Meko Manufacturing operates worldwide as a supplier for customers from the medical technology, mechanical and plant engineering, aviation and automotive industries, among others. A good 250 employees work at the Sarstedt site near Hanover. Item has already supplied aluminum profiles and corresponding connecting elements to Sarstedt on several occasions, mainly for plant construction and the furnishing of office and production areas. The current project involves equipping a new building with a good 100 workstation systems in the quality control department. Special requirements had to be met here because high-precision measuring devices are placed on the workbenches. They are used to inspect and assess the smallest components, such as stents and heart valve support frames, using high-resolution microscopes.

The workstation systems must be low-vibration and rigid. The focus is also on ergonomics; height adjustment was therefore a fundamental requirement for the new work tables. However, height-adjustable tables generate a jolt when starting or stopping and often vibrate, which has a negative effect on the measuring instruments and sensitive components. Item has developed a workstation system on which even heavy microscopes can be operated safely and with little vibration. The construction is designed for a load capacity of 200 kilograms. Two electric lifting columns on the side of the table enable height adjustment; set working heights can be saved and recalled. The required rigidity was achieved by positioning the table columns centrally on the sides.

The workstation consists of a base frame and a superstructure with table top, cable tray and two shelves. The table top is 1,800 millimeters long and 600 millimeters wide. The base frame is always identical, the structure depends on the task and work process. The table tops are also different, for example HPL-coated or made of beech plywood. Some designs are equipped with magnetic back panels or side protective walls. The accessories also include magnifying lamps, compressed air connections and shelves. There are a total of two basic workstation versions, which can be modified and extended. Further tables are to be manufactured according to this design, which can be modified at any time thanks to the modular structure.

This article appeared in issue 9/23