move

The magazine for customers and partners of WITTENSTEIN AG

WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH

Designing efficiency
and designing efficiently

11

October · 2013

move

The magazine for customers and partners of WITTENSTEIN AG

Contents

10 years of
WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation GmbHInterview with Christoph Heine

Masthead
Publisher:
WITTENSTEIN AG
Walter-Wittenstein-Str. 1
97999 Igersheim / Germany
Phone: +49 7931 493-0
www.wittenstein.de
move@wittenstein.de
Editorial content:
Sabine Maier, Manager Press & Public Relations(Responsible under press law)(Marketing & Communications Dept.)
Article on pages 16-17
Author: Dr. Thomas Isenburg
Business journalist, Bochum
Article on pages 18-21
Author: Andreas Schmid
University College of London / UK
Circulation:
700 copies
Production:
WAJS
Otto-Hahn-Str. 13
97204 Höchberg / Germany

4“efficiency engineering”
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH

6

Dialogue with an astronaut
Prof. Dr. Ernst Messerschmid visits WITTENSTEIN

8

New SC+ right-angle gearhead family
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH

10

Planetary gearheads in certified hygienic design
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH

14

Gearheads direct from the printerThe truth behind the 3D printing hype16

“Ungrippable” objects gripped andpositioned safely
attocube systems AG

18

Mechatronics on the sea bed
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbHAll rights reserved. This document may not be reprinted orelectronically distributed without the express permission of
the publisher.

22

A sustainable partnership turns five
WITTENSTEIN Spain

24

WITTENSTEIN news

26

Trade fair calendar 2013/14

27

Dear readers,

If Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, were to appear on a modern TV chatshow alongside managers and economists, he wouldn’t need muchpreparation; all he’d have to do would be to dig out a few entries fromhis two-and-a-half thousand year-old notes and translate them into thelanguage of the media. His verdict on the omnipresent sceptics andprophets of doom seated around him would be reminiscent of ancient
Greece – yet still be just as relevant today: “We can’t change the wind
but we can set the sails correctly”.
And he would be absolutely right: the economy is still in a state of considerable uncertainty, with signals
and trends alternating constantly between shadows and light. It’s up to all of us to set the sails correctly.
Our particular sail is our claim of unconditional excellence in the field of mechatronic drive technology. Whenit comes to technology, product quality and support, the claim we pursue is an ambitious commitment tosustained world-class performance. In the fiscal year just ended, we definitely set our sail correctly – theincrease in the WITTENSTEIN Group’s sales to 241 million euros is proof that we are on the right course.
Excellence is the outcome of ability and expertise – not forgetting quality. The starting point is a concept for
performing at the highest possible level in a particular field. You have a right to demand this excellence fromWITTENSTEIN as a matter of course! Yet what we normally take for granted isn’t entrenched in the publicawareness automatically.
With this in mind, WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH – our biggest subsidiary – has resolved to bundle its distinctive attributes, already widely established in the market, in a strong corporate principle: WITTENSTEIN alphaproducts, systems, engineering services and processes will in future be identified with a new “efficiency
engineering” seal for optimal customized solutions. Let me give you an example: our redesigned rack installation technique has halved the time required to fix the racks to the machine bed. This will be just one of thenumerous innovations on show at Motek 2013, the 32nd international trade fair for automation in production and assembly.
This autumn, the new WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory at our company headquarters will enter the final
construction phase. We hope to move into our new Mechatronics Centre in the spring of 2014. We see thisnew building as a visible sign of our commitment to make efficient and effective use of the resources at our
disposal – today and tomorrow.

Karl-Heinz Schwarz

Spokesman of the Management Board WITTENSTEIN AG

move

3

Interview

move talks to:

Christoph Heine

Measured in “aviation years”, the company has only justturned a teenager – WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation GmbH. Yet the modern aerospace industry would
be unthinkable without its innovative, highly precise androbust actuator systems.

teract. There can’t be a single person in the world today who understands absolutely every aspect of an aeroplane, but it’s great
fun being in a position to make a contribution.

More than fifty staff are currently employed in research, development and production in the UK, the US and Germany.
General Manager Christoph Heine looks back on the company’s ten-year history.

move: WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation was establishedin 2003 – can you recall how it all began?
Christoph Heine: The ground was laid by various one-off activities undertaken by the Group in the aviation sector; in theend, they were considered to be so promising that it was only logical to bundle and strengthen them under a separate roof.

move: Almost every small boy wants to be a pilot at some timeor other. Was that also a childhood dream of yours?
Christoph Heine: Of course! I only really developed a serious
interest in the aerospace industry after graduating from university though, when I took part in a trainee programme run by the
Diehl Group. I’ve been fascinated by the incredible complexity
and reliability of aircraft ever since. To take a simple example,
cars are designed for a total service life of 3000 hours. Passenger
planes pass that milestone after just six months. Unfortunately,
the general public only gets to hear about it when something
breaks down. This first impression is soon put into perspective
when you remember that around two hundred different technical systems, many of them highly complicated, not only have towork continuously on board a commercial aircraft but also in-

move: Are there any particular highlights that occur to you
spontaneously?
Christoph Heine: It was orders for two systems in the Airbus
A380 that finally led to the company being founded; we thenreceived a license to operate from the German Civil Aviation
Authority within a surprisingly short time. We’re also involved
again in the A350. Last year’s space flight by the “SHEFEX II”
sounding rocket was probably the icing on the cake that made all
our efforts worthwhile. We designed an actuator with control
electronics for the control surfaces in one fell swoop, as it were,using a completely new gearhead technology that had never previously been employed in this way – doing everything underspace and re-entry conditions. That must be about the toughest
challenge of all for any actuator to operate in – and the results
were quite spectacular.

4 moveChristoph Heine
General Manager, WITTENSTEIN
aerospace & simulation GmbH

move: Different product lifecycles apply in the aviation world
compared to the manufacturing industry. Could you explain
what the differences are and why they exist?
Christoph Heine: That’s a rather ambivalent subject: I object
to the way the aviation sector is commonly held to be resistant toinnovation. This is mainly due to the very long product lifecycles, which can be up to fifty years or more. On the other hand,it’s precisely this durability that compels manufacturers and suppliers to industrialize their innovations when a new aircraft prototype is developed.
Apart from a certain visual similarity, the Airbus A350 bears
absolutely no resemblance to the A330 which came out only
twenty years ago. There’s an enormous pressure to innovate
during the design and tendering phases, but once the product has
been approved it stays on the market for years.
move: What does it take to succeed in the industry?
Christoph Heine: You need both the chaotic dissidents in theDevelopment department and the trusty, incorruptible engineers
in Quality Assurance. We’re basically operating in a so-called“farming business”: we need to plough the land for a long timefirst, realize multiple options and cooperate in a variety of ways
if we want to succeed. The biggest aircraft makers only come up
with a totally new plane about once every ten years. If you missthe boat, you don’t get another chance for the next decade or so.
It’s not a fast-moving business at all.

move: Could you tell us about a few exciting projects you’re
involved in right now?
Christoph Heine: Most of the new projects we’re currently
working on are protected by nondisclosure agreements – that’s
the way the industry works – but without giving too much away
we’ll be shipping actuators for helicopter avionic systems verysoon. Once again, we’re succeeding where many of our competitors have given up.
move: What does the future hold for WITTENSTEIN’s“aerospace subsidiary”?
Christoph Heine: If you take a look at the majority of successful aviation suppliers in Germany, it’s noticeable that a sizable
proportion of them are family owned firms. It could be thatthese companies tend to be more interested in long-term, sustainable business relationships, even if a lot of perseverance iscalled for initially.
In the not-too-distant future, I’d like to see WITTENSTEIN
mentioned in the same breath as other illustrious names in theGerman aviation industry such as Diehl, Liebherr or Recaro.
There’s also a good deal of international potential waiting to betapped, especially in America. In short, there’s plenty of work to
be done and we certainly won’t have time to get bored!

move

5

Be better and stay better –that’s “efficiency engineering”

Efficient from the outset:
The benefits for customers are our number
one priority – from the initial development
stage to the final application.

6 move“Perfect is the enemy of good” – there’s no denying that
there’s a lot of truth in this statement. Yet how is it relevant for a company like WITTENSTEIN alpha, which overthe past few decades has evolved into a quality brandwith solutions for many different markets? Is there anything left to be improved? And if so, how? An analysis of
our internal processes and a look at the big picture provided the answer, which was aptly christened “efficiency
engineering” by WITTENSTEIN alpha and will in future
be visualized as a quality label.
What does efficiency mean in practice?
Effectiveness and efficiency are two terms that not only
sound similar but also have a similar meaning – thoughwith a fundamental difference linked toeffort and achievement. Let me give a
simple example: to use a Ming vase to
kill a fly on the wall would almost certainly be effective. On the other hand,a lot of expensive china would inevitably be broken in the process. A simple fly swatter would be far cheaper,
repeatable and more economical withresources – in other words, it would bea more efficient solution for this particular purpose. The term efficiency also
correlates effort and achievement whenapplied to the world of WITTENSTEIN
alpha. It implies the accomplishment ofdefined results to the benefit of the customer using as few resources as possible.
“efficiency engineering” helps excite customers
WITTENSTEIN alpha serves global markets and in manycases global customers. They seek expert partners offering
not only a suitable technology portfolio but also global presence, availability, support and services. They are searchingfor more than merely innovative and powerful products; optimized machine concepts, software, tools and processes areequally in demand. Within this context WITTENSTEIN alphainterprets “efficiency engineering” as the pursuit of efficien-

cy on all levels: products, systems and solutions, technologies, the advice provided to customers and strategies formeeting highly diverse requirements – indeed in every facetof business relationships. The goal is to inspire customers
enduringly and deliver the maximum possible, measurable
benefits.
Designing efficiency, designing efficiently –two examples
The two examples described below are intended to illustrate what “efficiency engineering” means in practice.
WITTENSTEIN alpha has just optimized its rack installation concept. When the traditional method of first fixing theracks with screw clamps and then bolting them tight was
examined in detail, it was discoveredthat customers can cut their assemblytime by up to fifty percent by mounting
the racks directly to the machine bed
without any additional aids. The new
solution – slotted holes and eccentric screws – significantly improves
the installation process and leads toincreased safety as well as saving time.
The new SC+ right-angle gearheadfamily – about which you can readmore later in this issue – demonstrates“efficiency engineering” from the initialdevelopment stage to the final application. Improved performance data,
optimal use of resources, intelligent design features and afunctional design language – efficiency has now been madevisible thanks to this unique combination. More specifically,
all of this translates into less weight and easier handling forthe fitter because the housing is made of aluminium housing,
unprecedented mounting flexibility – the gearheads can beinstalled in any position – and a design that unites elegancewith functionality for perfect integration into open machine
concepts.

Experience “efficiency engineering” live at
WITTENSTEIN’s Motek stand: Come along
and visit us in Hall 9, Stand 9121.

move

7

“Astronauts from Earth are destined to live on Mars”

In 1985 Professor Ernst Messerschmid became only
the third German to fly into space when he spent a
week in the “Challenger” space shuttle as an astronautresearcher as part of the D1 Spacelab mission. Neverbefore had a real astronaut paid a visit to WITTENSTEIN –until very recently.
Born in Reutlingen (Germany) in 1945, Ernst Messerschmid
is a renowned physicist and Professor of Astronautics andSpace Stations who has continued to build strong networks
between science and industry to this day, for example atthe Stuttgart Institute of Space Systems where amongst other things he develops strategies and scenarios for manned
missions to LEO (low earth orbit) asteroids and Mars. As
Head of the ESA’s European Astronaut Centre from 2000
to 2005, he was responsible for the selection, training, flight
operations and medical care of European astronauts, who
lived and worked in the International Space Station (ISS) for
several months at a time.

Investigate, understand, integrate – Messerschmid cites
three key reasons why exploratory missions into outer space
are still important. His answer to the question of life on the
Red Planet is diplomatic: “One thing’s for sure – astronauts
from Earth are destined to live on Mars”.
Ernst Messerschmid turned out to be a true polymath whogets his audience on board effortlessly for his personal
journey into weightlessness. First and foremost, of course,
gravity-free conditions are the ideal test environment for
all kinds of technical and medical experiments. Yet despite
their undeniable passion for science, in the end astronautresearchers evidently share exactly the same emotions as
their fellow humans who gaze in wonder back home on
Earth: »The most exciting part is when you climb out of thespace station.«
The former astronaut took advantage of his visit to WITTENSTEIN to glean as much information as possible about thecompany’s portfolio of products and solutions for the aerospace and medtech industries. When the time came to tour
the production shops – where haptic simulation systems
for trainee pilots or innovative motors for spacecraft like theflight control unit for SHEFEX II, the high altitude sounding
rocket, are developed – Ernst Messerschmid was in his element...

A real live astronaut at the WITTENSTEIN flight simulator (from left):Professor Ernst Messerschmid with his hosts Christoph Heine (General
Manager, WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation GmbH), Thomas Bayer(Head of Generating Process Management, WITTENSTEIN AG), Manfred
Wolfart (WITTENSTEIN AG Plant Manager in Harthausen) and Dr. Frank
Michel (Director of Research & Strategic Development, WITTENSTEIN AG).

8 moveWITTENSTEIN Group“The most exciting part is when you climb outof the space station.”

Inspiring:
The dialogue with former
astronaut Ernst Messerschmid has helped
WITTENSTEIN »broaden
its horizons«.

move

9

Powerful, quiet, precise
New right-angle gearheads from WITTENSTEIN alpha

Manuel Peter
Product Engineer, WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbHWITTENSTEIN alpha’s new right-angle gearhead family has already caused
something of a stir at the EMO 2013 exhibition in Hanover: with its complex
gearing technology based on WITTENSTEIN bastian’s engineering and manufacturing expertise, novel bearing design and ingenious lubrication concept, it
guarantees supreme performance in challenging applications, for example inpackaging lines, machine tools or printing presses. The single-stage version of
the bevel gearhead even beats the current industry standard with its outstanding performance data.
Right-angle gearheads: ideal when mounting space is scarce
The power socket right behind the cabinet? That can be a very good idea if the cableof an electrical appliance’s plug connector goes off at an angle and is laid where
there happens to be room. And that’s exactly how it is with right-angle gearheads:
they’re the model of choice whenever mounting space in a motor shaft extension is
at a premium. The right-angle stage makes the drive shorter – in some cases considerably – and allows precise integration, even if an ultra-compact solution is called for.
Right-angle bevel gearheads – like the new SC+ – are offered in a single-stage version
for low reduction ratios of 1:1 or 1:2.

10 move

Extremely powerful solutions for applications with a low reduction ratio:
the SPC+, SC+ and TPC+ gearhead
types

Products

Industry standard
SC+ bevel gearheads

Acceleration torque [Nm]Nominal input speed [rpm]The percentage comparison reveals thatthe single-stage SC+ bevel gearhead easily
exceeds the industry standard.

Nominal torque [rpm]Positioning accuracy [µm]An excellent example of “efficiency engineering”
WITTENSTEIN alpha has plans to strengthen its corporate principle of holistic
solutions and end-to-end customer support by going on the offensive with the“efficiency engineering” quality label. The new right-angle gearheads are a good
example of this strategy. Performance data and optimal use of resources were
not the only development aspects; intelligent design and a functional design language can be equally important “efficiency engineering” elements. Amongst other things, the new right-angle gearheads feature a one-piece aluminium housing,which means significantly less weight and permits easier handling by the fitter,for example. The structure and arrangement of the interior facilitates a lubrication
concept that enables the lifelong lubricated gearheads to be mounted in any position regardless of the amount of oil. The mistakes that sometimes occurred due
to ordering gearhead variants with a fixed position are now effectively ruled out,
as are start-up errors such as the addition of too little or too much lube oil – to theadvantage of both the manufacturer and the customer. The design combines elegance with functionality – especially when the new right-angle gearheads are integrated into an open system concept with non-encapsulated drive units, in otherwords where the machine elements and motors are visible.

move 11

A new standard is set
New right-angle gearheads from WITTENSTEIN alpha

SC+

SPC+

Optimal function and form: the new right-angle gearheads
from WITTENSTEIN alpha with “efficiency engineering”
throughout – from the torque to the design

TPC+
Powerful, quiet and precise
A whole series of innovations have been incorporated into WITTENSTEIN alpha’s
new bevel gearhead family – all with the aim of making it more powerful, quieter
and more precise. When it came to designing the pinions and crown wheels ofthese new right-angle gearheads, the development team opted for toothing thatwould reduce frictional losses to a minimum, guarantee almost silent running andimprove the load carrying capacity. This is particularly evidenced by the high permissible torques, low operating noise and good transmission capability. In combination with the novel bearing design and ingenious lubrication concept, thesecharacteristics result in gearheads with between 95% and 97% efficiency. All inall, the optimized design concept has enabled noise emission to be reduced by 6
dB(A) – equivalent to a quarter of the previous level.

12 moveProducts

SPC+

The two-stage versions in the SC+ series cover larger reduction ratio
ranges: between 1:4 and 1:10 in the case of the SPC+ right-angle gearhead with shaft output or the TPC+ with flanged output.

New industry standard for low reduction ratios
30% more nominal speed, 20% better acceleration and nominal torques and evenless torsional backlash – with its outstanding performance data, the single-stage
version of WITTENSTEIN alpha’s new bevel gearheads exceeds the current industry standard in this reduction ratio range. The two-stage gearheads are similarly
impressive, for instance with their optimized acceleration torques and minimal circumferential backlash.

move 13

Products

World première
Planetary gearheads
in certified hygienic design

No chance for germs: Electropolished surfaces minimize the risk of product residue
adhesion.

Mere freedom from dirt is not enough in food processing and beverage bottling applications – hygienically clean conditions are a must to prevent themachines used there from endangering human health. If germs are allowed
to multiply and get inside the product, consumers could be at risk.

Short, compact, hygienic:
These low-backlash planetary
gearheads create novel design

The price of these high hygienic requirements, however, is regular cleaning anddisinfection – with chemicals and processes that “don’t beat about the bush”. WITTENSTEIN alpha has systematically addressed these customer demands, leading to the world’s first low-backlash planetary gearheads in hygienic design. And
that’s not all: they’re the first gearheads of their kind – once again, worldwide –to be certified by the EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group).

14 move

options under hygienic conditions. The single-stage version(front) permits reduction ratios
up to i=10 while the two-stage
version (behind) can be used
up to i=100; both are available
in sizes 015, 025 and 035.

Thomas Krämer
Product Manager, WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbHTYPE EL - CLASS I
MAY 2013

As the first and only manufacturer worldwide, WITTENSTEIN alpha has set a

No chance for germs thanks to optimized materials and design
The ability to drive reliably in a hygienically clean environment was the chief development objective for the new Hygienic Design gearhead series. Yet what does thatmean in practice? How can you tell whether a drive has a hygienic design simply
from looking at it? Hygienic design begins with the housing. Our Hygienic Design
gearheads have a housing that is completely free of edges, dead spaces and gapsthat could provide a breeding ground for bacteria or microorganisms and hence
act as dirt traps. Ultra-tough, low-carbon stainless steel approved by the FDA (USFood & Drug Administration) was selected as the material. This special steel grade
offers excellent resistance to chlorinated alkaline foam cleaners and disinfectants
containing hypochlorite. The electropolished, stainless steel surfaces comply witheven the strictest requirements in the food and pharmaceutical industries, with asurface quality of well under 1 µm – any irregularities can no longer be detected byfeel but only using a microscope. This is bad news for bacteria and microorganisms because the smooth surface minimizes the risk of product residue adhesion –in future, germs won’t stand a chance. The same applies when it comes to theadapter plate and cover ring of the planetary gearheads, which were designed
according to similar criteria.

unique, brand new benchmark with its certified Hygienic Design series.

WITTENSTEIN alpha’s choice of Teflon for the seals guarantees easy, reliablecleaning. Anyone who loves to cook in their spare time will be well aware of thebenefits of this material, which is officially known as polytetrafluoroethylene or
PTFE: good resistance to heat and a wide range of chemical substances combines with an optimal non-stick effect for surface properties that likewise conformto the very highest hygiene standards.

What does hygienic design mean in practice?
The planetary gearheads in the EHEDG certified Hygienic Design series boast several advantages. The measures customarily resorted
to in the fight against germs, microorganisms and dirt traps, like theencapsulation of complete drive units, are often heat critical and can
now be dispensed with. That saves costs and opens up exciting newopportunities in terms of design.
Thanks to the hygienic design, regular cleaning and disinfection of thegearheads, and indeed the entire machine, is much more straightforward, cheaper and – equally important from the product safety pointof view – free from risk. Maintenance and servicing, too.

move 15

Applications

Gearheads direct from the printerThe truth behind the 3D printing hypeIn a just-published book called “The Future” Al Gore, ex-Vice President of
the USA, compares the conveyor belts introduced by Henry Ford over a century ago in 1908 with the 3D printing revolution we are currently experiencing.
This technology extends traditional two-dimensional printing processes by placing
thin layers of varying thicknesses one on top of the other to realize three-dimensional structures. 3D printing is firmly established in modern industry – for example, in WITTENSTEIN’s Prototype Production department. The engines of innovation for 3D printing are located on the other side of the Atlantic. The world-leading
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a special laboratory where students can apply their skills to stunning inventions, for example in the area of model
assembly. Architects also benefit: they can use CAD drawings to build.

16 move

The 3D printer makes evencomplex samples in a very shorttime on the basis of a CAD
model

“The aim is to make fully functional planetary
gearheads directly on the 3D printer that canthen be used as functional models.”
Eberhard Wunderlich
Manager Prototype Production, WITTENSTEIN AG

The models built using this 3D printer allow
WITTENSTEIN’s designers to optimize new products
at an early stage before they are presented to thecustomer. Additive manufacturing – also known as
rapid prototyping – saves valuable development time.

Professor Jan Borchers, an information scientist at RWTH
Aachen University, is one of Germany’s leading researchers in this technology. Visitors to his laboratory delight inthe chance to try out 3D printing. When asked to explain
its growing importance, he replies: “3D printing has beenaround for a while now and many companies use it for rapid prototyping”. Existing CAD data is converted directly
into moulds to obtain plastic or metal workpieces. Borchers compares the trend in the 3D printing market with theadvance of laser printers: “When they first appeared on thescene, they cost a few hundred thousand euros; today, you
can buy them very cheaply”.
Ideal for prototype production
Eberhard Wunderlich, Manager Prototype Production at
WITTENSTEIN, has already made the transition to 3D printing. The usual procedure is that one of his designers has
an idea and makes a CAD model of it. The 3D printer lets
him produce a finished sample in a very short time, often ina high-performance plastic like ABS. Internal tests are thencarried out to determine the prototype’s suitability for realapplications. Wunderlich predicts significant developments
in areas such as printed circuit boards or conductive plastics
and mould making. The aim is to make fully functional planetary gearheads directly on the 3D printer that can then be
used as functional models.
Everyday applications
3D printers for home use work slightly differently: they melt
plastics in the same way as a glue applicator and spray thematerial onto a plate to produce a three-dimensional structure. A solid plastic body is created as the plate moves down
and the nozzle moves up. These movements are no morethan a fraction of a millimetre. The material is deposited layer by layer until the 3D plastic mould described by the CAD
data is complete.
Borchers mentions the ability to make spare parts directlyon site as one potential application. Faulty household appliances could be repaired on the spot with the help of a 3D
printer – using data that was previously downloaded fromthe manufacturer’s website. Energy-intensive transport processes would be rendered superfluous. So far, however, it
has not been possible to achieve the same quality as whenplastic parts are made the conventional way.
Steve Rommel is Group Leader responsible for additive manufacturing at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart. He has observed ahype among end customers that is meanwhile self-perpetuating as printers for home use become increasingly widespread and affordable. At present, Rommel mainly perceives
benefits for small, complex parts produced in small to medium batches as a result of additive manufacturing in three
dimensions. Especially when the internal geometries can’t
be made any other way, 3D printing represents a good alternative to mass production. It is also a very useful option if
highly customized parts are called for.

move 17

“Ungrippable” objects
gripped, moved and positioned safely

Have you ever tried to stack single grains of sand one
on top of the other using tweezers or sort pollen dust
according to the plant from which it originates? It’s hardenough attempting to recognize such minute objects
with the naked eye, let alone grasp even tinier nano particles with your fingers or “normal” aids. Yet countless
research laboratories frequently face exactly this problem, for instance if human cells no more than a fractionof a millimetre in size have to be picked up or positioned
individually.
An international team of researchers led by PD Stefan Thalhammer (Helmholtz Research Centre, Munich) and Professor
Mandayam A. Srinivasan (MIT – Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, Boston) has succeeded in developing a solution
to precisely this challenge based on products designed bynano technology specialists at attocube systems in Munich.

Barely bigger than a dice, these titanium micro motors help researchers
examine surfaces and structures with atomic resolution using special
microscope systems.

18 moveApplications

Nano motors made by attocube systems position even the tiniest objects ultra-precisely and extremely flexibly: nanometre xyz coordinates
are pinpointed in all three axes while rotating motors locate angles
accurately in microdegrees.

pioneers of precision

attocube systems AG has been part of the WITTENSTEIN
Group since 2007. Patented servo motors and interferometer sensors for nano-precise positioning are developed,
manufactured and marketed by around sixty experts at its
Munich facility. Today, attocube systems is rapidly conquering the industrial market with special micro motors and interferometers to satisfy even the most challenging requirements in micro materials processing, optical technology orsemiconductors and life sciences.

move 19

How can nano particles the size of a human cell bestacked in a pyramid?
No problem for attocube systems nano positioners!

50 μm

Adaptation of the basic gearhead principle
This problem was solved by adapting the basic gearhead
principle – the obvious approach for attocube systems asa subsidiary of the WITTENSTEIN Group. A gearhead isdefined as a complex machine element that enables the threemotion quantities – displacement, velocity and acceleration –to be varied independently of one another. The researchers involved in the project used high-precision micro motors
made by attocube to develop a so-called micromanipulator:
this scales down the movement of a human hand in the centimetre range, allowing objects to be positioned by a gripper
with nanometre precision – in the same way as a gearhead
converts or reduces motion quantities.
Scaling down the hand movement is only part of the solution,
however: in the opposite direction, a force sensor mounted
on the gripper provides haptic feedback whenever a particle
is picked up, moved and positioned.

20 move

This microscopic force is then scaled up again and exerted
on the operator’s fingers. At the same time, the movement isvisualized on a display by means of an optical microscope.
It sounds simple but the technology is extremely complex;
after all, the particles to be moved are only 10 to 100 µm insize – nano objects much finer than a human hair.
Precise access using a joystick
The micromanipulation system firstly comprises a haptic
interface, activated by the sense of touch, in the form of a
joystick. The interface detects the movement of the human
hand and sends it to the micromanipulator’s controller. Thissecond system module is responsible for moving the microgripper in all three dimensions and adjusting its angle. Thesemovements are executed by micro motors made by attocube
systems. The force and displacement information is integrated and evaluated in an arithmetic unit. The electronics usedApplications

Invisible to the naked eye – yet meanwhile grippable
under a microscope thanks to attocube technology:
these nano beads are no more than 50 µm in diameter while human cells measure just 10 to 20 µm.

Awards for excellence in nano technology

The haptic feedback provided by the joystick tells the researchers
when the gripper makes contact with the nano particles. The gripper
is controlled by the attocube positioners with nano precision in all
three dimensions. A rotator (right) enables the gripper angle to be
adjusted.

attocube systems enjoys an excellent reputation in the world of nano technology.
The Munich company provides a working
environment in which innovative ideas canprosper and advanced technology be developed under ideal conditions. One key reason
for this inspirational atmosphere is that thefirm’s sixty or so strong team – physicists,
engineers, chemists, IT specialists, productdevelopers and designers – work side byside with colleagues from seventeen different countries.
The fact that when an idea is put into practice, its author accompanies the new product from development right through to marketing additionally contributes to a goodinnovation climate. It comes as no surpriseto learn that attocube systems has alreadywon numerous accolades for its achievements, including the German Startup Awardand the Bavarian Innovation Award. The latest honour was conferred only three months
ago: on July 5, 2013 Ranga Yogeshwar, journalist and presenter of the “Wissen vor 8”(Knowledge Before 8) science programme
on German television, congratulated Dr. Dirk
Haft, founder and CEO of attocube systems
AG, on being named runner-up among thenation’s most innovative small and medium-sized enterprises as he handed him the“TOP 100” Innovation Seal of Approval.

to control the gripper motions were also provided by attocube. A stereo microscope simultaneously records the position of the objects and detects when they are picked up or
moved, enabling these events to be visualized on the display.
The operator is supported not only visually but also haptically: the joystick is programmed so that a resistance is felt assoon as the cell is gripped.
This results in a totally intuitive, realistic “look & feel” thatmakes it difficult to believe that the objects being moved are
not normal sized particles but nano.

attocube founder Dr. Dirk Haft is presented with the“Top Innovator 2013” award by science journalist
Ranga Yogeshwar.

move 21

Applications

Plankton and pioneering solutions
coexist as good neighbours

The pumping unit on the sea bed guarantees
trouble-free operation at a depth of 3000 m
thanks to the redundant actuator system.

Image: © Statoil 2010

Who needs mechatronics on the sea bed?
Certainly not the deep-sea fish or plankton that are exposed to a pressure of 300
bar 3000 metres below the surface. On the other hand, the benefits for oil andgas extraction at this huge depth are immense because valve actuator technology made by WITTENSTEIN motion control’s Speciality Technologies Business
Division enables fossil fuels to be pumped safely and efficiently without harming
the environment. Yet what made innovators from rural Igersheim decide to venture
into submarine regions?
WITTENSTEIN motion control turns 20
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH was founded by Dr. Manfred Wittenstein,
today President of WITTENSTEIN AG, together with Hans-Hermann Spohr in February 1993. A dedicated team of development and sales staff has been built up
around them over the years. Their creed is to get the company ahead with a blendof smart actuators and pioneering spirit. It soon became clear that the market forthe solutions meanwhile referred to as mechatronic systems is divided into two
distinct segments: industrial systems focus mainly on industry-specific applications while speciality technologies are required for long-term, highly customized
projects. The company’s first two Business Divisions were set up to meet theseneeds, followed later by four separate Business Units: WITTENSTEIN cyber motor,
WITTENSTEIN intens, WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation and WITTENSTEIN
electronics. All of them were originally integrated in WITTENSTEIN motion control.
This year marks the company’s twentieth anniversary – congratulations!

22 move

The TPMA motor-gearhead combination andthe WITTENSTEIN-made control and powerelectronics allow oil to be pumped from thesea bed through pipelines to the surface in acontrolled way.

»I wouldn’t have missed all those incredibly exciting experiences during my twenty
years as General Manager of WITTENSTEIN motion control for the world: in addition
to the fascination of breaking into new technological worlds, I am also grateful for the
chance to spend a sizeable part of my professional career collaborating with partners
in such diverse industries.«
Hans-Hermann Spohr

Smooth handover in the Executive Management
The past twenty years of WITTENSTEIN motion control would have been unthinkable without the visions and commitment of founding General Manager HansHermann Spohr. The recruitment of Patrik Hug to the Executive Management witheffect from June 1, 2013 will ensure a smooth handover of managerial responsibilities. Mr. Spohr, who will step down as General Manager in the autumn of 2013,
will retain close links with the company in an advisory capacity.

»WITTENSTEIN motion control and its three
Business Divisions – Industrial Systems, tool drives
and Speciality Technologies – offer exactly the right mixof products to continue expanding our mechatronic systems business.
I look forward to the challenges that process will bring and tostrengthening the collaborative partnerships with our customers.«
Patrik Hug

Conquering the sea bed in the new millennium
The only way to offshore deposits of oil and gas is down – deep down. At 3000
metres, for example, bioluminescence emitted by fish and bacteria takes the placeof sunlight, the temperature is close to freezing and the water pressure is 300
times atmospheric. Sometimes, very occasionally, you can watch a sperm whale
as it passes by. It’s no wonder that less is known about the bottom of the sea,
which covers more than seventy percent of our Planet Earth, than about the surface of the moon. Yet all this did nothing to deter the intrepid pioneers in WITTENSTEIN motion control’s Speciality Technologies Business Division. The first prototypes of a valve and pump actuator for pumping oil from the sea bed to the water
surface were installed as long ago as 2001. Five years and several development
steps later, the first complete oil field was equipped with mechatronic valve actuator systems made in Igersheim. This meant a technology shift away from hydraulicactuators with expensive, several mile-long pipelines with the serious risk of pollution that inevitably arose in case of leakage and the severely limited options forcommunication and control. The valve and pump actuator manufactured by WITTENSTEIN motion control is free from any such drawbacks. Its redundant design
assures maximum availability and functional reliability as well as trouble-free operation for at least twenty-five years. The actuators are designed to meet the highest
possible safety requirements, and have been classified and certified accordingly
by an independent institute. From an economic point of view, the sea bed mechatronics from the Igersheim stable open the door for novel oil and gas extraction
strategies that will result in deposits being utilized more efficiently and for longer.

move 23

WITTENSTEIN international¡Congratulación!

WITTENSTEIN Spain
turns five

1
WITTENSTEIN Spain turns five – so what?
The WITTENSTEIN Group has many international subsidiaries – yet WITTENSTEIN S.L.U. has a particularly interesting
story to tell. The last five years have been very exciting for anumber of reasons. The company is headquartered in Barcelona, the Catalonian capital, with a second office in theBasque city of San Sebastian, and its five staff work incredibly hard to win the enthusiasm of Spanish machine tool,
packaging and automation firms for WITTENSTEIN and its
products. Their success is unquestionably impressive: profits have risen every year since the subsidiary first opened.

2
A long-term partnership that is more than amere business relationshipThe number “5” has a special relevance for WITTENSTEIN
S.L.U.: the company has been in existence for five years, ateam of five people have made it what it is today – and thecampaign to sponsor five children worldwide is visible evidence of their compassion for others. Each person on the
payroll has consented to take on a sponsorship for one of thefive youngsters below, who hail from five different countries.
Small presents and personal messages on the children’sbirthdays are a central part of this unusual commitment, yet
the financial aspect is every bit as important. WITTENSTEIN
S.L.U. has reached an agreement with its customers to dispense with promotional gifts and give-aways – and instead
assign all the money saved in this way to the sponsorshipproject. It will be used primarily for infrastructure investments
and thus directly benefit the children and their environments.

Djeliya · Mali · Aged 9
Junior · Uganda · Aged 7
Leslie · Ecuador · Aged 4
Ricardo · Nicaragua · Aged 8
Saniya · India · Aged 3

24 move»Ever since I started work at WITTENSTEIN S.L.U., it’s gone without saying thatour budget for give-aways is donated to social projects or aid organizations. The
cheque we handed over to a Barcelona hospital for children suffering from cancer
is just one example. When we turned five this year, we decided to transform thistradition into a long-term commitment. We all identify with the idea and we’re very
excited about sponsoring the children. I hope a lot of other companies will follow
suit by helping people who are particularly in need of support.«
Xabier Guruceta Garmendia,
Sales Engineer, WITTENSTEIN S.L.U.

4

The WITTENSTEIN Spain team (from left):
Cinta Gordon Rico, Thorsten Weiss, Jessica Virolde Morales, Xabier
Rodriguez Jàuregui, Xabier Guruceta Garmendia

3
Why Barcelona, why the Basque Country?
Anyone who opens an international subsidiary needs to consider several crucial factors: short lines of communication
with customers, an efficient infrastructure, adequate availability of specialist personnel and easy access to professional support, e.g. lawyers and banks, preferably with a command of both German and the local language. Barcelona
offers all of that – which is why it was chosen as the home of
WITTENSTEIN S.L.U. Catalonia and the Basque Country are
Spain’s industrial heartland, accounting for more than 90%of the company’s total sales – short lines make a difference,in other words. Barcelona also boasts a perfect transport
infrastructure and excellent chances of finding qualified staff.
Headquarters in Barcelona and an outpost in San Sebastian –“muy bien”.

Innovations open the door to markets
The Spaniards are currently feeling a strong economic headwind. Spanish industry is also suffering badly. What’s more,customers in Spain are often searching for a solution to acore problem. Features that serve to add value are only rarely relevant. Against this background WITTENSTEIN S.L.U.
regularly scores points with innovations. In a project involving packaging for flat screens, the company fused a powerful, ultra-compact motor-gearhead combination with smart
sensorics in a single unit. Two things were achieved in thisway: firstly, the screens are never damaged despite being
packed automatically because the forces are monitored by
the sensorics throughout the process. Secondly, thanks tothis novel solution, the end customer is able to do without
expensive safety technology in the form of light barriers andperimeter fencing, because the highly sensitive force sensors respond instantly by switching off the machine if anyone
gets their hands caught in the grippers.

5
Optimism and cohesion: learning from the
Spanish mentality
As a result of the tight economic climate, concern about theirjobs currently dictates the thoughts and actions of people allover Spain. There are two principal explanations why theseworries have not yet led to the total collapse of social andpersonal structures. For one thing, the Spanish are notoriously optimistic: no matter how faint the light at the end of
the tunnel, they never lose faith. For another, family cohesion is very strong. It evidently prevents Spanish society – inwhich two million households have no income of their own –from falling apart, even though there is virtually no system of state benefits as there is in Germany. In the company-staff-customer family, WITTENSTEIN S.L.U., too, puts its
trust in optimism and cohesion.

move 25

WITTENSTEIN news

The Best of German Engineering

More than 2000 out of the 3100 mainly small or medium-sized
member companies within the VDMA are showcased in „TheBest of German Engineering“, an encyclopaedic work compiledby the German Engineering Federation together with DeutscheStandards Editionen, the specialist business publisher. Featuring
a long list of portraits of individual companies, including WITTENSTEIN AG, this volume offers an unprecedented and concise
overview of Germany‘s engineering sector and its enormous diversity – from hidden champions who are up among the world‘selite in highly specialized niche markets through owners of illustrious brands to global players at home on all continents. In addition,
essays by several high-profile writers describe exciting solutions
for improving energy efficiency, realizing new energy concepts,
overcoming raw material shortages or avoiding emissions plus
topics such as megacities, Industry 4.0, etc. An English translation of the book will appear shortly.

1176 pages, hardcover with dust jacket€ 49 / ISBN: 978-3-8163-0646-7

Photography competition:»ENTREPRENEUR 4.0 AWARD«“To see the world with different eyes” – this is
the goal of the “ENTREPRENEUR 4.0 Award”
initiated by Dr. Manfred Wittenstein together
with IMMAGIS – Fine Art Photography.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD ON SHAPING THE FUTURE IN THE CONTEXTOF THE 4TH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

enter stage

www.entrepreneur4point0.com

26 move

Renowned artists from all over the world are
currently submitting their entries for this competition, in which the winners will be selectedby an interdisciplinary jury. Interested members of the general public will also have an
opportunity to vote for the submitted works
online. The award ceremony will take placein the context of a major exhibition at the“WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory”, which will
officially open in the spring of 2014.
This artistic competition will examine the roleof entrepreneurial activity against the background of the 4th Industrial Revolution andworldwide social change; it is hoped that its
evocative images will foster higher sensitivity
and public awareness with regard to new standards and values as well as criteria for action
applicable both to business enterprises and tosociety as a whole. The task of the photographers is to sharpen our senses for new opportunities that go beyond didactic concepts andstarry-eyed “save the world” scenarios.

Trade Fairs

TRADE FAIR CALENDAR 2013/14 (selection)

Motek, Stuttgart (Germany)International Trade Fair for Assembly andHandling Technology
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH,WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbH,WITTENSTEIN bastian GmbHHall 9, Stand 9121
October 7 to 10, 2013

Hanover Fair, Hanover (Germany)
Industrial Automation
WITTENSTEIN Group
April 7 to 11, 2014

Forum Maschinenbau, Bad Salzuflen(Germany)
Trade Fair for Suppliers in the Machinery
Manufacturing Industry
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbHHall 20, Stand B36
November 6 to 8, 2013

OTC, Houston (Texas / USA)International Offshore Technology Conference
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH
April 28 to May 1, 2014

SPS IPC Drives, Nuremberg (Germany)
Exhibition for Electric Automation –Systems & Components
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH,WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbH,WITTENSTEIN electronics GmbH,WITTENSTEIN bastian GmbHHall 4, Stand 221
November 26 to 28, 2013

LogiMAT, Stuttgart (Germany)International Trade Fair for Distribution,
Materials Handling and Information Flow
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH
February 25 to 27, 2014

components, Dusseldorf (Germany)
Platform for Components and Automation
Solutions – Especially for the Packaging
Industry
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH,WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbHMay 8 to 10, 2014

Eurosatory, Paris (France)
International Exhibition for Land andLand-Air Defence
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH
June 16 to 20, 2014

move 27