Festo products on show at Hannover include a mini rodless linear drive, a high-speed parts picker and a sub-base valve terminal with fieldbus and multi-pin variants with advanced diagnostics.
This year's hannover fair is the biennial 'full exhibition' comprising eight industrial events in total, from factory automation to subcontracting. Each event is colour coded and, appropriately enough for Festo, the blue section designates the Compressed Air and Vacuum Technology event. Perhaps this is an acknowledgement of the corporate colour of Europe's dominant pneumatics automation company.

The exhibition takes place from 7th to 12th April, 2003.

Following the blue carpet takes visitors to Hall 15, home of the Festo exhibits.

The company is presenting a range of equipment, components, services and resources - including vocational and further training.

The stand features interactive 'practice orientated' displays to help visitors experience Festo expertise and discuss their requirements with resident experts.

In addition, Festo is unveiling a dynamic Virtual Reality show to carry visitors through a virtual world in the future of factory and industrial automation.

Today, engineers and machine builders expect faultless components and products: the real difference between automation suppliers is service and support.

To this end, the Festo stand at Hannover features a Service Area where users of pneumatics and automation systems can evaluate the Festo support elements that will make their businesses efficient as well as their products great.

Festo Service sections include Logistic Optimisation services; special 24-hour manufacturing services with full Europe-wide delivery for cylinders, valve terminals and other core products; pre-pack services for simplified single-part-number ordering; pre-assembly services that take pre-pack one stage further for the ultimate in convenience; all-inclusive ready-to-install pneumatic solutions offering savings up to 50%; and the Festo energy saving service designed to optimise the use of compressed air resources.

A number of innovative new products and components for 2003 will also be on display at the Festo stand: * Mini rodless linear drive (DGC) - a new dimension in precision, guide reliability and load capacity.

* High-Speed picker (HSP) - for the shortest possible.

cycle times when handling small parts, plus timesavings of up to 20%.

* Electrical linear axis (DGEL) with toothed belt drive - highly dynamic and accurate, ideally complemented by a matching servomotor (type MTR-AC).

* Sub-base valve terminal (MPA) - valve modularity redefined featuring fieldbus and multi-pin variants with advanced diagnostics.

* Electrical terminal (CPX) - electrical connectivity solution, open and direct, for all common Fieldbus types and customer-specific installation standards.

* New Series (MS )service units - consistent modularity and attractive design externally; outstanding functionality and air quality internally.

Visitors to the Festo stand will also be able to pick up the company's electronic catalogue on CD-ROM.

As well as over 20,000 products, the catalogue includes database software for quick searches, data transfer and documentation of components, web links to 2D and 3D model ready for immediate download free of charge, and no less than 14 free software tools such as ProPneu, MuscleSIM and the Valve Configurator for rapid design work.