Gudel, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Swiss-based Gudel Group, has transitioned all manufacturing of its third-generation robot tracks for domestic markets to its headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. While some initial Trackmotion Floor (TMF) modules were fabricated and machined in Switzerland, the entire product line is now built in the U.S.
"We believe 'Swiss Quality, Made Locally' reflects our business strategy very accurately," said Joe Campbell, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "We leverage drive components from our Swiss factory with U.S. engineering, manufacturing and service.
"The new generation of TrackMotion robot tracks deliver improvements throughout the entire product line, all focused on improving performance, reliability and value. We have made considerable improvements to the new design. For starters, the frame is now a closed, gusseted weldment that delivers increased stiffness with a smaller footprint. The improved stiffness means less deflection over the travel length (repeatability of +/- 0.02 mm), the ability to operate at higher speeds and acceleration (up to 240 m/min, 12 m/s2), all while requiring less floor space. An added benefit is the enclosed frame design, which prevents the buildup of debris in the center of the track and provides a more stable platform for maintenance personnel."
According to the company, the new TMF family can be configured for any application. Four standard frame sizes can support over 98% of the robot models on the market, at full payload and under dynamic loads. Standard lengths are available from 3 meters to 16 meters in 1 meter increments, and custom tracks can be provided in any length including large scale applications. Gudel has also developed a universal robot carriage design with flexible adaptor plates that interface to any robot model. Units can be configured with multiple independent live carriages or passive slave carriages. Tracks can be configured with servo worm drives or planetary gearboxes, and support all major motor manufacturers.
The core of the TMF product line is Gudel's driveline components, including gear boxes, helical racks, rails and pinions. "Gudel's cam follower roller block design allows in-place adjustment and outright replacement without the total disassembly required by traditional linear bearing approaches," said a company spokesperson. "To date, the TMF has been shipping around the world into diverse industries from aerospace to automotive, packaging to logistics and metal fab to furniture."
For more information contact:
Gudel, Inc. USA
4881 Runway Boulevard
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-9558
734-214-0000
www.us.gudel.com