Festo Integrates Motors and Drives to Simplify Electric Actuator Deployment

Industry Update

Festo presented a group of motion, handling and connectivity technologies at Automate 2026 for machine builders facing shorter startup schedules and more complex network requirements. The company said its Simplified Motion Series is designed to bring easier commissioning to electric motion applications by combining the motor and drive in a single package that can be commissioned directly on the device without specialized software.

The series covers toothed-belt axes, spindle axes, mini slides, electric cylinders and rotary drives. Digital I/O and IO-Link connectivity provide options for remote parameterization, parameter backup and process monitoring. Festo also showed its CTED multi-protocol interface for the VTUX valve terminal, supporting EtherNet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus TCP, PROFIBUS and CC-Link.

The source article was published on July 9, 2026 and describes technologies displayed at Automate 2026. It also notes engineering tools for sizing motion components, checking compatibility, accessing CAD models and preserving configurations for later modification or reorder.

Buyer Considerations

For an electric-axis project, buyers should compare the integrated package against separate motor-and-drive architectures on commissioning access, field replacement, feedback requirements, available power ratings and environmental protection. A simpler setup may reduce engineering steps, but the selected actuator still needs to match load, speed, stroke, duty cycle and control-network requirements.

IO-Link and multi-network support can help plants standardize diagnostics across mixed equipment, but compatibility should be verified at the controller, device-description and parameter-management levels. Buyers should also confirm whether a complete actuator or an individual component can be replaced during maintenance and how stored parameters are restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is integrated in Festo's Simplified Motion Series?

The source says the motor and drive are combined in one electric motion package that can be commissioned directly on the device.

Which motion formats are available?

Festo lists toothed-belt axes, spindle axes, mini slides, electric cylinders and rotary drives.

What should machine builders verify before selection?

They should confirm load, speed, stroke, duty cycle, network compatibility, feedback needs, environmental conditions and maintenance requirements for the application.