Schmale Maschinenbau GmbH of Altena (Germany) is a specialist, technology based planner of forming lines. The company sees itself as an engineering consultant that also builds machines – and designs specific, complete solutions for any production-related challenge. A modular system allows different manufacturing technologies to be combined for maximum individuality and efficiency. The company sets benchmarks, for example, with its consistent integration of energy efficient servo solutions – notably the TPM⁺ series from WITTENSTEIN alpha – in the construction of machinery and control systems.

The SPEEDMAX S, for example, can produce as many as 200 parts with up to 20 bends each per minute. The underlying concept is unusual in several respects: the SPEEDMAX unites the benefits of CNC machines with finger benders with the advantages of wire bending slides but without the drawbacks. The production speed during the wire bending process has been significantly increased as a result in combination with a rotary table: more than three finished parts leave the machine every second. The short set-up times of the SPEEDMAX represent yet another impressive feature – tool changes only take a few minutes.

These motors are characterized by the highest power and numerous feature options. Flange sizes from 55 mm to 245 mm and DC bus voltages from 12 V to 750 V are available. A holding brake can be integrated efficiently, as can any standard feedback system. The motor can be supplied with a frameless design or alternatively with a hollow shaft design for optional integration of other functionalities. As far as the control technology is concerned, cyber^® power motors are compatible with the servo controllers and amplifiers of most leading suppliers. This modular concept allows the motor to be adapted to specific applications – like the SPEEDMAX project, which was realized together with Schmale.

They get their job done in less than 0.2 seconds. The roughly 90 servo motors installed in the machine are synchronized with one another by means of virtual curves. Precisely coordinated motion sequences in the region of a few hundredths of a second are possible in this way. High dynamics and minimal moment of inertia are vital. The complete motors were therefore optimized specifically for use in the SPEEDMAX. Owing to the special design of the rotor – and also to the stator winding, which is adapted to the cycle with a high copper fill factor – WITTENSTEIN cyber motor achieved significantly higher dynamics with all three motor types in the cyber^® power motors series.

Inertia is reduced to a minimum, enabling high acceleration in the workstations and the rotary table cycle because the motors only need a small amount of torque for self-acceleration. More torque is therefore available for the process – and extremely short cycle times are achieved by the machine. Since the output per time unit is much higher, Schmale customers can now manufacture wire bending parts at a substantially lower cost.

It processes wires any wire thickness from one to four millimeters. Schmale is currently working on an L version, which will process wires with a thickness of eight to twelve millimeters and a maximum feed-in length of 500 millimeters. An M version for wire thicknesses from four to eight millimeters is likewise in the pipeline. Once again, cyber^® power motors will make an important contribution towards highly dynamic, precise and efficient production of wire bending parts in these machines.