Glossary · Motion control and drives
VTEM motion terminal
Also known as: Festo Motion Terminal, Festo VTEM
German: VTEM Motion Terminal
In fluid power, the VTEM motion terminal is a Festo valve terminal with piezo-based proportional valve technology, integrated sensors and electronics, whose pneumatic functions are selected and parameterized by software apps instead of by exchanging valves.
- Motion control
- Vendor product
In one sentence
The Festo VTEM motion terminal is a software-defined valve terminal whose pneumatic functions are set by apps instead of by valves.
Example
On a test bench, the VTEM motion terminal switches between proportional pressure control and soft-stop functions by loading a different app.
How it applies
- Engineering: One hardware platform can take over functions that traditionally needed different valves; functions are assigned per valve position by software.
- Commissioning: Apps and their parameters are configured and saved; the function is defined by software as much as by hardware.
- Maintenance: A replacement terminal must receive the same apps and parameters.
- Documentation: Because function depends on software, the pneumatic circuit diagram alone doesn't describe the behavior. Document the assigned apps and parameters, keep them under configuration control and describe behavior on loss of power or communication. For translation and localization, keep the product name unchanged in every language and record it in the terminology database as a do-not-translate term.
Keep in mind: Product names, apps and features change. Check them against Festo's current documentation before describing the VTEM in manuals or marketing material.