On July 22, 2015, 19 participants started on this year’s excursion of the Chair of Design and Drive Engineering (KAt) to visit Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH (KEB), REINTJES GmbH and Lenze SE. Through a number of company presentations and tours as well as interesting discussions in the field of magnetic couplings and brakes, transmission and electronics manufacturing the participants had the opportunity to expand their knowledge.
On Wednesday morning, participants set off by bus towards Barntrup, headquarters of KEB. Following a warm welcome, the team supervisors introduced the individual departments and their respective products, focusing on magnetic couplings and brakes of which KEB produces and distributes more than 450,000 per year. The tour continued through the production facility where the participants examined the entire production process from the delivery of raw parts to quality control. At the facility in Barntrup, mostly standard couplings and brakes covering a torque range from 5 to 375 Nm are produced. Their product selection is rounded off by customer-specific orders. Today, KEB is active worldwide, also producing transmissions and frequency inverters. Thus it is ensured that a complete drive package, from power supply to motor shaft, can be offered by a single source.
After expert discussions and a snack, the excursion continued to Reintjes in Hameln in the afternoon. This company was originally founded in 1879 in Emmerich on the Rhine, producing mainly marine gear units with a nominal power ranging from 250 to 30,000 kW. Since the founding of the company, more than 90,000 of these gear units have successfully been produced and distributed. Besides this main business segment, additional market shares were gained over the last few years through the production of gear units for hybrid drives in the marine sector and turbo drives for steam turbines.After expert discussions and a snack, the excursion continued to Reintjes in Hameln in the afternoon. This company was originally founded in 1879 in Emmerich on the Rhine, producing mainly marine gear units with a nominal power ranging from 250 to 30,000 kW. Since the founding of the company, more than 90,000 of these gear units have successfully been produced and distributed. Besides this main business segment, additional market shares were gained over the last few years through the production of gear units for hybrid drives in the marine sector and turbo drives for steam turbines.
In 1976, a thermal treatment center was added to the production facility in Hameln; here, drive elements subject to extreme stress such as shafts, wheels and clutch cases are put through an hardening process. Thus, REINTJES is able to combine all the departments involved in the development and production of gears in a single location.In 1976, a thermal treatment center was added to the production facility in Hameln; here, drive elements subject to extreme stress such as shafts, wheels and clutch cases are put through an hardening process. Thus, REINTJES is able to combine all the departments involved in the development and production of gears in a single location.
After the presentation of the departments and company history, the thermal treatment center was toured. The participants were able to take a look at the production buildings where small, medium and large gear units are manufactured. During this tour, they could examine gear units of every performance category in various stages of the production process.
The day was concluded with good food, drinks and conversations about what everyone had seen and experienced during the day. On the next day, the group continued on to Lenze in Extertal. Lenze was established in 1847 by Hans Lenze, after he had taken over the trading company Stahlkontor GmbH Weser in Hameln. Since this time, the business success has been based on the consistent implementation of the company motto: productivity, reliability and simplicity govern thinking and acting of every single Lenze employee.
Given the company size and comprehensive product portfolio, Lenze owns several company show exhibits, impressively proving the smooth operation of the different products. Among others, the “LenzeJuggler” (http://www.lenze.com/ueber-lenze/lenze-in-deutschland/presse/mediathek/) was presented; assisted by modern linear technology and electronic control systems, it is able to juggle three balls. Through the interaction of drive and sensory technology and control engineering, the position of the balls is registered, every individual ball precisely caught and played back to its starting point.
The introductory viewing of the show exhibits was followed by a tour of the gear production. During the design and production of gear units, a high degree of flexibility and maximum efficiency of the gear units and motors is very important to Lenze. Given their considerable experience in the core business and the implementation of and compliance with the company philosophy Lenze creates the ideal drive package for every customer.
After all these interesting impressions, the participants headed to Groß Berkel. Following a brief coffee and cake break, the HR department introduced the company before the group was taken on a tour through the electronics manufacturing. Modern equipment with automated assembly lines and a consistently implemented quality management allow the production of complex electronic components such as frequency inverters at Groß Berkel. At the end of the impressive tour, participants had the possibility to discuss in-depth the product portfolio as well as various subjects ranging from transmission manufacturing and electronics production to quality control with the production managers.
Finally, the participants thanked Karl E. Brinkmann GmbH, REINTJES GmbH and Lenze SE as well as Professor Zimmer and Mr. Strop for the perfect organization and a successful excursion.
Sources:
https://www.keb.de/de/unternehmen/geschichte.html
http://www.reintjes-gears.de/index.php/unternehmen/historie
http://www.lenze.com/ueber-lenze/unternehmensgruppe/historie/
