Driving linear technology forward Schneeberger

DRIVING LINEAR TECHNOLOGY FORWARD

Schneeberger is a global leader in the development of linear guide technology products for the mechanical engineering industry. Philip Yorke talked to Adrian Fuchser, the company’s president, about its latest products and its move into new niche market sectors.

Schneeberger was founded in Switzerland in 1923 and is a privately owned company managed by its third generation family. The world’s first linear guideways were conceived and developed by Schneeberger almost 70 years ago, which established the foundation for the world’s advanced linear technology systems that exists today. The company’s original guidelines for the construction of linear guideways defined the modern criteria for load-bearing capacity, reliability and economy, thus setting the industry standards that are still subscribed to throughout the world today.

The spirit of innovation, technically superior products and uncompromising quality remain the company’s key maxims. Today the company is a global operator that employs more than 800 people worldwide, with offices and manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, Italy, the USA, Japan, China, the Czech Republic, India, Germany and more recently, Singapore and Korea.

Raising the bar on quality and efficiency

Today Schneeberger offers a diverse range of quality products and services to its global OEM customers in the machine tool, solar energy and semiconductor industries, as well as to those in the electronics and medical technology sectors. The company develops and manufactures linear bearings, profiled guideways, measuring systems, gear racks and slides. In addition, it produces positioning systems and mineral casting products. Schneeberger’s capacity for innovation and technical development allows it to develop complex miniature guideways for a number of niche markets, including micro-manufacturing and machining, biotechnology, medical technology. nano-technology, robotics and optical industries.

The company continues to lead the world in its specialised high-technology disciplines through continuous investment in R&D and the development of new manufacturing technology. Mr Fuchser said, “At the heart of everything we do is innovation, and our new smaller bearings are a good example of this; they have been developed especially for handling automation applications, which is a big market and a growth segment for us. We are also planning to expand our capacity by doubling the facilities that are involved in electrical applications and rail and carriage products. Another key focus is our investment in high levels of automation

Blaser Swisslube AG

Blaser Swisslube AG is a globally active company in the cutting fluids and lubricants sector. Founded in 1936 as a small local business, this Swiss family-owned company is now a global player with 500 employees worldwide. With subsidiaries and general agencies in more than 50 countries, Blaser Swisslube is indeed globally local.

Blaser Swisslube specializes particularly in the development, production and marketing of high quality cutting fluids. Our customers worldwide manufacture products ranging from tiny parts in the watch-making and medical industries, to enormous aircraft components.

Blaser Swisslube customers benefit from a lot more than cutting fluids. They get a complete Liquid Tool – the right product for their specific application, correctly used, and supported on the spot by Blaser specialists with their know-how and expertise. Thanks to this powerful combination, our customers can fully exploit the potential of their machines and tools, effectively improving the costeffectiveness of their manufacturing processes thereby.

DURALLOY® -

more than only coatings

Duralloy is a specialist and leading manufacturer in the area of thin dense/structural chromium coating technology. Duralloy offers individual solutions for functional plating needs in different industries like the automotive sector, industrial gears, machine tools, textile machines, printing machines, hydraulics, medical technology, bearing technology and linear guide rails.

Linear systems are typical applications of Duralloy

Germany

Durally Süd GmbH Eckweg 6 D - 78048 Villingen-Schwenningen Sales service: Helmut Grotenrath; Dino Di Lucrezia (also in Italy) Phone: +49 (0) 7721 40444-10 Fax: +49 (0) 7721 40444-29 E-mail: contact@duralloy.info www.duralloy.info

Switzerland

Durally AG Schweiz Industriepark Altgraben CH-4624 Härkingen Sales service: Albert Rölli

Phone: +41 (0) 62 3888000 Fax: +41 (0) 62 3888008 E-mail: admin@duralloy.ch www.duralloy.ch

Great Britain

Acorn Surface Technology Ltd. Clover Street - Kirkby in Ashfield UK - Nottinghamshire NG17 7LJ Sales service: David Cox

Phone: +44 (0) 1623 753107 Fax: +44 (0) 1623 754538 E-mail: information@acornst.com www.acornst.com

and reducing all the tasks that are labour intensive to minimise our production costs and maintain our competitive edge.

“We are market leaders in MONORAIL roller technology, especially in Germany and Japan, and our latest feedback system is also unique in MONORAIL systems technology. Mechatronics application technology is another area where we lead the field and this is all part of our drive towards providing more integrated business systems. Today our semiconductor and machine tool businesses remains our biggest business sectors, each representing 35 per cent of sales with industry, life sciences and others making up the balance.”

Mr Fuchser added, “In terms of our geographical reach Asia remains our main target market when it comes to our future growth prospects. This region is currently contributing 40 per cent to our revenues, with Europe providing around 50 per cent and North America representing approximately 10 per cent. We can see what the world economy is telling us and we believe that India will surpass China when it comes to growth potential over the next few years. Our future drivers for growth will clearly be the Asian markets, as well as our new technology offerings in mechatronics, the MINIRAIL commodity markets and our low-cost production technology.”

Extending the boundaries of linear technology

Whether it is customised bearings, profiled guideways or mineral casting technology, Schneeberger is at the cutting edge of the industry. In the solar power sector too, the company is setting new world standards with applications designed for the laser structuring

of photovoltaic cells. These require extremely accurately constructed linear guide axles, which are normally driven with linear drive motors. In the mineral casting sector too, the company brings its unique technological advantages to bear. Here Schneeberger’s linear technology provides optimal design flexibility and innovative system solutions for its customer’s specific requirements.

Another example of the company’s technology at work can be found in its response to an OEM’s requirement for a high-rigidity and excellent running system for a compact and solid machine tool with a large work area. The machine also needed to be highly resistant to any mechanical deformation. In this particular case, the Schneeberger MONORAIL MR roller guideways with SPL lubrication units were deployed, as they meet all the specifications concerning both quality and reliability. By using MONORAIL MR profiled guideways, the company achieved high quality with rapid axis speed, as well as excellent running characteristics. Greatly improved ergonomics and functionality were additional benefits that in turn made the operator’s work safer, easier and more efficient.

These advanced types of Schneeberger guides are highly valued by the market thanks to their impressive range of features. What is more, compared with sliding guides, such as dovetail guides, they exhibit much lower levels of friction. In addition, they also offer significantly increased load-bearing capabilities when compared with traditional cam-roller guides. n