Festo has expanded its industrial automation platform with the launch of its first Edge device for motion control and Internet-of-Things applications, introducing the CEPE industrial PC to its AX operating system.
The company said the CEPE controller, built on PLCnext Technology, is intended to give manufacturers a more open, modular route to automating assembly lines, machines, and production processes. The unit can run motion tasks such as pick-and-place, palletising, and servo pressing, while also supporting machine visualisation, and local data collection and analysis.
According to Ben Lloyd, Festo’s Product Manager‒Electrical Automation, rising production demands and compressed development cycles are forcing end users and machine builders to integrate multiple technologies simultaneously. “The addition of CEPE to the Festo AX platform makes this process easier than ever,” he said.
Festo is positioning the new device as part of a broader controls suite. The AX system layers operating software, motion control, visualisation tools, and commissioning software on top of a scalable hardware portfolio. The CEPE unit adds edge-level computing to that mix.
The controller incorporates an Intel i3 processor and supports Profinet, Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, and Festo’s AP network, allowing it to be used with a wide range of factory control architectures. The company said its entire electrical and pneumatic portfolio can be integrated through the device. OPC UA support is included for secure, interoperable data exchange.
Running a Linux-based operating system, the CEPE allows users to develop or deploy their own applications in C++, C#, Python, or IEC61131 languages, and to install third-party apps via multiple app stores.
The wider AX system is built on PLCnext technology from Phoenix Contact, which enables real-time industrial applications, cloud connectivity, and a containerised, modular software architecture. Festo said this approach simplifies the integration of AI-based analytics and strengthens cybersecurity, while giving companies access to process data for evaluation and reuse.
The company already offers a catalogue of AX-compatible applications, including CODESYS, multi-axis motion software, Python, Node-RED, and its Industrial Intelligence tool for predictive maintenance. Further software and licences will be available through its online catalogue and via the PLCnext Store.
Lloyd added that the collaboration between Festo and PLCnext is intended to help customers navigate the merging of IT and operational technology through open automation systems.
Festo reported turnover of €3.45 billion in 2024. The company employs more than 20,000 people worldwide, offers around 36,000 pneumatic and electric products, and launches roughly 100 new products each year.
