WINKEL heavy duty linear system - complete car bodies simply implemented
An Austrian development and production partner for automobile manufacturers has been working with the dynamic linear unit DLE from WINKEL since 2017. The DLE multi-axis linear system is particularly suitable for precise applications and for moving car bodies up to 1,250 kg. The range of services offered by the automotive supplier covers all processes in the automotive industry from development to production, from the concept to the finished vehicle.
High positioning accuracy with heavy loads is one of the requirements for the application of the dynamic linear unit DLE.
Last year, the company was looking for a new portal system to transfer painted vehicle bodies from the internal transport rack used in the paint shop to the rack for shipping. This should not only meet high demands in terms of positioning accuracy, but also be very stable and low-maintenance. The automotive supplier soon came across Winkel, the specialist for linear and handling technology, because the company has an extensive portfolio of multi-axis linear systems for various applications, including the dynamic linear unit DLE. "Our DLE is the sports car among the heavy duty linear systems. It is particularly suitable for applications where maximum precision is required. The DLE thus meets the exact requirements that were demanded," explains Marc Goldfuss, the responsible project manager at Winkel.
"We already have experience with personal security portals for the automotive industry. In addition, we were already able to convince with our high level of expertise during the sales phase," Goldfuss describes. Another factor that spoke in favor of Winkel when making the decision was the short delivery time. "We were also able to realize this in the project: The system was ordered in mid-August 2016, delivered in mid-November, and went into operation at the beginning of January 2017. From planning to implementation to commissioning, it therefore took less than six months," Goldfuss knows.
- WINKEL supplies Dynamic Linear Unit DLE to Austrian automotive supplier
- Dynamic Linear Unit DLE for moving car bodies up to 1,250 kg, deformation-resistant, stable and very low maintenance
- 12 individually controllable axes are driven by 16 motors for exact positioning accuracy of up to 0.1 millimetres (repeatability)
- 8 car bodies per hour can be transferred from the internal transport rack to the dispatch transport rack
- Project duration of only 5 months
Throughput can be increased at any time.
The load capacity of the WINKEL DLE linear system is 1,250 kilograms. The linear system has been developed in steel profile design with a high-precision repeat accuracy. The DLE impresses with its exact positioning accuracy with a repeatability of up to 0.1 millimetres. "We have installed 16 drives in the portal. These drive the twelve individually controllable axes," explains Goldfuss. As a result, the automotive supplier's employees can easily move up to eight bodies per hour from the internal transport rack on which they are painted - also known as the paint skid - to the shipping transport rack. The car bodies are then transported by truck or ship to the final assembly location in another plant. Personal safety, for example when working under a suspended load such as removing components using manipulators, is ensured at all times with the DLE. The multi-axis gantry is also well prepared for increasing performance requirements: "If internal processes change in the near future, the throughput per hour could increase significantly," Goldfuss describes. The DLE already has the necessary dynamics for this. If necessary, it can be easily and flexibly adapted to future increases in production.
General information about the WINKEL Dynamic-Linear Unit DLE
WINKEL multi-axis linear systems are used in a variety of applications, for example in production or logistics. For gripping, lifting, turning, positioning and depositing, different solutions are required depending on the industry. In the automotive industry, for example, there are high demands on accuracy, load capacity and travel speed. WINKEL GmbH from Illingen in Württemberg, specialist for high-quality systems and components for linear and handling technology.