Industry: Handling and automation technology

The aim of the founders was to design, manufacture and offer handy and practical handling units for automation purposes.

The basic idea was an expandable modular system of pneumatic handling devices that could be assembled quickly, easily, without any problems and precisely.

• Modularity in coordinated grid dimensions
• Quick, easy assembly of the units with each other
• reliability
• accuracy
• precision
• repeatability
• longevity
• implementation

In the advanced examination for the granting of protection with regard to patent or utility model protection, the wording of the patent attorneys on 28 May 1980 was as follows:

"The table of the rotary indexing unit rotates around a hollow central axis that is fixed in the housing, whereas in known rotary indexing units the central axis rotates with the table. This has the advantage that a fixed central column can be screwed into the fixed hollow central axis, onto which additional elements or processing devices can be mounted. In the known rotary indexing units, on the other hand, all additional devices have to be mounted on external stands, which is more complex and takes up more space."

Quote from the letter from patent attorneys Dipl. Ing. Westphal, Dr. Mussgnug and Dr. Buchner

The then two (now four) compact sizes were designed in grid dimensions in a kind of cube shape and are directly coordinated with each other - modularity as an integral product component.

The first sales brochure already points out the modular system in the headline:

“Building blocks to complement fixture and special machine construction
and the rationalization of production and assembly.”

The founders met their own high demands for simple, fast and yet precise assembly of the components with one another by developing their own centering fastening system using centering rings and corresponding square-arranged mounts, through holes and threaded holes.

In addition to translational movements, rotary handling tasks in particular were an incentive for the company founders.

The swivel units, once known as "rotary units", already had external stops that were easy to adjust. The product portfolio at that time already included a very compact rotary indexing table with a square base, the side length of which corresponded to the diameter of the rotary plate. Ahead of its time, this table had a fixed center hole. A special feature for space-saving routing of power cables or for fastening for various handling tasks.