Feature

Top tips to improve your next electric drive system’s performance

Electric automation can deliver enhanced efficiency, consistency, and precision over traditional pneumatics in many industrial automation applications. However, simple oversights during design and specification can cause serious problems, turning your electric automation dream into the ‘axis of all evil’, according to Festo.

02/05/2025 16:19:24

“Mistakes we commonly see include undersized motors on vertical axes, incorrect gear ratios, and a failure to align the guides correctly – all causing sub-optimal machine performance and premature component failure,” says Ben Lloyd, EA Product Manager of Festo. The knock-on effects for end users can include higher energy consumption, increased maintenance costs, and lower productivity.

Based on the findings from investigations into premature component failure, Festo has compiled 10 Most Commonly Made Errors With Electric Axes, a free-to-download guide that identifies common errors and offers best practice advice for optimising electric automation system performance. Festo’s top tips include...

Read the full article in DPA's May 2025 issue

Written By Sophia Bell

Sophia Bell is the Group Editor of DPA, Connectivity, and PBSI. She joined the team in 2020 as Assistant Editor after achieving a First-Class Honours BA in English Literature and Film Studies from the University of East Anglia. In her current role, she leads the editorial strategy, driving digital growth and ensuring each title continues to deliver trusted, relevant insight for engineering and manufacturing professionals.