Linear Drives

Due to their enclosed design, spindle actuators are particularly suitable for use in hygienic environments. Their stainless steel housings are resistant to aggressive cleaning agents and disinfectants, and are protected against high-pressure cleaning jets (IP65). Thanks to their compact design, they can be used for a wide variety of motion tasks: such as adjusting conveyor belts and filling systems, operating flaps on silos and mixers, regulating bulk material flows, and much more.

A major North American aircraft manufacturer needed a new solution for an aircraft fuselage assembly System. For this project, the design team developed a modular lifting frame with a supporting structure capable of lifting aircraft of various heights, providing the system with multipurpose functionality and flexibility. A pair of MJ4 'Traveling Nut' Screw Jacks were integrated into the lifting tubes of the framework. This mechanically synchronized lifting solution is a proven design in aerospace for handling heavy loads, ensuring controlled and precise movement where necessary. The inherently self-locking safety feature of Screw Jacks guarantees reliable, creep-free motion and support.

In construction cranes, a spindle actuator releases the brakes for the wind-release system. In strong winds, the crane must be able to turn freely in the direction of the wind, like a weather vane, to minimize air resistance. If this is not possible, there is an increased risk of enormous wind forces acting on the structure, which could compromise its stability and, in the worst case scenario, cause the crane to tip over. Thus, the small drive assumes a safety-critical role here, one that requires utmost precision, reliability, and durability despite its compact size.

Push/pull actuators can transmit pushing and pulling forces of up to 35 kN. This enables large loads to be moved both vertically and horizontally with high positioning accuracy. In the logistics sector, this technology is used in container movers, for example. There, they transfer 7.45-meter-long semi-trailers from truck to train – and vice versa – in just a few minutes.

Spindle actuators are used in building applications, such as adjusting sunshade systems and opening and closing windows, and many other motion applications. And with good reason: They operate quietly and require minimal maintenance, they consume very little energy and space, and they enable precise movements via building management systems. Additionally, their stainless steel housing and minimalist design allow them to blend seamlessly into a wide range of architectural environments.

A compact design, low-maintenance operation, easy integration into industrial control systems, and precise movements with high repeatability: In automation technology, electromechanical spindle drives are a smart alternative to pneumatic and hydraulic systems. As a result, their range of applications is broad: In this case, the spindle drive precisely adjusts film rolls in the packaging industry.

In spring, as the masses of snow melt, the water level rises often by the minute. The bridge is raised high enough so that you can cross the river Tauber. This is accomplished by using 4 Screw Jacks of the BJ3 model, working in parallel. Each of these Screw Jacks can handle a maximum load of 250kN.
Special precautions had to be taken to achieve a long service life in these environmental conditions. The spindle is protected with a folding bellow, and the spindles are made of stainless steel. The gear housings are coated with a special 3-layer protective paint.

In the ICE factory in Leipzig, 56 MINI 3 units are deployed. After the train is brought in, platforms are tilted to the edge of the roof using the linear actuators to secure against the fall of a worker from the train roof. This provides maintenance personnel with safe and efficient access – day after day, for many years to come.

Push/pull actuators move heavy loads through tension and compression using high-precision components. The chains are made of tempered steel and can operate at ambient temperatures of up to 550 °C – with short-term exposure to temperatures of up to 1,050 °C. This makes push/pull actuators ideal for motion and positioning tasks in foundries, rolling mills, and industrial furnaces. In the image shown, batches for heat treatment are being loaded into and removed from a furnace using a Linear Chain push/pull chain system.

Have you ever wondered how much the giant nacelle of an offshore wind turbine weighs? It's well over 200 tons, equivalent to the weight of 6 fully loaded semi-trailer trucks that you encounter every day on the highway – or the dimension of a detached house.
Such nacelles, which sit on the top of the wind turbine tower, are manufactured by Adwen GmbH in Bremerhaven. You're probably asking yourself why the nacelle is so heavy. It contains the wind turbine's gigantic machine set, which is: a huge gearbox, a drive shaft, a gear ring, and a generator, which generates the desired electricity.

Linear actuators play a crucial role as technical and safety-related innovations in the world of theater and musicals. A notable example of this are the MINI drives used in the stage technology of the renowned Volkstheater in Munich. 54 MINI Actuators are deployed to secure the stage platform. Specifically, by turning the spindle, a locking bolt is inserted into the stage element to lock the stage in its position. Due to the precise control of the drives, synchronous locking of the stage is enabled.

Two Actuators from the FD series, each with a maximum load of 3,000N, ensure a smooth and precise movement of a soundproof hood, weighing a hefty 200kg (440lbs), which is easily opened and closed 100 times or more per day in everyday operation. Built-in limit switches prevent the Actuator from extending beyond the set endpoint and being damaged. The two electric cylinders operate synchronously and can be easily and comfortably operated by the operator with the included manual control.

In the final stage of automotive production, when the car body meets the engine, precision and reliability are key. The Linear Chain provides the lifting motion for two synchronized tables used in this “marriage” process. Delivering 35 kN of lifting force with a 2,000 mm stroke, the Linear Chain ensures smooth, repeatable vertical movement within a compact, space-saving design. Its unique ability to push and pull makes it ideal for confined environments and dynamic production workflows — a brilliant solution in modern linear drive technology.

In this case, the Actuator is used in the textile industry for the edge control of the product line 'standing unwinding devices.' The edge is determined using two light barriers and aligned via the Actuator. Edge control is necessary to ensure that the fabric's edge always falls precisely onto the conveyor belt/cutting table. This enables the automated cutting of the desired fabric. The Actuator moves the 'carriage' (upper part of the unwinding device) in this process.