Festo’s exceptionally small, lightweight MS2 regulators enable up-close air management

Festo’s new MS2 compressed air and filter regulators are the smallest and lightest regulators on the market – small and light enough, in fact, to be installed right on moving components in dynamic applications like end-of–arm tooling

Mississauga, ON, July 2019 – Festo’s new MS2 regulators are not only the smallest yet in the MS-Series of standard service units, but also the smallest and lightest regulators on the market. The MS2 compressed air regulator weighs only 28-31g, the MS2 filter regulator 35-38g, and both have a width of 28-31mm depending on the connection (M5 or QS6) used. Putting that in perspective, the MS2 compressed air regulator is about half the weight of a tennis ball and half as wide.

With its optimized design, the MS2 not only delivers superior control performance, but its small size and ultra light weight enables it to be installed directly on moving components in dynamic applications such as end-of-arm tooling, which makes the latter extremely responsive. Common uses would be reducing the force in gripping applications, front-end applications and small parts assembly in the electronics industry. Being so light, these MS2 units have negligible or no effect on the kinematics of the machine or system on which they are placed.

MS2 services units are made from state-of-the-art polymer materials, so they’re rugged. For such diminutive products, they offer a best-in-class flow rate – 350 l/min for the pressure regulator, 310 l/min for the filter regulator, which can filter particles down to a size of 5µ. Tubing with an outside diameter of 6mm can be connected directly to the MS2 when using QS6 connections. There is no need for additional push-in fittings, which further reduces installation cost and space.

Festo has been employing the MS2 regulators in testing, gripping and handling applications within their own manufacturing facilities. Now, they are being made available to customers worldwide as a valued addition to Festo’s core product range, meaning they are competitively priced and stocked locally for fast delivery.

Festo at a glance

Festo, the world’s leading supplier of automation technology and technical education, is deploying its products and services to meet the challenges of digitization and smart production. Established in 1925, the independent, family-owned company based in Esslingen, Germany, has been a driving force in automation for over 60 years. Some 300,000 customers worldwide in factory and process automation put their trust in the company’s pneumatic and electric drive solutions. In addition, Festo Didactic provides state-of-the-art training solutions for industrial companies and educational institutions.  The Festo Group registered sales of around €3.2 billion in the 2018 financial year and is represented worldwide at 250 locations with a total of 20,200 employees. About 8% of its annual turnover is invested in research and development.