move

The magazine for customers and partners of WITTENSTEIN AG

WITTENSTEIN AG

The Innovation Factory: Room for growth9

October · 2012

move

Das Magazin für Kunden und Freunde der WITTENSTEIN AG

Contents

Industry 4.0:
An intelligent production concept for the futureInterview with Dr. Manfred Wittenstein

4

The Innovation Factory
New Mechatronics Centre in Harthausen

6

Mission completed in a matter of hours
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH

10

PIONEERS on the road
WITTENSTEIN international

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 Public Relations & Media(Responsible under press law)(Marketing & Communications Dept.)
Circulation:
4.000 copies
Production:
WAJS
Otto-Hahn-Str. 13
D-97204 Höchberg / Germany
Cover photo: View of the Innovation Factory site from the
WITTENSTEIN World Garden in Harthausen
Photo on page 14: Sculpture by the artist Roland Martin
All rights reserved. This document may not be reprinted orelectronically distributed without the express permission of
the publisher.

12„Future Urban Production“
WITTENSTEIN bastian GmbH

16

Short cut to the fast track with tool drives
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH18

A perfect panpipe sound with planetary gearheads
WITTENSTEIN international

20

SHEFEX II: Successful test flight
WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation GmbH

22

DEWITTA sewing machines
WITTENSTEIN international24

An engineer with the resourcefulness of a discoverer
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein turns 70

26

Trade fair calendar 2012 / 201327

Dear readers,“If you’re doing something the same way you have been doing
it for ten years, the chances are you are doing it wrong.” This
clever quote by American engineer Charles Kettering (1876 to
1958) is more relevant than ever today. Ours are turbulent times
in which economic and shock driven phenomena raise potential
fears yet simultaneously harbour growth potential.
Over the last few decades WITTENSTEIN has established astrong position for itself in the international market for drive
technology. However, just because we operate successfully ina globalized world, it doesn’t mean we can afford to rest on ourlaurels. In times of constant change, when new challenges andcrises are commonplace, that can never be enough. We must be open to new ideas and willing to venture beyond
our traditional territory, away from our established practices and accustomed routines.
Our aim has always been to think up solutions that no-one has thought of before. By continuously evolving ourtransmission technology and applying our core competencies in the drive engineering field, we can gain access tonew, highly exciting niche markets. In June this year, for example, the wings of the SHEFEX II high altitude sounding
rocket (a project undertaken by the German Aerospace Center (DLR)) were successfully controlled by WITTENSTEIN
actuators. And as a technology and development partner for electromobile drives, WITTENSTEIN has been actively
involved in electric motorcycle racing for some time now. At the recent finale of the FIM e-POWER INTERNATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP race series in Le Mans (France) the Münch Racing Team competed with a new, even more powerful WITTENSTEIN motor that paved the way for a remarkable triumph: Matthias Himmelmann was crowned WorldChampion with Katja Poensgen as runner-up. The team also came first in the technically significant Constructors’Championship. For the third time in succession, the Münch Racing Team proved its mettle against rival line-ups fromthe US, Europe and Asia.
The experience gained from motor racing is regularly incorporated into all eMobility projects in which WITTENSTEIN
has a stake. As development and project partner, we are currently supplying a complete powertrain comprised of a
motor, gearhead and electronics for high performance electric scooters to a major automotive manufacturer.
We are continuing to delve into new worlds: the transition to a mechatronics group will help WITTENSTEIN cross thetechnological bridge leading to “Industry 4.0”. Fully networked production, manufactured goods with a digital productmemory, people who talk to machines, communication driven by Internet mechanisms – for every single one of us the
fourth stage of the Industrial Revolution has only just begun.

Karl-Heinz Schwarz

Spokesman of the Management Board

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3

Interview

move talks to:

Dr. Manfred Wittenstein

Industry 4.0: An intelligent
production concept for the future
At present, it’s still more of a vision than a reality – the fourthstage of the Industrial Revolution. Yet thought leaders are
already predicting in very specific terms how the fusion ofmodern production and Web-like technologies will revolutionize the entire value chain. For the German government, it’s
the ultimate future project. Dr. Manfred Wittenstein, President
of WITTENSTEIN AG, is one of several distinguished advocates of Industry 4.0.

move: You’re fascinated by the vision of an “intelligent production concept for the future”. Your new facility, which has justopened in Fellbach is explicitly intended as a “shop window factory” for totally new production processes. Could you explain to
us how this idea came into being?
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein: It’s basically all about making the
production processes in our factories more efficient and more
economical – about making optimal use of production facilities,
in other words. The future ability to control machinery, means of
production and semi-finished products locally and online is most

4 moveingenious but still very abstract. We therefore want to demonstrate what the “Internet of Things” will actually make possible in practice. And we want to do it in close cooperation withcustomers, other companies, research institutes and universities.
That’s why we’re planning to set up an Industrial Campus at our
Fellbach site.
move: The word “revolution” is frequently used by politicians
and scientists attempting to describe the fundamental changes
we can expect to take place in production. Isn’t that rather an
exaggeration?
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein: Perhaps the term “evolution”
would be slightly more appropriate; after all, no-one is going totear down a factory that works perfectly well or do away withproduction processes that are already efficient. What is more
likely is that intelligent components will gradually be integrated
into manufacturing workflows. In the long term, however, thistechnological leap – which is still in its infancy now – will undoubtedly be mentioned in the same breath as the invention of
the steam engine (First Industrial Revolution), the introductionof conveyor belts, leading to mass production (Second Industrial
Revolution) and the advance of electronics and IT based automation in the seventies and eighties (Third Industrial Revolution).

Dr. Manfred Wittenstein
President of
WITTENSTEIN AG

move: That doesn’t seem to frighten you in the least – on thecontrary, you’ve said you perceive huge opportunities for Germany as a high-tech production location. Why?
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein: Over the last several decades, German SMEs have developed a talent for incorporating and perfecting new technologies. As a high-tech location, we’re wellequipped to materially influence this revolution from our German base. What’s more, we have an exemplary business landscape that is much more amenable to new ideas – and reacts tothem faster and in a more intelligently way – than the Anglo-American world, for instance. If we and other engineering
manufacturers can succeed in spearheading this radical upheavalof worldwide industrial production, we can do a great deal tosafeguard Germany’s position as a production location.
move: Your strategy with regard to “Industry 4.0” is founded on
networked, sustainable cooperation between industry, scienceand politics. Apart from the Industrial Campus project you referred to earlier, has WITTENSTEIN entered into any other concrete partnerships with a view to exploring new avenues for production together with other pioneers?
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein: We’re an active member of a project called CyProS, which is funded by the German Ministry of

Economics. Together with several leading research institutes andindustrial companies we’re endeavouring to make both ourselves
and our products Industry 4.0-capable, as it were. We’ve got oursights clearly set on a long-term objective: to develop cyber-physical systems that will dominate future production andlogistical scenarios as intelligent products and intelligent resources.
move: This fascination for technology and its almost boundless
opportunities is understandable – but shouldn’t we humans be
worried that products and production could soon be taking over
our lives?
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein: Anyone who digs into the issues toany depth at all will quickly realize that precisely the opposite istrue. The parallel virtual representation of reality – of production
processes, for example – won’t result in staff being disempowered; it will make the technology controllable. Technology isthere to serve people, not the other way round.
My vision for Industry 4.0 is that it will allow us to revert tomaking more extensive use of our own senses all along the value
chain. We mustn’t miss the chance to lay the groundwork for thisvision to become reality.

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5

The Innovation Factory
WITTENSTEIN AG is investing 30 million euros in a
new, ultra-modern and resource-efficient Mechatronics Centre in
Igersheim-Harthausen

6 moveIf the words “innovation” and “factory” are fused together rather than simply existing side by side, a new wayof thinking is revealed. WITTENSTEIN firmly believes thatin the future innovative products will inevitably go hand inhand with innovative production concepts.
The Innovation Factory will systematically bring about aconscious mind shift. By the middle of next year, it will
be in place directly adjacent to the WITTENSTEIN AG
headquarters in Igersheim-Harthausen: our Innovation
Factory.

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7Production
Take a look for yourself at how the newbuilding is progressing:www.wittenstein.de/innovationsfabrik

The new WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory will be transparent to both the inside andoutside.
Pictures: HENN Architekten (2) / WITTENSTEIN (1)Designed by pioneers for pioneers. The new building
will create optimal conditions for innovative production
processes in terms of resource efficiency, environmental awareness and work conditions: spacious, light andclean office and production areas with short lines of communication, transparent to both the inside and outside,
low-noise and low-emission – the successful reconciliation of economic with ecological requirements.
With a footprint measuring 133 x 90 metres, three storeys
and an overall height of 14 metres, the new building will provide around 18,000 square metres of floor space. The wholecomplex, made from natural stone with a glass façade, willthus be roughly the same size as the six existing production
shops and offer room for 500 staff. The topping-out ceremony for the future WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory will becelebrated later this year.
Room for growth
The extremely ambitious architecture of the new building complex will give the group the extra expanse it needs to continue
growing. On the one hand, this 30 million euro investment is

8 movethe outcome of our positive businessdevelopment in the past while on theother, it will lay a crucial foundation
for sustainable growth in the future.
“The target we’ve set ourselves isto realize our vision of becoming a
global mechatronics corporation”,
says Dr. Manfred Wittenstein, President of WITTENSTEIN AG. “We’reseeking wise and sensible answers
to tomorrow’s production requirements.” At the same time,
he sees the new building as a clear commitment to keeping production in Germany: “We’re sending out a signal that
there’s no better place than our home country.”
The new building was designed by HENN Architekten, theinternationally renowned firm of architects. The future Innovation Factory will unite the manufacture of the most diverse
WITTENSTEIN innovations under one roof. “As we understand it, innovations are not simply restricted to products;
they can also relate to processes, services or even complete
business models and social innovations”, adds Dr. Michael

Geier, General Manager of WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbHand project manager responsible for the construction work.
In practice, as far as the inner workings of the Innovation Factory are concerned, this means that the Development, Sales& Marketing and Production functions of several mechatronic Business Units will in future interact even more strongly.
All process partners – engineers, sales representatives andoperators – will work in close physical proximity. Optimized
interfaces and new relationship intelligence will be the fruitsof this closeness. Amongst other things, lead times will be
shortened.

Technology for people
The “articles of manufacture” will be mechatronic components and systems comprised of mechanics, controls, sensors and software for customer applications in a variety ofindustries such as semiconductors, power generation or automotive construction.
Incidentally, the benefits of these solutions will be enjoyedby absolutely everyone – from drivers of electric vehicles tousers of mobile phones and electricity consumers. In otherwords, the WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory will house – andin the long term supply – “technology for people”.

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9

From Ludwigsburg to Asia:

Mission completed ina matter of hours

Oleg Korb
Application Engineer at WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbHWITTENSTEIN engineering – together wedevelop your made-to-measure solution.

The machine already in Asia, only a few days left until commissioning, an unexpected problem crops up with the drive– a nightmare scenario for any engineering company. If this is not just a bad dream but reality, prompt support is vital.
The Engineering team at the WITTENSTEIN alpha Engineering Office in Ludwigsburg recently came to the rescue ofa machine tool manufacturer in precisely this unfortunate predicament.

With only a short time to go until an already shipped machine
tool with integrated handling systems was due to be commissioned in a country in Asia, the specifications had to bealtered at the last minute in order to achieve far higher cycle
rates than were originally planned. However, this modification
at the end customer’s request resulted in the lifting axis drive
being overloaded; this drive is designed to move as much as
two tons of mass and accelerate it at up to 2 m/s2. The motor
very soon overheated in the load holding position and wasthen switched off to prevent thermal damage.
A solution had to be found as quickly as possible. Since
a WITTENSTEIN RP+ size 060 gearhead with a ratio of i=110– which optimally meets the application’s high requirements
in terms of power density, precision, rigidity and tilting moments – is installed in the machine, the customer contacted
the Engineering & Support team at WITTENSTEIN alpha in
Ludwigsburg for assistance.

10 move

The question: what happens in the powertrain?
This is a very good question – which Oleg Korb and Samuel
Schlecht, two application engineers at WITTENSTEIN alphain Ludwigsburg set out to investigate.
They began by gathering all the information they could
about the basic conditions and constraints as well as any
relevant application data. This information was entered intoa special software tool for designing lever kinematics, which
they then used to analyse and simulate the motion sequence
as well as the forces and loads occurring in the application.
The results of these calculations were subsequently imported
into our cymex® sizing software as motion profiles.
The complete powertrain was simulated with the help of
the integrated database, which currently comprises morethan 10,000 motors from over forty manufacturers. The
WITTENSTEIN Engineering team’s follow-up calculations
confirmed what had already been observed in practice – theWITTENSTEIN engineering

Lifting axis of the machine tool‘s handling system as it was originally:
the modification requested by the end customer resulted in the lifting
axis drive being overloaded.

The point of force application of the lifting mechanism wasshifted by WITTENSTEIN based on the calculations to enable the required cycle rates to be achieved with the existing motor-gearhead combination yet avoid overloading thepowertrain.

The RP+ 060 gearhead with a ratio of i=110 meets high requirements in terms of power density, precision, rigidity andpermissible tilting moments.

motor was overloaded in the S1 continuous duty mode owing
to the unfavourable lever ratios and higher cycle rates.
The answer: three options for optimization
The application engineers were able to identify the criticalparameters and derive three basic recommendations for optimization from the simulation results.
Option 1: A bigger motor that would guarantee therequired performance. The problems: considerable re-engineering on site, higher purchase costs and a very long delivery time.
Option 2: Another gearhead with a larger ratio. However,based on the simulation data the motor would still have been
run at a slight overload despite not having to produce asmuch torque. Moreover, this second suggestion was likewise
beset with a long delivery period – and consequently discarded along with the first.
Modifying and optimizing the machine’s lever ratios was
judged to be a more feasible alternative – and simultaneously
the best from a technical point of view. Oleg Korb and Samuel Schlecht therefore calculated and simulated various lever ratios, submitted them to the manufacturer as a video andthen collaborated in search of the perfect solution.

It took WITTENSTEIN alpha only a few hours between receiving the first call from Asia and being able to report theresults of the simulation and propose alternative optimization
strategies.
Prompt implementation prevents commissioning
delaysWithout being obliged to wait for new components, the pointof force application of the lifting mechanism was subsequently shifted on site to enable the required cycle rates to beachieved with the existing motor-gearhead combination yet
avoid overloading the powertrain. Thanks to this absolutely
timely solution, WITTENSTEIN alpha’s Engineering Support
helped the machine builder ward off additional design andpurchase costs. As a result, the customer was able to keep
within the time schedule for acceptance in the field – in particular because no modifications were necessary to the powertrain’s control system.
Building on this experience with the lifting unit the manufacturer then also applied WITTENSTEIN alpha’s expertise inconnection with other, similar machine tools: the respective
lever kinematics were calculated and the lever ratios optimized where appropriate based on the findings.

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Tobias Gehrig spent three months travelling around Malaysia.

“There’s more beyond the horizon” – this title of a songby German rock musician Udo Lindenberg is also an apt
description of an opportunity that has been available to
Cooperative State University students and trainees since
the end of 2011 prior to finally starting work at WITTENSTEIN. As “PIONEERS on the road” they travel to a country of their choice after completing their training or degree course in order to gain experience abroad and learn
important lessons not only about work but also about life
in general. They get to know the country concerned aswell as its people and its cultural heritage – and above all
they discover valuable insights into themselves.
With its “PIONEERS on the road” project WITTENSTEIN has
revived a medieval tradition and filled it with the spirit of modern-day globalization. “The global world must be our home.
Trust is founded on personal contact and maximum proximity.
That’s why the opportunity WITTENSTEIN provides to taketo the road will in future be a key element of our strategy for
growth as a globally active organization.” Dr. Manfred Wittenstein, President of WITTENSTEIN AG, has no doubt in his
mind. As in many other areas, WITTENSTEIN is a pioneer

12 movehere – and as a pilot project “PIONEERS on the road” haseven attracted the interest of the Chancellor’s Office in Berlin.
An ability to understand and empathize with foreign cultures
is crucial for the future development of staff, markets and thecompany itself: How do people in other parts of the world
think and feel? How does their culture interact with theirworking lives? In today’s globalized world, which values matter and where? How important are technology and innovation– and which expectations are placed in them?
Finally, how can collaboration with WITTENSTEIN put people,
customers and businesses in these countries up among thewinners? The pioneers who opt to “take to the road” spend
two or three months on a life-changing journey, which it ishoped will transform all these questions into lived experiences, broaden their horizons, improve their cultural competence and develop their personality – and help both the young
people themselves and WITTENSTEIN as their employer
move forward on the way to becoming a global mechatronics
corporation.

WITTENSTEIN international

Pioneers on the road – or“There’s more beyond the horizon”

WITTENSTEIN‘s next generation on the road worldwide:
Malaysia, Argentina and Israel were the first destinations.

Travelling alone – but not left alone
The manner in which WITTENSTEIN graduates approach
their time on the road calls for pioneering spirit. With only afew parameters provided by the company as guidance, they
define their own mission and organize their stay in a foreigncountry. They pursue, identify and explore new avenues. By
rising to the challenges of an intercultural environment andaccumulating experience relevant to the future, they ripen intotrue pioneers.
However, travelling alone doesn’t mean being left alone:
WITTENSTEIN’s Human Resources department provides the
youngsters with all the necessary backup, maintains regular contact with them while they are away on the road andfrees them up in many respects. “The pioneers continue tobe employed by WITTENSTEIN to enable them to focus on
the country and its people without any unnecessary distractions”, explains Human Resources Director Oliver Kössel.
“We’re conscious of our duty to have regard for their welfare,and the support they receive from us extends well beyond
their monthly “on the road” remuneration, the payment ofexpenses and taking care of social insurance contributions
and taxes. All pioneers are additionally entitled to a subsidy
package where WITTENSTEIN pays for the flight, vaccina-

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There at last!
Matthias Jäger admires the Great Wall of China.

The WITTENSTEIN „waltz“ – a modern
idea inspired by a medieval custom
With its „PIONEERS on the road“ project WITTENSTEIN has revived a tradition that dates back to theMiddle Ages but has acquired new topicality andspecial relevance in today‘s global age. The traditionof taking to the road (sometimes also referred to as
the „waltz“ or the „journeyman years“) was originallypartaken in by youngsters who had completed theirapprenticeship as a craftsman. In the olden days,
many guilds required them to become journeymen
as a compulsory part of their professional training
before they could be absolved from the obligations
that bound them to their master.
From the late Middle Ages to the early period of industrialization, the waltz was one of the prerequisites for any apprentice aspiring to be promoted tomaster. The conditions were extremely harsh: during
the journeyman years a wanderer was not allowed
to return to within a radius of usually 31 miles (50km) of his home town, not even in winter or on public holidays. He was not allowed to possess any
means of transport of his own and was only supposed to travel on foot or hitchhike. Journeyman
were expected to profit from their time on the roadto become acquainted with new working practices,
get to know foreign places, regions and countries
and gain experience that would stand them in goodstead for the rest of their lives – exactly like theyoung WITTENSTEIN pioneers today.

tions, supplementary health insurance for foreign travel, a visa
if applicable and a medical check-up.” And if ever are any
problems needing to be solved from a distance, a contact in
Human Resources is at hand to advise and assist at any time.
Acquired and lived experiences
All pioneers who have taken advantage of the chance to go
on the road since October 2011 have returned with valuable

WITTENSTEIN international

Three WITTENSTEIN pioneers who areproud of their experiences: Babette
Winkel, Matthias Jäger and Leonhard
Rödl.

insights derived from their everyday experiences as guests
living and working in a foreign country. They have reported
on problems, setbacks, differences, peculiarities, surprises,
progress, openness and tolerance – and above all on how
their time away has made a big mark on them and sensitizedthem to other countries, people and cultures. Against thebackground of globalization this is precisely what the “waltz”
period on the road is intended to achieve:“Not just WITTENSTEIN but society as a whole needs toadopt a new, uncomplicated attitude to globalization”, says
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein. “The pioneers’ personal experiences
and their open view on the rest of the world will stand them– and WITTENSTEIN – in excellent stead as they settle down
into their professional lives.” The WITTENSTEIN “Pioneers on
the road” project will certainly be pursued further. As it saysin the song, “There’s more beyond the horizon” – and ourhorizon is the future.

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The future is now a reality
Official opening of WITTENSTEIN bastian’s “Future Urban Production” facility in Fellbach

For more information, see www.wittenstein-urbane-produktion.de.

A factory integrated in a built-up area is not something
one comes across every day. Only limited space is available, noise and other forms of pollution are undesirable
and sparing use must be made of energy and resourcesin order to minimize the burden on the population and theenvironment.
WITTENSTEIN bastian’s “Future Urban Production” facility in
Fellbach takes account of all these factors. Around 200 invited guests from politics and industry who attended the official
opening ceremony were able to see for themselves how the
future is now a reality.
“The new WITTENSTEIN building underlines yet again what
it is that makes German industry so strong – the long tradition of family owned SMEs. It’s thanks to companies likeyours that we’ve managed to emerge from the recession of
the last few years so quickly”, said Ernst Burgbacher, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology and Federal Government Commissioner for

16 move

SMEs and Tourism. Christoph Palm, Lord Mayor of Fellbach,added: “The project is a fantastic achievement. The successstory of WITTENSTEIN bastian here in Fellbach is set to continue.”
WITTENSTEIN invested twelve million euros in its new lownoise, low-emission production facility for gearing solutions,which is situated directly adjacent to a residential area in Fellbach’s Lise-Meitner-Strasse. The Wittenstein family took aconscious decision to build this new factory in the middle ofthe economic crisis. “The decision was absolutely the rightone – as was choosing to erect it at this inner-city location”,
commented Erik Rossmeissl, now Commercial Manager
of WITTENSTEIN AG but up until the beginning of the year
General Manager of WITTENSTEIN’s Fellbach branch.
The outcome is an innovative overall concept comprisedof optimized processes, the building itself and the energy
supply systems for the group’s WITTENSTEIN bastian subsidiary christened “Future Urban Production” – a low-noise,
low-emission plant that is closely aligned to tomorrow’sProduction

Industrial opera: live performance from the heart of “Urban Production”
by soprano Gudrun Kohlruss

Successful reconciliation of economic with ecological requirements –“Future Urban Production” in Fellbach

challenges as identified within the Industry 4.0 project – the“fourth stage of industrial development”.
A glimpse into the future
Here in the new production facility WITTENSTEIN plans to
set up a “shop window factory” that will gradually integrate aseries of typical Industry 4.0 concepts. The project will chart
totally new territory: in the light of the increasing fusion of
production and Internet technologies, identifying ways toaccomplish and organize this revolution in global industrial
production will be at the focus of WITTENSTEIN’s attention.
Burgbacher subsequently appealed to those present at theofficial inauguration in Fellbach: “If we want to be masters of
the future, we need to find new solutions to production problems. Simply keeping pace is not enough, however; above
all, it will be up to us to set the pace of the fourth stage of theIndustrial Revolution.”“Optimal production conditions guarantee
precision technology ‘Made in Germany’.”
Michael Müller
General Manager
WITTENSTEIN bastian GmbH

“Despite all the innovative technology that’s
been crammed into it, the new productionbuilding is not an end in itself. Its sole purpose
is to provide the perfect framework for people
and machinery to work in.”
Philipp Guth
General Manager
WITTENSTEIN bastian GmbHmove 17

Hole drilling will never be the same again:
The new, modular WITTENSTEIN tool drives system

Customers of large furniture stores know from experiencethat predrilled holes for dowels and screws frequently
differ from one board to the next. In order to obtain thehole patterns required for each individual item, woodworking machinery manufacturers are reliant on flexible
machining systems.
With its modular tool drives system, WITTENSTEIN motion control now offers a completely novel solution thatwill herald in a new technology generation in the woodworking industry.
Thanks to its direct drive machining modules, the new tool
drives system is about 30% more efficient than conventional,
belt driven tool heads. It consumes up to 70% less energy,
makes optimal use of the raw material and can be tailor madeto suit any application.
What makes tool drives so novel?
“The tool drives system represents an entirely new approach
to fully automated woodworking”, says Volker Meier, Head of
the tool drives Business Division. The days are gone when amain drive’s rotary power was distributed to all the machine
tools of a rigid drilling head by the pinions, belt drives and deflection gears – which were forced to rotate too if the drillingplan did not show any holes to drill.

18 move

The tool drives system follows a different principle: only thespindle that actually has a “drilling job” is turned together
with the drive. Dr. Guido Neumann, a development engineer
in the Test Lab, attempts to explain the revolutionary concept
adopted for the tool drives: “The key lies in the use of spindles
that are driven directly by high-performance servo motors”.
Every furniture manufacturer has “its” own tool drives
systemAnyone who has ever had to assemble a piece of furniture
will know that no two holes are identical, no two drilling patterns are ever the same and even the milled grooves differ from one board to the next. The tool drives system canbe individually designed to suit the needs of the customer
concerned – no matter whether the company manufactures
kitchen, living room or acoustic furniture. “Two direct drive
tool spindles form a machining module, which can be used
flexibly in a frame”, is how Meier describes the mechatronicbuilding block system developed for tool drives. It makes nodifference whether the machining modules are arranged in asquare, rectangle, matrix, L, T, U or any other shape – they
can be positioned in the frame in any way at all and laterchanged, or new modules added, simply by removing or inserting them in the desired configuration.

Products

Short cut to the fast trackwith tool drives

Volker MeierWITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH, Head of the tool drives Business Division

WITTENSTEIN motion control’s tool drives Business Divisionin Bad Pyrmont is specialized in the development, production and marketing of intelligent building block systems formechatronic machine tool units. The modular principle andthe benefits for customers through the integration of markets
and technologies are key priorities.

No-risk technology change in the woodworking industry:
endurance testing in the WITTENSTEIN test lab

Machining controlled by Electronic Tool Manager
The Control Box of the tool drives system determines which
module should drill which hole how deep and at which pointin the process. “The Control Box integrates up toseven compact dual-axis controllers, a power module for the
400 V power supply and the so-called Tool Manager – the“brain” of the tool drives system. It controls all connectedcomponents”, Neumann reports. At the same time, the ToolManager allows the condition of each tool spindle to be monitored during operation. The speed, torque, power andoperating time of every spindle can be electronically recorded, evaluated and documented. “Timely and targeted maintenance work is now plannable and feasible”, Meier continues,
summing up the benefits for users.
No-risk technology change thanks to tool drives
Changing over to a new machine or a new process often
involves a degree of uncertainty, yet the risk when switching
to a new technology tends to be infinitely greater. Not sowith tool drives: loath to take advantage of end customers

as “guinea pigs” for its new machining technology, WITTENSTEIN motion control subjected the tool drives system to athorough scrutiny aligned to real situations at an institute oftechnology, in pilot plants and particularly in-house. “A set of
endurance testing facilities was developed and put into operation for this purpose in Bad Pyrmont”, Neumann comments.
All mechatronic and electronic components of the tool
drives system then underwent realistic long-term testing atseveral different loads. Meier cannot contain his excitement
about the first-rate prospects for a no-risk technology change
in the woodworking industry: “The thirty million drilling cycles
completed in the test series are equivalent to an estimatedthree years of system operation at high loads”.
The future of automated woodworking starts here
In many respects, the tool drives system concept provides
users with a short cut from conventional woodworking processes direct to the fast track. It unites all the features of a
successful future technology – lower lifecycle and operating
costs, higher productivity and optimal value creation.

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WITTENSTEIN international

An acoustic guitar, drums and – the newest member – a panpipe harmonize perfectly in the TeamDARE robot band.

A perfect panpipe sound withplanetary gearheads

The style of music played by the band at TeamDARE,
the Dutch engineering specialists, is hardly what you’dcall mainstream: not musicians but percussion and guitar
robots do the performing. A panpipe is the newest starin this unusual ensemble; thanks to a compact TP+ 004
planetary gearhead made by WITTENSTEIN, it invariably
produces the right note.
More musical diversity and action on stage
The first music robot – which plucks an acoustic guitar – wasbuilt by TeamDARE in 2008. The drum robot – and the band’s
first tour – followed a year later. Around ten gigs a year havebeen played to enthusiastic audiences ever since. “Whenever
we take to the stage, the fans just love it”, reports Frank van
Heesch of TeamDARE. “Modern drive and control technology
helps our robots put a lot of emotion into their rendering of
the music.”
Unfortunately, however, the repertoire of suitable tunes fora robot band with only three in the line-up is not very large.
Added to that, there’s still room for improvement when it
comes to rocking on stage like a real combo because every
string of the guitar has its own plectrum and every drum its

20 moveown stick. “We therefore decided to include a panpipe inthe band for musical reasons. We wanted to integrate it in a
way that would fill the performance with life”, Bart Janssen of
TeamDARE recalls. He never imagined quite how complicated that would turn out to be in practice.
Tightly sealed lips make a beautiful noise
Even for a human being, the panpipe is not normally considered an easy instrument to learn. It all hinges on the musician
knowing the right way to press his or her lips against themouth-holes in the clay pipes – if not, the instrument will nolonger make a beautiful noise but simply screech. Instead of amouth the panpipe robot has a kind of cushion comprised ofa sponge and silicon; “lip-shaped” blasts of compressed air
from a reservoir are blown into the pipes via a series of tubes
and valves. Once the TeamDARE engineers had succeededin emulating the function of the lips in this way, their next challenge was to position the “artificial mouth” as precisely andas dynamically as possible over the appropriate clay pipe. “Inorder to hit the right note, you need to blow exactly into thecentre of the pipe”, van Heesch explains. “Especially with theshorter pipes, even a minute deviation from the ideal position

Out of sight yet vital to get the harmonies just right: a
WITTENSTEIN TP+ 004 planetary gearhead with a ratio of
i=16 is mounted to the panpipe.

immediately results in a wrong note.” A solution was needed
for this dilemma.
WITTENSTEIN planetary gearhead gets the harmonies
just right
Luckily for TeamDARE, Janssen was aware of WITTENSTEIN
as a manufacturer of precision gearheads: “We asked WITTENSTEIN’s Belgian subsidiary to help us select a suitable
planetary gearhead with an output flange – the TP+ 004.”
There were several factors that finally tipped the scales in
its favour: the gearhead’s high dynamics, the extraordinary
positioning tolerance and rigidity and the space-saving design. What’s more, the reduction ratio of 1:16 meant that theeffects of the gearhead’s angular displacement are only veryslightly amplified over the length of the arms that hold thepanpipe. As a result, the robot always positions optimally,
even with the short pipes, and finds the right note every time”,
van Heesch concludes.

More new additions to the robot band
Encouraged by the successful integration of the panpipe, theengineers at TeamDARE – none of whom, surprisingly, aremusicians themselves – have already set their sights on thenext instrument: a double-bass. Once again, dynamics andprecision will be vital for the robot that draws the bow overthe strings.
Justifiably proud of its contribution to the panpipe robot,
WITTENSTEIN is eagerly awaiting the chance to develop an
optimal technology solution for future TeamDARE band members training as musicians.

move 21

Four WITTENSTEIN actuators are installed in the head of
the sounding rocket.

Smart Actuator
Trailblazing technology for the
space transporter of the future

The main components of the Smart Actuator – gearhead, motor, brake,
sensors, electronics and software – are intelligently networked.

Sharp-edged, economical and compact – that’s the specification for the space transporter on which the German
Aerospace Center (DLR) has been working for the past
several years. When the SHEFEX II high altitude sounding
rocket was launched in Norway in June this year, a totalof four Smart Actuators made by WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation were also on board. Their job was toactively control the position of the spacecraft and damp
vibration on its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere at
ten times the speed of sound.
A hypersonic flight into space – and safely back to earth
again thanks to a novel heat shield
The objective of the DLR’s SHEFEX (Sharp Edge Flight Experiment) project is to investigate technologies for spacecraft
returning to Earth. If all goes well, by 2020 it will be possible
to design a completely new, compact type of transporter thatcan be reused for several space flights. Compared to theAmerican Space Shuttle, for instance, the DLR transporter
will hopefully be much cheaper to produce and maintain. A
novel thermal protection system is being developed as a central component of this plan. Whereas approximately 25,000
heat-resistant tiles – each with a slightly different geometry

22 move– have to be attached to the underside of the Space Shuttle,
the DLR favours fairing made up of planar surfaces, resulting
in the sharp edges that gave the project its name. “The sharpedged shape has the benefit of making manufacture of thethermal protection system significantly less costly”, explains
Hendrik Weihs of the DLR Institute of Structures and Designin Stuttgart, which has overall responsibility for the project.
“At the same time, the straight leading edge improves its
aerodynamic properties.” These are particularly importantwhen a manned spacecraft re-enters the Earth’s atmospherebecause they allow the angle of re-entry to be controlled andthe transporter manoeuvred during the return flight.
Smart Actuator – a technical “spot landing” for flightcontrol
In order to be able to control SHEFEX II, the researchers at
the DLR have equipped the high altitude sounding rocket withfour control surfaces referred to as canards – each one driven
by a Smart Actuator made by WITTENSTEIN. “The extreme
environments encountered in the course of the mission – 12
g vibration at up to 2000 Hz, 80 g shock when the brakeparachute is activated, temperatures as high as 900°C, radial
forces of 5 kN owing to the aerodynamic loads on the con-

Applications

The rocket on its way
to the launcher

Pictures: DLR (3) / WITTENSTEIN (1)trol surfaces – coupled with the limited physical volume andweight meant conventional actuator systems could be ruledout”, Christoph Heine, General Manager of WITTENSTEIN
aerospace & simulation GmbH, recollects. “That all made it
an ideal terrain for us to demonstrate what this revolutionary WITTENSTEIN actuator technology is capable of.” Theoutcome was a technical spot landing. “At the heart of theactuator is a totally new kind of transmission technology”,
says Heine, “but the real achievement is the actuator system
as a whole. It’s a hallmark of the Smart Actuator that the main
components – gearhead, motor, brake, sensors, electronics
and software – are intelligently networked and utilized.
Successful flight experiment in the Far North
SHEFEX II took off from Andøya Rocket Range in Norway
at 9:18 p.m. local time on June 22, 2012. With a seven-ton
payload and driven by two rocket stages, the 13 m long craft
was launched into space before re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere again at ten times the speed of sound. During
the flight, which lasted a little over eight minutes, telemetry
stations on Andøya and in Spitzbergen assimilated the flightdata from thousands of measurements until just prior to landing – including information about the Smart Actuators and the

SHEFEX II lifts off from
Andøya Rocket Range

canards. Andreas Bierig, project manager for the actuator
module at the DLR, was delighted with the success of themission: “As far as we can tell, everything went off without ahitch. The Smart Actuators were activated as planned at analtitude of 70 km. The WITTENSTEIN Smart Actuators and indeed the entire canard control system can only be described
as an unqualified.
The SHEFEX II flight and the researchers’ findings have taken
the DLR another step closer to its goal of making spacecraft
re-entry less expensive. SHEFEX III is scheduled to take off
just four years from now in 2016. This follow-up model willclosely resemble a real space transporter; it will be able tofly even faster and stay in the atmosphere for longer – and ofcourse WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation hopes to playa similarly important role in the mission’s success.

move 23DEWITTA sewing machines
A post-war best-seller still runs like clockwork

The recipient at WITTENSTEIN was more than a little taken aback not long ago when an e-mail was received from
Zimbabwe. James North Zimbabwe Ltd., a clothing manufacturer, was enquiring about prices and delivery times
for six DEWITTA KL 70/3 sewing machines.
The seeds for what is now WITTENSTEIN AG were originally sown by DEWITTA Spezialmaschinenfabrik, which
was established by the present proprietor’s father as amaker of special-purpose sewing machines for ladies’
gloves in the post-war period.

DEWITTA sewing machines for ladies’ gloves
DEWITTA Spezialmaschinenfabrik was founded by Bruno
Dähn and Walter Wittenstein in Bad Mergentheim nearly sixty-five years ago in 1948 as a manufacturer of special-purpose sewing machines for ladies’ gloves and knitwear. Its
success in the market was remarkable – the DEWITTA KL
70/3 double chainstitch machine, for example, became aninternational best-seller in the textile industry, not least due
to its outstanding quality. “The low noise level and simple
operation of the DEWITTA machines, which weighed in ataround 18 kg and also featured an integrated cutter, were
likewise praised”, recalls Peter Rieger, who used to work forthe company’s Production department making spare parts.
This auspicious situation continued for about thirty years –until about the time when Manfred Wittenstein took over therunning of the firm from his father. He soon realized that thepotential for sewing machines had been exhausted: “Fashions and textile production methods were facing fundamental changes”, he says looking back. Nevertheless, DEWITTA
did him an invaluable service as a source of ideas for thecompany’s future direction: The combination of precision and

24 movemotion that is an essential aspect of sewing machines provided the inspiration for the low-backlash planetary gearhead– sowing the seeds for what is now the WITTENSTEIN Group.
Realignment without DEWITTA
Manfred Wittenstein’s decision to sell off the sewing machine
portfolio to Häuser + Renner of Ichenhausen in the early nineties was only logical. His wife Edith, who was on the DEWITTA
payroll in Central Order Processing at the time of the sale, has
never forgotten what it was like when the final machines weredelivered: “We shipped our DEWITTAs all over the world – toEurope, of course, but also to far-off countries like New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe, which was still known as
Rhodesia.” Häuser + Renner kept up the business for quitea while afterwards until cheap competition from Asia forced
the DEWITTA sewing machine production line to close down
a few years ago.
The machinery stands still – but DEWITTA lives on
The recent enquiry from Zimbabwe is clear confirmation thatthe DEWITTA brand is still alive and kicking and continues toWITTENSTEIN international

DEWITTA quality products – a flyer proclaims the technical data

Still in demand: DEWITTA KL 70/3 sewing machines

be held in great esteem. To this day, Edith Wittenstein has
vivid memories of James North in Harare: “The firm also had
clothing production facilities in the UK, France and South
Africa, and we supplied them with both machines andspares.” The flurry of research activity into the DEWITTA story
that was triggered off by the enquiry revealed several interesting facts about the sewing machines.
Harald Renner, for instance, the owner of Häuser + Renner,reported unbroken worldwide demand for DEWITTA equipment even though it is no longer made. Seeking a suitable response to this demand, the company hit on the retrofit tradeas a good way to carry on serving the many loyal users. In
the last few years, Häuser + Renner has bought up usedsewing machines that are no longer in use from all kinds ofplaces – Turkey, France and Portugal, to name but a few.
“The machines are completely refurbished to ensure that they
are in perfect working order and look as good as new before
being offered to potential customers”, Renner continued.
“In the meantime, a large number of machines have been

A used DEWITTA glove sewing machine from
Portugaleither refurbished to order or overhauled by us and subsequently resold.” Unfortunately, nothing came of the deal withJames North for six new sewing machines – they proved to
be too expensive. Instead, the Zimbabwean manufacturer
purchased spare parts for its existing equipment. Businesswith spares is evidently still going strong: Häuser + Renner’s
experience shows that “Somewhere in the world there’s always a wearing part in need of replacement”.
Good quality never goes out of style
Good quality never goes out of style – just one welcome
lesson WITTENSTEIN has learned from its DEWITTA brand.
Even well into the twenty-first century, an enduring demand
exists for the “old” technology because it runs like clockwork
and continues to deliver reliable service. “Remarkable!” – wecan’t help but share Manfred Wittenstein’s opinion.

move 25

An engineer with theresourcefulness of a discoverer
Dr. Manfred Wittenstein turns 70

Showed up to congratulate Dr. Manfred Wittenstein inperson: Professor Annette Schavan, Minister of Education and Research

An engineer with the resourcefulness of a discoverer, outstanding motivator, charismatic role model, bold citizen
and universally respected entrepreneur.
The Federal Chancellor values him as an adviser in her “Innovation Dialog between the German government, industry and science” while the Minister of Education and Research is indebted
to him for his contribution to the Science-Industry Cooperation.
Invited guests from politics, industry and society were in atten-

Paid tribute to Dr. Wittenstein’s
unique personality and lifetime
achievement: Professor Hans-Jörg
Bullinger, President of Fraunhofer
Gesellschaft

dance at a special gala evening in honour of Dr. Manfred Wittenstein, President of WITTENSTEIN AG, who turned seventy
at the beginning of September. As pillars of a visibly large net-in his welcoming address: “Manfred Wittenstein is a person

work, they joined in the birthday celebration for one of today’s

who is always on the lookout for new ideas. A man forever on

outstanding business figures.

the move. Someone who only ever looks forward and neverback.” Dr. Michael Geier, Dr. Wittenstein’s nephew and General

The guest speakers, headed by Professor Annette Schavan,

Manager of WITTENSTEIN cyber motor, spoke on behalf of all

German Minister of Education and Research, and Professor

employees: “Manfred Wittenstein has a gift for empathy. He

Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, paid

provides people with a sense of purpose on an individual andtribute to the unique personality and lifetime achievement of Dr.

social level. As an architect and an entrepreneur, he changes

Wittenstein, who was also President of the German Engineer-

the course of the big picture.”

ing Federation from 2007 to 2010: “Manfred Wittenstein and

Dr. Manfred Wittenstein wound up with a few reflections onothers like him make a vital contribution to our society because

his professional and personal life while emphasizing his grati-

they have the ability to envisage what the future could looktude for the opportunities given to him: “Every step I have taken

like.” The motto for the evening – ‘The pioneer on the road’on my journey has had its own special value. I would like to– had previously been touched on by Karl-Heinz Schwarz,

thank all comrades in arms as well as everyone who has ac-

Spokesman of the Management Board of WITTENSTEIN AG,

companied or supported me.”26 move320 pages, hardcover€ (D) 29.90 / CHF 40.90 / € (A) 30.70
ISBN 978-3-86774-215-3

Germany as a High-Performance
Network
Value Creation and Prosperity for
the Futureand headed by Professor Annette Schavan(Minister of Education and Research) andProfessor Hans-Jörg Bullinger (Presidentof Fraunhofer Gesellschaft) highlight andanalyze Dr. Wittenstein’s central ideas
and illustrate the importance of high-performance networks for“Our country needs entrepreneurs like Dr. Manfred Wittenstein“

Germany as a traditionally innovative nation with the help of– in her foreword to “Germany as a High-Performance Network”,

concrete examples. Dr. Wittenstein himself – both the private

just published by Murmann to mark Dr. Manfred Wittenstein’s

individual and the entrepreneur – is profiled by Peter Felixber-

70th birthday, Angela Merkel pays tribute to the President ofger, who has compiled a biography in dialogue form entitled

WITTENSTEIN AG. In this fascinating book eighteen eminent“Wie war’s wirklich, Herr Wittenstein?” (“Mr. Wittenstein, tell it

personalities representing the worlds of politics and businesshow it really was”).

TRADE FAIR CALENDAR 2012 / 2013 (selection)

Motek 2012, Stuttgart (Germany)International Trade Fair for Assembly and HandlingTechnology
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH,WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbHHall 9, Stand 9121
October 8 to 11, 2012

Forum Maschinenbau 2012, Bad Salzuflen(Germany)
Trade Fair for Suppliers in the Machinery
Manufacturing Industry
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbHHall 2, Stand 20
November 7 to 9, 2012
SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2012, Nuremberg (Germany)
Exhibition for Electronic Automation –Systems & Components
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH,WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbH,WITTENSTEIN cyber motor GmbH,WITTENSTEIN electronics GmbHHall 4, Stand 221
November 27 to 29, 2012

Intec, Leipzig (Germany)
Trade Fair for Manufacturing, Tool andSpecial-Purpose Machine Construction
WITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH
February 26 to March 1, 2013

World of Industry Part II, Istanbul (Turkey)
International Industrial FairWITTENSTEIN alpha GmbH
March 21 to 24, 2013

Hanover Fair 2013, Hanover (Germany)
Industrial Automation
WITTENSTEIN Group
April 8 to 12, 2013

IFFA, Frankfurt (Germany)International Trade Fair for the Meat Industry
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbHMay 4 to 9, 2013

OTC, Houston (Texas / USA)International Offshore Technology Conference
WITTENSTEIN motion control GmbHMay 6 to 9, 2013

Paris Air Show, Le Bourget (France)
Salon International de l’Aéronautique et del’Espace(Joint stand of the German Aerospace Industries
Association (BDLI))WITTENSTEIN aerospace & simulation GmbH
June 17 to 23, 2013

move 27