What properties must modern linear technology solutions have today?

Linear technology is fundamentally a very sophisticated technology. For users, the overall package of hardware and software plus service is therefore crucial. Speed and efficiency are the be-all and end-all here. At Item, the customer gets everything from a single source - from linear guides and transport elements to drives. Our Item MotionDesigner calculates the complete system consisting of linear unit, motor and control unit from thousands of combinations to precisely match the transport task. The linear unit is then delivered ready for installation and pre-configured. Commissioning takes just a few minutes using the Item MotionSoft software. The time saved is enormous. Errors during data transfer are a thing of the past. Almost as important as fast design is the fast availability of a system. That's why we keep all components of the linear units and the Item modular system in our warehouse. This enables us to realize short delivery times.

Where do you see new areas of application for linear guides?

Whether in mechanical engineering, testing technology or laser technology - linear units are used in many areas of application today. For standard applications in particular, it is more cost-effective to use linear technology instead of an expensive and maintenance-intensive robot. Thanks to further developments, linear technology systems are now taking on increasingly complex tasks. For example, multi-axis solutions with cantilever axes can move in three-dimensional space and move to any point. This is made possible by new control and motor technology. Modern servomotors have high positioning accuracy, robustness and dynamics. They can be used to automate various processes. For example, linear technology is increasingly replacing pneumatic solutions. Expanding the networking of systems is a major topic for the future. We also see great potential in the further digitalization of design processes. Virtual reality is particularly promising here with regard to the visualization of designs and individual components as well as in terms of new and improved functionalities of design systems.