Caustic cleaning chemicals, high-pressure washdown, and constant moisture have traditionally limited the use of electric motion in hygienic applications or required costly protective enclosures. Those conditions have made programmable electric positioning difficult to use for automatic format changes.
At Pack Expo 2026, Festo demonstrated how to automate format changes in washdown areas with its new hygienic EPRF stainless-steel electric cylinder and EMMH-AS stainless-steel servo motor.
The IP69K-rated EPRF ball-screw electric cylinder combines 316L stainless steel, dual seals, and NSF-H1 food-safe grease to perform in harsh environments. It has smooth surfaces, rounded contours, and fasteners that fit flush to seal out contaminants. The cylinders deliver feed forces up to 2,810 lbf (12.5 kN), speeds up to 3.3 ft/s (1 m/s), and stroke lengths up to 3.3 ft (1 m).
The company’s IP69K-rated EMMH-AS servo motor mirrors the cylinder with 316L stainless steel and food-safe seals. An integrated pressure-equalization system prevents moisture from entering the motor during thermal cycling. A multi-turn absolute encoder eliminates homing, reducing startup time and simplifying commissioning.
Combined with Festo CMMT-AS multiprotocol servo drives, the IP69K EPRF and EMMH-AS provide linear and rotary motion that integrates with Rockwell, Siemens, Beckhoff, and Festo PLC architectures.
The booth demonstration at Pack Expo brought electric and pneumatic automation together under simulated washdown conditions. EPRF electric cylinders and EMMH-AS servo motors operated alongside an IP69K MPAC pneumatic valve manifold and stainless-steel pneumatic actuator, demonstrating how machine builders can combine both motion technologies in hygienic applications without sacrificing washdown capability.
Festo
festo.com
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