MechChem Africa September-October 2020

⎪ Cover story ⎪

Some of the core range products, high- lights and features that customers can expect from Festo are listed below. Smallest slide drive in the market The Festo Mini Slide DGST is strong when it comes to precision, force, motion control, durability and reliability. 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 and cost-saving. Available in a twin-piston design with diameters from 6.0 to 25 mm and stroke lengths of 10 to 200 mm, the slide houses, the integrated guide and the endplate are all manufactured from a single part, eliminating torsion and misalignment to provide precise movement. Impact shocks at the end of the stroke are reduced by integrated cushioning elements seated within the body length. With built-in stroke adjustment, the DGST eliminates the need for additional parts, saves space and ensures top application performance.

units, automation systemoperators cancount on exceptionally reliable compressed air preparation and supply for their installations. The VUVG solenoid valve: a compact powerhouse Compact, high flow rate and low cost, the VUVG solenoid valve is ideal for small parts assembly and electronics and for use in the food and packaging industry. Electrically and pneumatically actuated, the VUVG valve can be used both as an individual valve and in a valve terminal. One of the unique characteristics of this valve is its optimised footprint with an excel- lent size/performance ratio. Compact and made from lightweight aluminium, theVUVG saves space in the systemand reducesweight. Its 10 bar technology ensures accelerated cycle times, smaller cylinder sizes andahigher energy density, while the patented cartridge principle makes the VUVG solenoid valve extremely durable and very reliable. Festo PUN-HT transparent tubing Suitable for compressed air and vacuum media, the Festo PUN-HT is of the most sought after tubing in the industry. It iswater- resistant, making it ideal for applications in wet areas and in environments with high moisture levels. Not only is the tubing kink- resistant and easy to install, it is also resistant to hydrolysis and microbes. PUN-HT tubing’s transparent colour makes it easy to detect solid particles, mois- tureandoil. This featureensures simplemoni- toring of compressed air quality, allowing for preventative maintenance measures. 2 200 Festo products The Core Product Range includes over 2 200 components from every phase of the pneumatic and electrical control chain – from compressed air preparation, valves and cylin- ders to accessories, such as matching tubing andfittings. Several componentsmarkedwith a star on the Festo website are typically in stock locally and ready to be ordered. Products in the Core Product Range are of proven Festo quality with high logistics performance thanks to automated produc- tion at various decentralised locations. “We pride ourselves on offering products that give customers peace of mind in tough times, which allows them to concentrate on their core competencies,” concludes Bromfield. marketing.za@festo.com

Festo DFM guided cylinders have the best price/performance ratios in the market and offer optimum guide characteristics for sturdiness and flexibility.

DFM guided cylinders: flexibly adapt to applications Reliability is standard with the Festo DFM guided cylinder. This impressive guided actuator has the best price/performance ratio in the market and offers optimum guide characteristics for sturdiness and flexibility. It is reliable, adaptable and resilient – even with high torques. With two different guide variants, the DFMcan, onaverage, move loads that require over 100%higher forces than its competitors. It adapts flexibly to every application, thanks to a choice of assembly and air port options. The combinationof its linear driveandpower- ful guideunitmeans that theDFMcan reliably move high loads, even in tight spaces. For example, the recent pandemic has resulted in a strong demand for mouth and nose protection masks worldwide. With Festo technology and pneumatic compo- nents from the Core Product Range, such as the attractively priced DFM, the mechanical engineering company Mikron has developed a system that allows practically anyone to produce masks themselves. The electrical and pneumatic components from the Core Product Range installed in the Mikron plant can be delivered quickly worldwide so the plant can be constructed at locations any- where in the world. With its largeproduct range, highly functional components and wide choice of services, the MS series fits perfectly in the Festo Core Product Range, offering a complete concept for compressed air preparation for simple standard applications as well as application- specific solutions with the highest quality re - quirements.Whether individual components, pre-assembled combinations, application- specific combinations or ready-to-install solutions are required, theFesto configurator ensures optimum dimensioning of every variant. Thankstotheintegratedpressureandflow sensors embedded into theMS series service Highly functional MS air service units

The containerised Mikron mask production plant uses readily available components from the Festo Core Product Range to enable practically anyone in the world to locally produce COVID safety masks.

September-October 2020 • MechChem Africa ¦ 5