Pneumatics is evolving fast. Digital technology reshapes pneumatic systems and the skills needed to design, operate, and maintain them. For educators, this means rethinking how students learn about pneumatics, progressing from basic components and circuits to advanced, connected systems.
By integrating smart sensors, connectivity, and data analytics, digitalized pneumatics becomes part of a connected Industry 4.0 ecosystem. These systems help improve efficiency, enable predictive maintenance, and optimize energy use.
New skills for a new era
This shift also changes the skills students need. In addition to mastering fundamental concepts, they must interpret sensor data, work with networked systems, and apply predictive maintenance strategies—combining mechanical, electrical, and digital knowledge to operate and troubleshoot intelligent pneumatic systems effectively.
A learning path toward digitalization in pneumatics
Developing these skills benefits from a structured, step-by-step approach. Learning milestones can be defined at each stage, providing a clear roadmap for skill development. Below is an example of a learning path showing the stages and key milestones toward digitalized pneumatics:
Ready-to-use learning and teaching resources
Festo’s collection of pneumatics training packages cover the full learning path. Designed for classroom use, training packages combine hands-on equipment with structured courses focused on hands-on experimentation that help students:
· Perform tasks typical of industrial mechanics while supporting digitalization in maintenance
· Analyze simple controllers to identify digitalization opportunities
· Select sensors for data acquisition
· Interpret digital data for condition monitoring
· Implement networked systems to receive and use digital data
Watch an overview of the training package dedicated to digitalization in pneumatics
About Festo
Festo is a global player and an independent family-owned company with headquarters in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany. Festo has set standards in industrial automation technology and technical education ever since its establishment, thereby making a contribution to sustainable development of the environment, the economy and society. The company supplies pneumatic and electrical automation technology to 300,000 customers of factory and process automation in over thirty-five industries. The products and services are available in 176 countries. With about 20,800 employees in over 250 branch offices in 61 countries worldwide, Festo is always near to the customer. Festo Didactic SE is a leading provider of technical education and training and offers its customers worldwide comprehensive digital and physical learning solutions in the industrial environment.
Article Submitted by
Isabelle Ouellet
Festo Didactic
