Pneumatics is one of the most widely used technologies in industry for motion and force control, but traditional systems have long faced limitations in terms of precision, energy efficiency, and dynamic control. Festo has developed a new technology known as Controlled Pneumatics, which combines advanced control methods with sensor technology and proportional valves to deliver significantly more precise, flexible, and energy-efficient regulation of pressure, flow, and motion in pneumatic systems.
Digital and dynamic control of pneumatics
Controlled Pneumatics is based on digital closed-loop control, where intelligent sensors continuously measure pressure, flow, and other system parameters. These values are compared with predefined setpoints in a controller, which automatically adjusts the valves in real time to maintain the desired operating conditions. This allows pressure and flow to remain stable even during dynamic load changes, disturbances, or fluctuations in supply pressure.
Benefits in precision, flexibility, and energy efficiency
By applying this control strategy, several tangible advantages can be achieved:
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High precision – pressure, flow, and motion can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy, improving repeatability and process quality.
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Stable operation – automatic adjustment reduces the need for manual fine-tuning and increases system reliability.
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Flexibility – the system can be adapted to different requirements and applications, expanding the range of use for pneumatic technology.
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Energy savings – only the amount of compressed air actually required by the process is used, which can reduce air consumption by up to 60 percent and lower both energy costs and CO₂ emissions.
As a result, Controlled Pneumatics offers not only improved accuracy but also a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional pneumatic systems.
Innovation that expands the role of pneumatics
The technology opens up new possibilities in applications where pneumatics has traditionally been limited. By combining proportional valves, intelligent sensors, and control algorithms in a closed-loop system, new use cases emerge in areas such as:
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high-precision processes
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web tension control and material handling
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surface finishing and polishing
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flexible gripping and vacuum handling
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dosing and pumping of liquids or gases
This development also enables closer integration of pneumatic systems with digital control architectures and IoT environments, further enhancing machine data availability, monitoring, and automation.
Examples of product innovations within Controlled Pneumatics
One example of how the technology is implemented is the VTEP proportional valve terminal, which integrates multiple valves into a compact unit with digital control and high precision pressure regulation. This solution is particularly suited to industries such as electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, battery production, medical technology, and the textile industry, where fast response times and accurate control are essential.
