Festo Introduces the VEFC Mass Flow Controller for Precise Control of Inert Gases
February 13, 2025
Festo Introduces the VEFC Mass Flow Controller for Precise Control of Inert Gases
The VEFC is designed for use in electronics manufacturing, food production, and anywhere shielding gas is required.
Festo introduces the VEFC mass flow controller, the company’s latest entry into its Controlled Pneumatics family of solutions. The VEFC features precisely controlled flow of inert gases of up to 200 l/min and is one of the most compact mass flow controllers on the market – only 24 mm wide. Like all Controlled Pneumatics solutions, the VEFC features energy efficient piezoelectric valve technology integrated with control algorithms and sensors for dynamic flow or pressure control to preset setpoints without hysteresis.
The VEFC setpoint value can be set in milliseconds via analog input. Once the application setpoint is entered, the VEFC mass flow controller automatically maintains it. Setpoints are tamper proof. The flow rate is measured using the differential pressure method.
Since the VEFC continuously monitors flow rate and output pressure, real-time operational data is available via the control system. Thanks to piezoelectric technology, the VEFC is compact and flexible, and offers an excellent price/performance ratio.
The VEFC is designed for use in electronics manufacturing, food production, and anywhere in machine building where inert gas is required. For example, controlling nitrogen is particularly important in the semiconductor industry to maintain silicon wafer quality. With the VEFC installed at load ports, different flow rates via setpoints can be controlled in the individual purge steps – pre-blowing, pre-purge, process purge, and post-purge. Optimum nitrogen utilization conserves energy, which reduces cost and carbon emissions.
