GIMA regularly receives solid support from WITTENSTEIN in connection with machine retrofits. One of the Belgian company’s current projects entails modernizing six machines for a manufacturer of aircraft parts. The machines stand on a bed with straight-toothed racks. Two motors on either side are responsible for moving them. WITTENSTEIN helped optimize this setup with a combination of an RP⁺ gearbox and a customized pinion. 

The RP⁺ is a high-performance gearbox that works extremely precisely and is hence ideal for controlling these machines. Moreover, with its compact design it takes up very little space. This is particularly important with retrofits because GIMA is restricted by the amount of space available. The WITTENSTEIN solution thus enables optimal design freedom as well as cost reductions through downsizing.

Spare parts are very difficult to get hold of. WITTENSTEIN was able to assist here by supplying an RP⁺ 060 gearbox with a modified pinion. The new drive unit achieves very high precision, so that the exact position of the machine on the bed is known with every movement. GIMA’s designers succeeded in replacing the outdated, mechanically preloaded solution with one that is electrically preloaded. 

The redundant, computer controlled master-slave configuration with four motors for the X axis has resulted in an enormous leap in precision: the machines now operate five times more precisely and are moved much faster than before.

WITTENSTEIN experts were at hand to guide the project from the outset. The calculations on which they collaborated laid the foundation for the new drive design. After close consultation, GIMA’s design engineers opted for the RP⁺ 060 gearbox – among other things because it needs no maintenance and has practically no downtime. WITTENSTEIN then set to work developing a customized pinion – the starting point for a much more reliable drive configuration. 

GIMA values how WITTENSTEIN keeps the firm regularly informed about new and improved products. That way, the retrofit specialist is perfectly placed to offer customers the latest state of the art.