March 2005Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
Quality Festo products are exposed to agonising scrutiny: They are subjected to long-term cycle tests in order to determine just how reliable they are. Products are run through a series of tests, which substantiates long service life, even under severe stressing. Long-term cycle tests are conducted using various combinations of pressure, temperature, frequency and operating speed. These tests result in statistically reliable, characteristic service life projections. Vibration and shock tests are also performed, as well as testing under the influence of aggressive media. Electromagnetic immunity and emission are examined too. All in all, products are subjected to a comprehensive test program.
Customer-specific manufacturing at Festo’s plant for valves and valve terminals in Esslingen: 60% of all valve terminal orders are individualised to such an extent that identical configurations occur only twice a year
On average, 1500 test objects are under examination at any given time, and test technicians evaluate roughly 7000 measured values each month. Valves that have withstood 900 million switching cycles, amounting to a service life of 30 years with single-shift operation, may well be a new record breaker, and cylinders that have run the equivalent of 82 000 km - almost twice around the globe - could compete for this title as well.
Supplying top quality products with a long service life fulfils only one of the prerequisites for success in the market. Efficient, customer-specific manufacturing is decisive as well, because 60% of all valve terminals are individualised to such an extent that identical configurations do not occur more than twice a year. Flexible, work-order oriented production is thus absolutely essential.
This objective has been implemented at Festo's manufacturing facility for valves and valve terminals in Esslingen by means of a 'pull' principle, which means that the only items being produced are items for which an order exists. This results in rationalised, short-term manufacturing with a modular, flexible production sequence. CPV valve-terminals for which actual orders have been received are produced and assembled in accordance with this principle.
A fully automated modular assembly line produces 20 valve variants for CPV valve slices for a total of more than 1 million units per year. After completion of various sub-processes and assembly, the valves are subjected to 100% pneumatic and electrical testing.
The plant in Esslingen-Berkheim produces standard valves and type ISO-C maxi valves. These include roughly 650 variants of solenoid valves, pneumatic valves, application-specific valves and special valves for customers from the automotive industry, which are produced by means of three manufacturing steps including housing production, basic valve assembly and final valve assembly with 100% final inspection. Midi-B valves are produced in roughly 200 variants including various solenoid valves, pneumatic valves and application-optimised valves.
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