PRESSESERVICE

SAB Bröckskes designs special sensor cables for environmental monitoring, offering individual requirements engineering with regard to environmental compatibility, ruggedness, weight, insulation and sheath materials. Sensor-based biomarker tracking is gaining importance in environmental monitoring and ranges from long-term air and water quality monitoring to sample evaluation of farm surface water and real-time water level monitoring. The reliability and longevity of the sensor systems are crucial in all monitoring tasks. Wired connections have proven to be a robust and reliable solution. High transmission capacities and data rates can be achieved via USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet, depending on the sensor and measurement task. However, the ecological footprint has a negative impact if critical raw materials are combined or in case of less sustainable manufacturing processes. ‘For this reason, we attach great importance to sustainability in production and material selection,’ says Marc Gerlatzek, Business Development for the Medical Technology and Assembly Division at SAB Bröckskes. ‘For example, the jacket material in our SABorganic series consists of around 45 percent ecological, environmentally friendly raw materials. As a result, we reduce our CO2 footprint by an average of 25 percent compared to comparable fossil products. We source the materials from short, regional supply chains.’ Sustainable, resource-saving production processes are just as relevant for the life cycle assessment. SAB Bröckskes now generates around a quarter of its electricity needs from renewable sources from its own photovoltaics systems.

Deburring glove compartments, laminating interior trim, or welding ventilation pipes—these are just some of the tasks involving plastics processing in modern cars. Heat processes are often required in challenging corners, small spaces or along edges.
Infrared contour emitters are shaped precisely along these contours, which offers decisive advantages. Heat is applied precisely to the burr or fold, minimizing energy consumption and optimizing the production step.
“This automates a complex process with reproducible results,” says application specialist Michael Jauch. “We have customers who have now performed more than half a million deburring cycles with the same set of emitters!”
Excelitas will be presenting Noblelight solutions for plastics processing at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf in October, hall 11 stand D01. Infrared emitters that are precisely tailored to the product and process in terms of shape, voltage, and power, as well as UV technology for curing.

Clean and efficient plastic welding
Complex pipe systems, transport boxes, and storage containers for windshield washer fluid or brake fluid—many plastic products are assembled from several individual parts during the manufacturing process. The type of plastic, shape, wall thickness, and color have a significant influence on the process. It is worth taking a close look at these process parameters before installing a new joining system. Infrared emitters from Excelitas transfer heat without contact and can be used in programmed time cycles.
In most cases, an infrared emitter module moves between two plastic parts and heats the surfaces of both parts. When the specified temperature is reached, the infrared module moves out, the ends of the parts are pressed firmly together and thus welded to each other.
Infrared welding systems offer many advantages over contact plate systems. The welding process is usually faster and also much cleaner, as no plastic sticks to the heating tools.

Faster deburring, reduced scrap
Plastic handles, covers, and panels are often manufactured using injection molding. The formation of sharp burrs, for example at the mold parting line, cannot always be prevented. Removing burrs before further processing or coating can be a real challenge, especially with complexly shaped parts.
Manual deburring with gas flames or special tools does not deliver uniformly reproducible results. Infrared radiation heats plastic parts contact-free and precisely on the surface in a matter of seconds. Shaped emitters direct infrared radiation exactly where it is needed. This is made possible by reflectors that are applied as a coating directly to the shaped emitters. The light emission gap is selected so that the energy arrives precisely at a burr. This enables in-line production of plastic parts and significantly reduces the reject rate in the production of molded parts.

Targeted heating for laminating
Door panels, headliners, and other interior parts of a car are of higher quality when the decorative trim is bonded to the back of the workpiece. This lamination is usually done in a wrapping tool, where the adhesive on the decorative trim is activated by heat. Infrared contour emitters heat the wrapping area precisely, ensuring a very efficient heating process.

Infrared heat for efficient energy use
Infrared heating technology works by transferring electromagnetic waves, which then generate heat in the product. This requires neither direct contact with the material nor a transfer medium such as gas or air. Infrared emitters transfer energy into a plastic product and generate heat exactly where it is needed. This helps to solve many requirements.
Infrared systems with contour emitters can be optimally networked with robots or handling systems. The ability to switch infrared emitters on or off in a matter of seconds means that energy is used efficiently, time is saved, and ultimately production costs are reduced.

Replacing an explosion-proof size 1000 motor at short notice is an ambitious task. For the German family-run company Menzel Elektromotoren, it was a chance to prove once again its extensive expertise in the design, manufacture and certification of explosion-proof motors. A plastics producer had to replace an existing extruder motor with ignition protection type Ex d (flameproof encapsulation) very urgently. Menzel and the client found that a motor with the ignition protection type Ex ec (increased safety) would satisfy the current hazardous zone requirements. The motor manufacturer selected a suitable three-phase squirrel-cage motor from its extensive stock, individually adapting it for the drive task and the installation site. The project hinged on upgrading the motor for zone 2 hazardous areas with potentially explosive gas atmospheres and getting it the necessary ATEX certification. Menzel’s officially certified in-house experts labeled the motor II 3G Ex ec IIC T4 Gc. The new motor with a lower shaft height at 630 mm was brought up to the center height of the old motor by means of a welded base. Since the new motor has four winding systems instead of the two of the old one, Menzel also made electrical modifications for operation on the existing frequency converter. The project exposes the existing supply gap for explosion-proof motors in large sizes: the few existing suppliers can only offer building a motor from scratch – with the corresponding months-long delivery times. Menzel stands out from the competition with its large stock inventory and ability to configure and adapt stock electric motors in-house for hazardous areas and certify them according to the latest ATEX directives. In this instance, only two weeks passed from order placement to installation at the customer’s site. The customer came to Berlin for testing and acceptance and praised Menzel’s flexibility.

More about motors with ignition protection type Ex ec (increased safety) for zone 2 or 22 hazardous areas with gas or dust atmospheres:
https://www.menzel-motors.com/ex-na/

Berg, July 15, 2025 – Together with 200 guests from around the world, the RAFI Group – originally founded as the “Institut für Elektrotechnik, Optik & Mechanik” on November 15, 1900 – celebrated its anniversary at Inselhalle Lindau. As part of the Future Impact Symposium held under the slogan “Zeitgeist. Megatrends. Courage.” on July 10, the event offered a look at the company’s past. On October 11, interactive workshop sessions focused on contemporary topics such as AI applications, de-globalization, and innovation management.

Ernst Bucher established an electrical engineering business in Ravensburg under the name “Institut für Elektrotechnik Optik & Mechanik,” thus laying the cornerstone for RAFI. His successor, Raimund Finsterhölzl, registered RAFI as a trademark with the Imperial Patent Office in 1908. A lot has happened since then. Initially focusing on the development and production of switches and nurse call systems, the company from Upper Swabia has continuously evolved and reinvented itself over the past 125 years – not just in terms of its product line but also in its range of applications.

“Today, our involvement across such a wide spectrum of sectors sets us apart. We continually pursue innovations, keeping our customers at the cutting edge and pushing beyond current boundaries. Thinking ahead to tomorrow is embedded in our DNA. The primary reason for this is that people trust us and value our experience, especially since we are constantly surprising the market with new things,” says Dr. Lothar Seybold, CEO of the RAFI Group, during his welcome address on the first day of the Future Impact Symposium. “Our employees at our locations in Berg, Bad Waldsee, Überlingen, Shanghai, Milwaukee, Zielona Góra, Mezötúr, and Cambiago, along with our representative offices in France and Scandinavia, understand the value of quality, technological expertise, pragmatism, and courage, all of which drive our success.”

The markets in which RAFI operates are dynamic, fiercely competitive, and driven by technology. To keep pace as a supplier, you need to possess comprehensive expertise in development, design, and manufacturing, along with in-depth industry knowledge that enables multidimensional thought and action. The requirements in the medical technology, electromobility, and agricultural and construction machinery sectors differ from those in mechanical and plant engineering, as well as robotics and automation.

What would Alfred Nobel have thought about all this?

It was not without reason that RAFI moved its anniversary celebration from the Berg site near Ravensburg to Inselhalle Lindau: the Nobel Foundation, which has been awarding the Nobel Prize since 1901, was also established in the year RAFI was founded. Even though the Nobel Prizes are famously awarded in Oslo and Stockholm, the Nobel laureates meet each year on Lake Constance, specifically at Inselhalle Lindau, with this year marking the 74th such gathering. Nearly 600 guests attended the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting from June 29 to July 4. This time the scientific focus was on the field of chemistry.

Fittingly, the TechTalk “Zeitgeist. Megatrends. Courage.” began on the evening of July 10 with the following thematic introduction: Everything has changed – over the last 125 years. The industrial age. Consumer society. Science. Business. Nature. Technology. Mobility. Energy. Sport. Worldwide. Even the development of our workplaces compared to 10, 30, or 50 years ago. What might Alfred Nobel have thought about all of this?

The industrial age, consumer society, and RAFI over 125 years

The discussion featured panelists from a wide range of disciplines who engaged with these and other questions in an insightful and humorous manner: Christian Streich, former German soccer player and coach; Prof. Heiner Linke, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees of the Nobel Laureate Meetings and Professor of Nanophysics at Lund University; Albert Wasmeier, former CEO of RAFI; and Dr. Lothar Seybold, CEO of the RAFI Group.

Moderated by Dr. Ines Marbach, the event explored the innovative spirit at the dawn of the last century that laid the foundations for modern life, the economic boom following World War II, the rise of the computer age in the 1970s, and the emergence of new markets and opportunities after German reunification.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the digital transformation of the value chain provided the ideal lead-in for Mathias Haas, who, as a futurist who engages in “trend watching in the here & now,” gathers global insights in real time and advises companies on their future direction. RAFI’s significance in this context and era was illustrated through vivid anecdotes and key moments from the company’s history.

LOSYCO designs and builds efficient heavy-duty transport solutions based on its modular, floor-level LOXrail system. Applications include production logistics, machine feeding, material flow and warehouse logistics. Now, the German intra-logistics experts have installed a system with 180 meters track length for the window and door manufacturer HÖNING. They established connections from the goods receipt area to the material warehouse and to the new machining center in two construction phases, each with two tracks along and four across. Eight crossing points enable flexible navigation of the plant. LOSYCO also built 20 customer-specific transport trolleys featuring AllRounder wheelsets for an easy change of direction directly on the rail. “Initially, we had planned to set up an automated high-bay warehouse for material storage and feeding,” says Höning production manager Ronny Paulsen. “However, it turned out that the associated fire protection requirements would cause disproportionately high costs. In our search for alternatives, we came across LOXrail. The concept and offer designed by LOSYCO convinced us both functionally and as an economic proposition.” The trolleys run on the new, floor-flush rails with 25-mm stainless-steel shafts. Designed for a maximum payload of five tons, each trolley can transport several material containers. The loads are secured by special brackets. To securely stop the trolleys at the loading and unloading points, locking bolts at the ends of both side arms are lowered into corresponding floor bushings. “The transport system has significantly improved material logistics and order picking for us,” says Ronny Paulsen. “The low friction makes the LOXrail system easy to handle and very ergonomic. We can move loads along and across with just one person. And we can cross the tracks laid in the hall floor on foot or with industrial trucks without a problem.”

Gossen Metrawatt expands its portfolio of MID-certified ENERGYMID energy meters, adding models with a radio interface based on the LoRaWAN standard. The radio protocol features a long range and bidirectional communication, using secure AES encryption. The new ENERGYMID LPWAN energy meters are powered from the measuring voltage; users do not need to exchange batteries. Radio transmission creates significant cost savings as it requires no communication channels or time-consuming cabling. This enables easy integration into IoT structures and makes ENERGYMID LPWAN energy meters a perfect fit for decentralized, billable energy data acquisition at locations without wired communication, mobile meter stations such as construction site power supplies or small distribution boards and for integration into existing LoRaWAN networks. The new generation with radio function comes in several types, including versions for 4-wire networks, 400 V with 5(80) A direct connection or 1/5(6) A transformer connection. The devices record up to 33 measured variables in addition to the active power, such as reactive and apparent power, neutral conductor current, power factor, frequency, as well as power fed to the grid. They also monitor the network quality via THD current and voltage measurements. Like all ENERGYMID meters, the new series is highly compact, measuring only four standard width units, and can be mounted on 35-mm DIN top-hat rails in any position. Their high-contrast three-line LCD display with LED background illumination ensures excellent readability of measurement values. It simplifies connection parameter monitoring and warns of installation errors by changing colors. The devices are tamper-proof, featuring configuration disabling and sealed covers.

Menzel Elektromotoren has manufactured two identical DC motors for a copper rolling mill. The motors replace an older tandem motor setup. The manufacturer had to replicate the mechanical and electrical properties of the existing motors in detail. Numerous adjustments were necessary to achieve a drop-in solution: special shaft ends, shorter lamination design, maintaining the total length of the motors and special commutator and winding designs. In addition, new foot holes were applied to fit the drilling pattern in the customer’s plant. The MEBGVA-type motors have a shaft height of 400 mm, a rated output of 250 kW and a rated voltage of 220 V DC at a base speed of 455 rpm. The speed in the field-weakening range is 1216 rpm. The DC motors feature construction type IM 1002, protection class IP54 and cooling type IC 37. Menzel manufactures DC motors in various designs and for a wide range of applications from 20 kW to 2 MW.
More information is available at https://www.menzel-motors.com/dc-motors/

Berg, May 16, 2025 – Construction of the new RAFI factory in Bad Waldsee started in May 2023, and the facility went into operation in early 2025. Covering a floorspace of 10,000 m˛, the building now houses new production facilities for synthetic material and machine production, metal processing, a toolshop including tool development, as well as a training and apprentice center. Built to the latest economic and ecological standards, the building is a clear commitment to Upper Swabia as a business location. With this development, RAFI continues to position itself as an attractive employer and driver of innovation in the region. What began with the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony on May 2, 2023 is now complete with official opening: the construction and commissioning of the new RAFI factory in Bad Waldsee. It is great success for the RAFI Group, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. Dr. Lothar Seybold, CEO of the RAFI Group, summed up this investment in the future with the words: “I’m delighted that we’ve built a state-of-the-art factory in which, on the one hand, our employees have the best possible working conditions and, on the other hand, we can guarantee the best possible quality and delivery reliability for our customers.” He added: “I would like to thank everyone involved for what has been achieved, above all the many helpers within RAFI and the planners and implementers from Planquadrat Gaiser & Partner and Georg Reisch.” A model factory: climate-friendly and resource-saving In addition to economic factors such as increasing efficiency and stabilize processes, RAFI placed great emphasis on energy-efficient building infrastructure that meets the EFFH-40 standard. The primary energy source will be a geothermal probe system with 34 probes installed at a depth of 131 meters. Additional energy will be provided by a PV system with a performance of 760 kWp. “Sustainability is firmly integrated into our organizational and management systems and is part of our corporate culture. We consistently pursue ESG objectives. This also applies to our new factory in Bad Waldsee,” said Lothar Arnold, CFO of the RAFI Group. Last year, RAFI was awarded gold status by the EcoVadis rating agency for its commitment to the environment and ethics. Dr. Lothar Seybold, CEO of the RAFI Group: “With the new building, we are making a sustainable investment in the further growth of the entire RAFI Group.” Lothar Arnold, CFO of the RAFI Group: “Our new factory in Bad Waldsee is a clear commitment to Upper Swabia as a business location and secures jobs in the region.” Rethinking production: following the value stream Almost 130 employees currently work in three shifts at the new RAFI factory. All relevant departments for the operation of modern synthetic material and machine production are located at the site: These include process technology, quality assurance, logistics, maintenance, and the in-house toolshop, including tool design. Components made of synthetic materials in various sizes, combinations, and applications, punched parts, electromechanical buttons and control devices, and components for further processing in customer-specific applications are manufactured in the facility. “By moving component production to a new factory, RAFI has not only created more space for the future, but also given the go-ahead for a more efficient and future-proof orientation of this sub-division within the Group,” said plant manager Sven Nothelfer, summing up the strategic and operational vision. Lifelong learning: training and apprentice center Bruno Felder, Head of the metalworking training workshop in Bad Waldsee, sees the teaching concept as follows: “The aim was to design an attractive and future-oriented metalworking training workshop. And we’ve succeeded. In our ultra-modern environment, we train and will continue to train apprentices in the professions of industrial and tool mechanics, synthetic material and rubber technologists, as well as machine and plant operators.” Up to 16 apprentices, students, and interns can currently be trained on the premises. The apprentices learn the basics of metalworking, such as milling and turning, as well as skills in areas such as production technologies, product design, and electronics. New this year is the RAFI Academy, which was inaugurated at the RAFI site in Überlingen in January 2025. With immediate effect, specialist conferences and training courses for up to 40 people as well as workshops and lectures can also be held in Bad Waldsee on a total area of 240 m˛. “The aim of the RAFI Academy is to promote the transfer of know-how between the RAFI locations and to build up overarching skills in the areas of personnel development, specialist training, and management development. We also want to offer our cooperation partners a platform for exchange,” said Jana Brielmayer, who is also responsible for the RAFI Academy in the RAFI Group’s Human Resources department. RAFI factory Bad Waldsee: Key data at a glance Address: Felix-Wankel-Straße 8, 88339 Bad Waldsee Start of construction/groundbreaking: May 2, 2023 Official opening: May 16, 2025 Building area: 28,242 m˛ Production and logistics space: 10,000 m˛ Synthetic material and machine production, metal processing, toolshop Training workshop and training and apprentice center Energy efficiency according to EFFH 40 standard Heat pumps, geothermal probes, PV system Calculated savings potential according to KFW application for QNG and LCA certification: 920,869.00 kWh/year primary energy savings, 756,254.00 kWh/year final energy savings and 236,363.00 kWh/year CO2 savings. Modernization of the RAFI site in Berg completed Sustainability and future viability are not only important in Bad Waldsee. The RAFI Group also launched various measures to modernize the building infrastructure at its main plant in Berg at the beginning of 2022. The three-year construction measures for refurbishment and energy modernization have now been completed. Energy savings of up to 45 percent can be achieved in future thanks to the physical improvements of the building. There is also an effective boost in CO2 emission saving: around 340 tonnes per year can be saved thanks to measures such as facade insulation.

The German Design Council has named the SAFETY TOUCH technology platform recently developed by RAFI to be the winner of the German Innovation Award 2025. The award was presented for “Electronic Technologies” in the main category of “Excellence in Business to Business.” Based on the innovative safety architecture, capacitive touch displays can be equipped with the safety features required for performance level d in accordance with industry standards. The safety concept, which is based on reliable and durable hardware components, redundant controller architecture, and comprehensive diagnostic software, provides significantly greater flexibility than hard-wired safety features. “We are extremely proud to have received an award for our SAFETY TOUCH technology. With this solution, we enable machine manufacturers and users to better align their operating philosophy with modern touchscreen visualization and capacitive input technology. Thanks to the system architecture in accordance with performance level d, even safety-critical features can be executed using touch commands. This enhances the versatility and efficiency of touch-based machine operation,” says Frank Fleischer, Head of RAFI’s Technology and Innovation Management Team, at the May 13 award ceremony held at the German Museum of Technology in Berlin. Initiated by the German Bundestag in 1953, the German Innovation Award is presented annually to especially innovative products, technologies, and services that stand out due to their added value for both users and the environment. A jury of senior R&D experts selected this year’s winners from among 460 submissions based on key criteria that included innovation, market readiness, sustainability, technical quality, and potential. The award impressively underscores RAFI’s innovative strength and commitment to developing pioneering technologies for industry.

Menzel Elektromotoren designed a compressor motor for modular installation, observing the maximum crane capacity of 15 tons at the installation site. A gas producer ordered the motor to replace a 1957-built gas compressor motor. Since structural changes in the plant were unwanted, Menzel replicated the mechanical interfaces of the existing motor. The motor’s outstanding feature is its massive base at 3 tons. Base, motor (14.7 tons) and cooler (2 tons) were installed one after the other. Menzel won the contract due to its ability and willingness to respond to special requests. The family firm built the three-phase squirrel cage motor based on its MEBKSW series, which is characterized by high power density and offers flexible equipment options such as various cooling types. The motor, with its bespoke base plate, features a total shaft height of 1120 mm, 6 MW rated output, 11 kV rated voltage, 57995 rated torque and 988 rpm rated speed. It has an IP54 protection rating with air-to-water heat exchanger (cooling type IC 86W). Like all Menzel machines, the compressor motor underwent comprehensive inspections in the manufacturer’s load test field before shipping. The customer traveled to Berlin for final testing and acceptance.
More about customized motors: https://www.menzel-motors.com/modification/