It’s been a challenging few months for artificial intelligence (AI), as negative press stories about its potential misuse outweighed those advocating its power for good. Wider awareness and acceptance of AI will accelerate its uptake within automation, but we may have to use terms like deep and machine learning to avoid some of the misperceptions.
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Automation today is more dependent than ever upon machine control architecture and its software. In this webinar, Festo specialists explain the existing technology utilised for remote electrical inputs and outputs, electric drive axis and pneumatic valve manifolds. The webinar looks at where IO-Link, fieldbus and Ethernet options are typically applied and their advantages/disadvantages, as well as recent innovations which enable the technologies to be blended to suit the application.
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Automation today is more dependent than ever upon machine control architecture and its software. They determine the performance, build time and flexibility of the machine and have a massive impact on the price that the machine costs and can be built and sold for. These two mutually dependent factors are the most rapidly advancing aspects of machine design and are aptly encapsulated within the mega-trends ‘digitalisation’ and ‘flexibility’.
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Modern manufacturing requires handling solutions capable of managing product diversity, shorter product life cycles and growing levels of product customisation. The HEPP electric gripper from Festo addresses this need for greater flexibility in the gripping of multiple workpieces with adaptable stroke lengths and gripping forces.
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Soaring energy prices and the need continuously to drive down costs are key considerations for manufacturers. So, when packaging machinery specialist Cerulean decided to redesign its highly successful FPS-1 tube packer, high energy efficiency and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) became key design requirements.
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Many experienced designers think they know the motion technology options available but are often surprised by the latest developments!
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Faster time to market, more efficient engineering, more functionality, and higher quality – these are the benefits of a digital twin for machine and system builders.
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On stand T42 in the Drives & Controls Zone at Manufacturing & Engineering Week, Festo will be showing how easy it is to swap from one PLC manufacturer to another when using the Festo CMMT multi-protocol servo and stepper drives, and the versatile new CPX-API/APA distributed I/O and bus driven valve terminal ranges.
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