Online magazine for design and development

Here you will find everything that the designer needs for his design and the development engineer for his new development, from the draft to quality assurance in production, such as new products, their applications, new technologies or research results. Company reports as well as topics on technological and megatrends in all industrial sectors complete our range of industry news. Let's start with the news.

Company News

Ebm-Papst wants to sell industrial drive technology to Siemens
The Ebm-Papst Group has announced that it will sell its Industrial Drive Technology (IDT) division to Siemens AG. Both sides have signed a corresponding agreement.
Jumo's new Sensilo plant construction is progressing
Jumo is building a factory in the technology park for the production of temperature and pressure sensors with a production area of ​​around 13 m². At around 000 million euros, the new building is the largest investment in the company's history.
3DExperience Word 2024 in Dallas
At 3DExperience World 2024 in February in Dallas, Texas, Dassault Systèmes celebrated the event's 25th anniversary. The annual user meeting supports the global community in the development of future-proof products and processes.
Michael Koch GmbH moves into a new workshop
There is now more space available in Michael Koch's “Factory” for the assembly of customer- and machine-specific safe braking resistors. The new, modern hall was recently “taken by storm” by the employees.
Elon Musk is suing OpenAI for profit-making
Elon Musk files a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of breach of contract because the company, which was originally designed as a nonprofit, is now operating for profit.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Industry news for your design and development from the specialist areas

communication technology

communication technology

World's first Omlox testing laboratory put into operation

The first Omlox testing laboratory in the world has been launched. The PI granted the Fraunhofer Institute Lemgo approval as a PI test laboratory for Omlox.

To the post

switch cabinet

switch cabinet

On to the intelligent drive train for predictive maintenance

The Roba-brake-checker module or the torque-measuring shaft coupling from Mayr ensure intelligent safety in smart production.

To the post

plastics

plastics

The first 100 Igus bikes hit the streets

The first 100 Igus Urban Bikes hit the streets and an in-house production facility with a capacity of 10.000 bicycles is set up in Cologne.

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Couplings

Couplings

Torque measuring shaft coupling

The smart steel multi-plate coupling Roba-drive-checker from Mayr can do more than just transmit torque and compensate for shaft misalignment.

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INDUSTRY SPECIALS

Industry news for your design and development from the branches

food technology

food technology

Lubrication and sealing-optimized linear guide

Schaeffler presents linear guides for food technology with optimized seals, wipers and long-term lubrication units.

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Mobile Machinery

Mobile Machinery

Flexible, customizable gateway for agricultural technology

IFM Electronic is presenting the Isobus Gateway at the Hannover Messe, which is designed for agricultural equipment and can be specifically adapted.

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Energy Technology

Energy Technology

All Electric Society – vision of the future of connectivity

At the Hannover Messe Preview, Harting gives an outlook on the Hannover Messe and draws the future picture of an “All Electric Society”.

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Inverter

Inverter

Certified servo controller with Profisafe interface

At Logimat, Wittenstein is presenting a safety-certified servo controller with a Profisafe interface and integrated safety card for AGVs.

To the post

EXHIBITION SPECIALS

Industry fair news

Hannover Messe promotes energy for sustainable industry
As a networked industrial ecosystem, the exhibitors demonstrate how climate neutrality can be achieved through the use of electrification, digitalization and automation under the guiding theme of Energizing a sustainable Industry.
Control Fair 2024 | The industry is already looking forward to Stuttgart
Control 2024, the important international trade fair for quality assurance, will take place from April 23rd to 26th in Stuttgart. The trade fair places a particular focus on automation and digitalization.
SPS Nuremberg: Now in 16 halls!
The SPS – Smart Production Solutions from November 14th to 16.11th. 2023 will see significant growth in the trade fair compared to the previous year and is on the way to pre-Corona levels.

The Icaros GmbH brings a new type of sports equipment onto the market. With the device, the company managed to combine fitness equipment and Virtual reality flight simulator. Anyone who climbs in can experience the dream of flying like Icarus from ancient times. But in contrast to the namesake and Greek myth, the developers made no compromises when choosing the right components and chose the Linear Technology the robust ones Bow guides the “Curviline” from Rollon .

Rollon Icaros

Contents

The dream of flying



Following the example of Greek mythology, Johannes Scholl glides over a narrow river, past a spectacular mountain range. Then, just before a cloud front, he shifts his weight and goes into a dive. But unlike the cocky Icarus, who got too close to the sun, the industrial designer's adventure doesn't end in the sea. He doesn't need wings for this, just one Virtual Reality Brille – and his fitness machine Icaros.

Scholl is the creative mind behind it Light metal frame, which is mounted on a solid stand and can be freely pivoted up to 50 degrees along its transverse axis. The built-in linear technology from Rollon GmbH plays a central role in the virtual flight. And not without reason: just a slight muscle tension is enough and the sensors on the frame, which can be moved in all directions, transfer the new body position to the flight simulation.

Precise linear technology for steady flight

For having the dream of flying Johannes Scholl and his colleague, Hyve board member Michael Schmidt, combining two axes to create a fitness device for workouts in virtual worlds. “Icaros allows the user to dynamically assume different positions in the roll axis and tilt axis,” says Johannes Scholl, explaining the principle behind it.

Curves like that roll axis from Icaros are an individual matter. "Even with rapid load changes and shifts of emphasis a low friction and smooth movement must be guaranteed ", Michael Schmidt adds.

On the recommendation of the plant manufacturer involved novega The two turned to the Rollon Group, a leading full-service provider and system supplier for linear technology, to design the roll axis. In Düsseldorf, the headquarters of the German branch, the specialists recommended the Curviline curved guides with radial bearings.

The system is electrolytically galvanized and consists of the rail and one or more runners. Curviline is suitable for applications where both straight and curved movements are required - as is the case with the fitness device.

The curved guides are normally used in industrial environments and in the construction of ships and rail vehicles. They are designed to be correspondingly robust to provide protection against corrosion ISO 2081. to ensure. They are suitable for machine enclosures, door systems or packaging stations. In the latter, they ensure that rounded security doors run smoothly. Such a real glass pane weighs 60 to 90 kg - a weight class that is also typical for athletes on Icaros.

Tailored and exact specifications

For Icaros linear technology specialist realized the rail to the desired radius in the required length, and tailored to your exact specifications. The manufacturer's flexibility is for the product "a real plus in cooperation" how stressed at Icaros.

It's not just impressive when it comes to robustness and smooth running Curvilines. The curved guides are available in various versions with constant and variable radii in rail widths of 16,5 and 23 mm. A single rail can include both curved and straight sections. Depending on the application, the galvanized steel rails ensure travel distances of over 3000 mm and the runners ensure speeds of up to 1,5 m/s.

Four arranged in pairse Rollers maintain the pre-tension over the entire length of the rail. The movable roller holders and the paired use of concentric and eccentric roller pins ensure smooth running even with complicated rail paths. The rotor body is adjusted by simply adjusting the roller pins - with no play or with pre-tension on the rail.

Soft movements during rapid load changes

Together with the tilting axis, the Curviline arch guide forms the core by Icaros. It allows the athlete to move freely in two axes. The principle behind a successful flight performance: While the forearms and shins rest on the steel frame, it is important to maintain balance through skillful balancing.

The bow with the radial bearings at stomach height allows the entire frame to tilt to the right or left by shifting the center of gravity. Thanks to the precise motion transfer, only a few centimeters determine the position in the flight simulator during training.

If the hips and upper body are too far forward, the athlete will tip their head towards the ground. A backwards hip does the opposite. Bending to the right tilts the device in the same direction. Accordingly, a roll to the left with a shift of weight to the left is possible.


Igus linear guide as a quiet, maintenance-free alternative


John Scholl: "Any inclination angle detected by the integrated controller in a sensor, which is equipped with buttons, while the specially developed for gaming environment is displayed on a virtual reality headset. In this way the user interacts with his whole body with the virtual world. "

The idea of ​​a thesis

It all started in... year 2011 with an idea for Scholl's diploma thesis. Michael Schmidt, his boss at the time and now a colleague, promised him after successfully completing his diploma thesis: “If you start at Hyve as a designer, we will bring the project together to market maturity,” remembers Scholl.

The idea is one Start-up with a model ready for series production. Since 2015, the two Munich natives have been working as managing directors of Icaros GmbH with their team of programmers and designers to realize flights through virtual worlds.

“Icaros is intended to revolutionize classic fitness training. “We have set ourselves the goal of merging workout and gaming in a new way to inspire and motivate players and athletes alike,” says Michael Schmidt. The demands on the mechanical components are correspondingly high. “With Curviline from Rollon we have linear guides in use that meet our requirements for precision, service life and robustness. They ensure the right balance in the player's position - and that without requiring great effort to change position," as the two managing directors emphasize in unison. And their success proves them right: almost all of the first 50 copies have already been sold.

Test with the sports equipment prototype

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Author information
Klaus Hermes

Klaus Hermes is Marketing Manager at Rollon GmbH in Düsseldorf.