30 years of linear motion technology
March 2021
Motion Control & Drives
This year, factory automation specialist Bosch Rexroth celebrates 30 years of linear motion technology and innovation. Constantly updating its range of innovative linear axes, this leading product portfolio now numbers over 1000 standard modular components, from linear guides and axes and screw drives to electromechanical cylinders and integrated measuring systems.
This unmatched flexibility has seen it employed to create highly individual linear motion solutions and user-specified designs in a vast range of industrial and commercial applications, from guided welding machines and assembly applications to mechanical sporting equipment.
“To date, over 1 million linear axes have been supplied across the world, achieving over 10 billion kilometres of linear movements,” explains Julie Van den Berg, linear motion manager at Tectra Automation, Bosch Rexroth’s specialist South African automation company.
In addition to the range of traditional mechanical and electromechanical linear motion components, Bosch Rexroth has added sensors, electronics and software, to offer new, IoT-capable plug-and-produce solution packages for the factories of the future.
Developed to meet increasing customer demands for optimised machine availability and performance, these solutions are developed to help customers reduce commissioning time, increase efficiency, lower their overall production costs, and reduce overall system complexity.
One such example is the Bosch Rexroth Smart Function Kit, a completely packaged mechatronic solution providing plug-and-produce functionality for pressing and joining applications for forces from 2 to 30 kN.
The solution combines an electromechanical cylinder, servo motor and drive with a force sensor, industrial computer and browser-based HMI to integrate customer requirements in the factory of the future.
In addition, customers can also easily create their own custom linear motion systems with the range of online Bosch Rexroth selection, sizing and design calculation engineering tools, improving speed to market of completely customised solutions.
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