GERMAN AMERICAN - Strothmann

Innovation In Motion
“We can handle it” – a statement which carries more
than a figurative meaning for STROTHMANN customers,
like for example Tower Automotive at Milwaukee, a tier
one supplier for the U.S. American automotive industry.
Here, body frames for all-terrain vehicles weighing –
including the grippers – about as much as a complete mid-size
European car, have to be transferred within welding lines.
Sure, conveyors could do
the job – but they take up
lots of floor space, and
Another exemplary application
is the manufacturing of
hoods for air conditioning sys-
the mechanics is complicated, tems at Trane’s, a Texas-based
too. The STROTHMANN solu- company. Here, STROTHtion
employs linear robots, MANN implemented a han-
which lift up
dling system capa-
the frame, Customers in the ble of processing a
move it rapidly
to the next
U.S. include Ford and
wide variety of
blanks and sizes.
welding sta- DaimlerChrysler and Without complicattion,
and put it major component ed servo-motors, a
down again.
The robots can
suppliers for the
specially developed
end of arm tooling
carry up to automotive industry
adapts automatical-
3,500 lbs.,
ly to the size of the
cover distances of 40 ft., and blank, a solution which
also operate much faster than reduces moving masses and
conveyor systems.
saves costs.
Machines for Handling
Since 1976, STROTH-
MANN GmbH & Co.
KG develops and
builds machines and
implements solutions
for all kinds of
logistic and handling
problems. Products
and services range
from linear shuttles
and gantries, destackers
and centering stations,
end of arm tools
and the patented
RoundTrack floor rail
system to complete press
line automation and
refurbishing. Customers in
Cover Story
German American Trade · Vol. 15 · No. 3 7