Festo has launched a series of highly integrated pneumatic drive products that are suitable for wastewater treatment plants or systems used in the chemical industry. The new DFP series products include a completely self-contained linear drive unit, and a quarter-turn actuator that uses a rack-and-pinion design. Festo’s new DFPI series linear drives feature a displacement encoder, valve manifold and position controller – all contained within the same housing. This high level of functional integration transforms the actuator technology into a complete, sturdy system that is suitable for use outdoors and in cold, dusty or hazardous environments. DFPI linear drives are also suitable for use with gate valves in wastewater treatment plants, to accurately regulate the flow of digested sludge into digester tanks. The drives can be controlled via a PLC and can be integrated into existing control architectures. And for northerly climates, they can be fitted with a heating element to ensure effective flow control even at low outside temperatures. Festo’s new DFPB pneumatic quarter-turn actuator is intended primarily for automated control of the flow of biogas created in a digester tank, though it is equally suitable for process control applications in areas as diverse as the pharmaceutical industry and coffee-roasting plants.