Engineering Discipline
Reliable, High-Force Motion Control for Demanding Industrial Applications
Pneumatic and hydraulic systems deliver force, speed, and reliability that electric actuators cannot always match. FERSMEK is a certified Bosch Rexroth hydraulic specialist — designing fluid power systems for force control, nip control, and web tension applications in heavy industry, integrated with PLC control for precise, repeatable motion.
What We Do
Fluid power systems — pneumatic and hydraulic — remain the most practical solution for high-force, compact, and cost-effective motion in industrial automation. FERSMEK designs pneumatic circuits using Festo components and engineers hydraulic systems as a certified Bosch Rexroth specialist — with particular depth in proportional valve control for force regulation, nip control, and web tension applications in pulp and paper, metals processing, and heavy manufacturing.
Our work doesn't stop at schematic design. We size every component to the application — cylinder bore, valve Cv, tube diameter, and power unit flow rate — and validate the design against cycle time and force requirements before ordering. Because our team also handles PLC programming, the pneumatic and hydraulic control logic is integrated with your automation system from day one, not bolted on as an afterthought.
FERSMEK is a certified Bosch Rexroth hydraulic specialist — our hydraulics team designs proportional and servo-valve systems for demanding force control, nip control, and web tension applications in pulp and paper, metals processing, and heavy manufacturing. We have deep experience upgrading obsolete hydraulic control systems — replacing legacy analogue valve controllers with modern Rexroth proportional valves and closed-loop PLC control. For plants running end-of-life hydraulic equipment with discontinued spare parts, we provide a structured migration path: system audit, replacement design, staged cutover, and full commissioning — minimising production disruption while delivering measurably improved control precision.
Core Capabilities
Pneumatic Circuit Design
Complete pneumatic circuit design using Festo valve islands, cylinders, and manifolds. We size actuators to your cycle time, force, and stroke requirements — and document the circuit to a standard that supports future maintenance and modifications.
Servo-Pneumatic Positioning
Proportional valve control with position feedback for applications that need intermediate stops or controlled force — without the cost of servo electric. Ideal for clamping, pressing, and forming operations where position repeatability matters.
Air Treatment & Distribution
Compressed air supply design including filtration, regulation, lubrication, and distribution manifold layout. Properly sized air treatment prevents contamination-related valve failures and ensures consistent actuator performance across the machine.
Vacuum & Suction Systems
Vacuum generation using ejectors or central vacuum supply, suction cup selection and layout for part handling, and leak detection. Designed for reliably picking glass, metal sheet, moulded plastic, or food packaging without marking the surface.
Rexroth Proportional & Servo-Valve Control
Closed-loop hydraulic control using Bosch Rexroth proportional valves (4WRPEH, 4WREE, 4WRSE series) for precise force, position, and pressure regulation. We design systems for nip control in calender and coating stations, web tension control in winding and unwinding, pressing force control in hydraulic presses, and position control in forming and bending applications. All control loops are integrated with PLC — tuned on site and documented for your maintenance team.
Obsolete Hydraulic System Upgrades
Many heavy industry plants run hydraulic control systems with discontinued components — analogue valve amplifiers, obsolete HPU controllers, or legacy servo-valve cards with no spare parts supply. FERSMEK designs and delivers upgrade projects: replacing end-of-life hydraulic controllers with modern Rexroth proportional valves and digital PLC-based closed-loop control. We maintain hydraulic circuit function while modernising the electronics and control — giving you improved accuracy, diagnostic capability, and a supportable spare parts chain.
Rexroth Drive Systems & Hydraulic Motion
For applications combining hydraulic actuation with precision motion control, we integrate Rexroth IndraDrive servo drives and Sytronix variable-speed pump drive systems. Sytronix replaces constant-speed HPUs with demand-driven variable-speed pump control — reducing energy consumption and noise while improving pressure regulation. IndraDrive and ctrlX DRIVE handle electro-hydraulic axis control for press, forming, and positioning applications where servo-hydraulic precision is required.
PLC Safety Integration
All fluid power systems are designed with PLC interlock logic in mind. Pressure confirmation, position feedback, and safety circuit integration ensure that pneumatic and hydraulic motion is always under controlled, auditable automation supervision.
Hydraulic Systems & Drive Integration
FERSMEK designs and commissions hydraulic control systems for high-force industrial applications — nip control in pressing and laminating operations, tension control using drive-based applications, pressing force control in hydraulic presses, and position control in forming and bending operations. Our hydraulic engineering covers the full scope: proportional and servo-valve closed-loop control for precise force, position, and pressure regulation; variable-speed pump drive systems that replace constant-speed HPUs to reduce energy consumption and noise; and servo drive integration for electro-hydraulic axes where servo-hydraulic precision is required.
For plants running obsolete hydraulic control systems — discontinued analogue valve amplifiers, legacy HPU controllers, or end-of-life servo-valve cards — FERSMEK provides a structured upgrade path: system audit, replacement design, staged cutover, and full commissioning, retaining the existing hydraulic infrastructure while modernising control electronics.
Our Engineering Process
Application Assessment
Define force, stroke, cycle time, space envelope, and safety category. We review whether pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric actuation best suits the application.
System Design
Circuit schematic, component sizing, air or hydraulic flow calculation, and layout drawing. Festo Automation Suite used for pneumatic simulation before build.
Component Selection
Festo-primary component selection for pneumatics. Hydraulic components sourced from Bosch Rexroth depending on operating pressure, control requirements, and availability.
Installation & Plumbing
On-site installation, tubing, and manifold assembly. FERSMEK supervises or performs installation in accordance with the design package.
Commissioning & Tuning
Flow control and pressure regulator tuning, servo-pneumatic feedback calibration, and final PLC interlocks verification before handover.
Calender Nip Control Upgrade — Legacy Analogue to Rexroth Proportional Valves
A pulp and paper mill was running calender nip control on 15-year-old analogue servo-valve amplifiers with discontinued spare parts — each failure risked multi-day production stoppages while waiting for refurbished units from overseas. FERSMEK designed a retrofit scope replacing the legacy analogue system with Rexroth 4WRPEH proportional valves and IAC-R digital controllers, integrated with the existing Siemens S7-400 PLC. The hydraulic circuit was retained — only the valves, amplifiers, and control logic were replaced. Commissioning included closed-loop tuning of nip force control across the full operating range of the calender. The project was executed during a planned annual shutdown with no additional production downtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Services
Need High-Force Motion Control Integrated with Your Automation?
Our engineers will size, design, and commission the pneumatic or hydraulic system that fits your cycle time, force, and space requirements.