In December last year (as a host of Festo) I had the privilege of flying to Germany and visiting the showrooms of a company that is 258 years old. Villeroy & Boch, I am told had its roots in the early armaments industry. The two names merged their three plants back in 1836 in order to survive in the European market. The company has become arguably the largest porcelain manufacturer in the world and has produced all manner of products ranging from ornate china to toilet bowls. That is nice, but what on earth has this to do with Motion Control in Southern Africa?
Villeroy & Boch also happens to be a good client of Festo. The company uses Festo products to produce and handle its products, ensuring a high degree of precision and repeatability in its process. One product of particular interest is an interesting coffee cup and saucer. The cup and its handle are fashioned from one tapered piece of clay. Both artistically impressive and practical, the successful production of this item was made possible by Festo technology.
The tour of Villeroy & Boch was part of Festo's fourth annual international press conference, where around a hundred of us learned more about Festo's products, its capabilities and strengths. The lobby of the Festo building contained many demonstration set-ups of various pieces of Festo equipment.
Enchanted dartboard
One popular exhibit was a dartboard that guaranteed a bulls-eye every time (For players capable of at least hitting the board.) Two cameras would watch you hurl the dart towards the board. A computer analyses the hopeless trajectory of the dart and then Festo electrical drives save your reputation by neatly (and astonishingly quickly) positioning the dartboard with the bulls-eye neatly in the path of your dart. Bulls-eye!
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