions
- Proportional directional control valve
- Proportional pressure regulation
- Model-based proportional pressure regulation
- Supply and exhaust air flow control
- ECO drive
- Presetting of travel time
- Selectable pressure level (ECO)
- Soft Stop
- Leakage diagnostics
By: Janet Kooren
Source & Photos: Festo
