Festo AX Motion Insights Pneumatic: AI-Driven Cylinder Monitoring Cuts Unplanned Downtime by 20%

Festo has introduced AX Motion Insights Pneumatic — a cost-effective, AI-enabled predictive maintenance system for preventing unscheduled machine downtime by monitoring pneumatic cylinders for wear and anomalies. The system uses AI to detect anomalies in pneumatic drives and cylinders without the need for additional sensors, providing a “Health Score” as a risk-of-failure indicator for each cylinder.

No Additional Sensors Required

Jonas Schimmele, Business Driver Digital Business at Festo, said the app does not require additional sensors because the system leverages existing PLC signals and actuator end-position sensors already present in most machines. “No extra hardware is needed beyond the connectivity function block for PLC integration,” Schimmele said. “AI models analyze motion profiles, timing, and stroke completion data to detect deviations from learned baselines.”

The system measures signal edges of valves and limit switches, as well as behavioral anomalies in motion profiles. These are captured via PLC data streams and processed by AI models to assign a Health Score for each cylinder. Continuous monitoring enables trend analysis and anomaly detection. Connectivity is achieved via a PLC function block, with compatibility for Siemens, Rockwell, and Beckhoff controllers, as well as actuators from different manufacturers.

Smartenance Integration: Insight to Action

Motion Insights Pneumatic works in tandem with Festo’s Smartenance maintenance management system. The Insights app identifies when maintenance is needed, and Smartenance manages the resulting tasks. The integration of the two creates a cohesive, end-to-end workflow that ensures predictive insights are not just seen but also efficiently acted upon.

On-Premises Deployment, Full Data Control

The apps can be deployed on-premises using standard hardware and container technology such as Docker, giving end users full control over their data and deployment. Containerization allows flexible deployment on industrial PCs, virtual machines, servers, and edge devices. Common industrial protocols like OPC-UA and MQTT are supported for secure integration. The app is not cloud dependent unless chosen by the user. Insights Electric and Pneumatic are purchased on a subscription basis, with time-limited options (3 and 5 years) releasing at the end of 2025.

Applications and ROI

Key applications include automotive (body shop clamps, paint shop actuators), food and packaging (format adaptation, packaging motion), battery manufacturing (tension control actuators), and machine tools (tool door actuation). Industry benchmarks indicate 5–20% productivity loss linked to component failure — AX aims to eliminate this. Predictive maintenance typically reduces unplanned downtime by 20% and can extend component life significantly. Combined with Festo AX Energy Insights, users can monitor compressed air consumption and detect leaks, reducing pneumatic energy losses by up to 50%.

The Festo AX ecosystem also includes Motion Insights Electric for electric drive chain monitoring, Data Access for OT/IT data bridging, and Energy Insights for energy monitoring — forming a complete digital predictive maintenance platform.

Visit Festo at www.festo.com for complete AX Motion Insights specifications.