From left to right: Friedrich Keglowich, Anette Hippach, Bernd Appel, Elmar Limberger, Rolf Wagner

SICK insight: What was the aim of SICK AG’s take-over of Max Stegmann GmbH last year?

Friedrich Keglowich: The acquisition of Stegmann is part of the strategic expansion of our portfolio over the last few years, which has made us a complete, single-source, supplier of industrial sensors for machine construction. SICK-STEGMANN, a technological leader, offers a complete product programme for machine construction and drive technology. Our aim is to use these rotative sensors and actuators to take advantage of the market opportunities arising from the decentralisation of control systems and drive technology.

SICK insight: What range of products is behind the name SICK-STEGMANN?

Elmar Limberger: We are at home in drive technology, in terms of both sensors and actuators. The sensors department includes encoders for numerous tasks in machine construction, as well as motor feedback systems for the digital regulation of servomotors. In the area of drive technology we offer compact drives with powers of up to 50 Watts, for a variety of possible uses. The emphasis here is on customer-specific solutions with a high degree of integration, where we can bring all our experience in mechanics, electrics and electronics to bear. An example of this is a colour zone drive specially developed for MAN-Roland with an integrated control system for precise colour dosing on printing machines.

SICK insight: A certain amount of know-how has been amassed in
Donaueschingen ...

Bernd Appel: ... from which in recent years innovations, patents and market standards have flowed at regular intervals. Just think about the SSI interface patented by Stegmann, which is now almost indispensable in circuits for regulating bearings. Or how about the HIPERFACE® interface, that turns motor feedback systems into plug & play information solutions for regulating motors and drives? We have become the technological leader in this area, and a partner of the most important drive suppliers worldwide. HIPERFACE® has already become a standard in Europe and the USA. We can offer our customers a wide range of rotative drive products – we are now in the process of achieving this with linear drives. With the encoders, our CoreTech® is a sign of the times, as we can not only individually configure almost every customer-specific version, but also get it ready within 48 hours anywhere in the world. In future, Donaueschingen will remain a place where you can count on technological surprises.

SICK insight: What do Sales and Support look like at SICK-STEGMANN?

Friedrich Keglowich: The customer groups and contacts supported by Stegmann, and the application fields for the rotative sensors, are almost 100% the same as those covered by SICK’s Industrial Sensors Division. It is thus only logical that encoder sales for machine construction are carried out via the Central Sales Office (Germany) in Düsseldorf, which will start at the same time as the Hanover fair. We have also trained our external and internal service consultants intensively with the new product range. As is the case with our other sensors, there is sometimes a special need for advice that is more detailed than usual. The sales organisation makes use of the expertise of the Product Managers, Application Specialists and Developers in Donaueschingen.

SICK insight: Apropos worldwide – the Hanover Industrial Trade Fair 2003 is starting soon. What will SICK-STEGMANN present to the world’s public?

Rolf Wagner: To start with we have the “blue line”, i.e. the various incremental and absolute encoders in SICK’s familiar corporate colour and with Stegmann’s familiar inner qualities. One highlight here is a micro-encoder that provides all the opportunities offered by miniaturisation thanks to our MiniDisc technology. We already use this in motor feedback systems, such as the SinCos® SKS 36 with the HIPERFACE® interface that we are showing in Hanover. There will also be a range of other motor feedback systems on show – already integrated in servomotors of various dimensions. The star among our drives at the HMI will be the HD 70 HIPERDRIVE® – a newly developed integral drive for automatic format adjustment, e.g. in printing or packaging machines.

SICK insight: Then we hope that in Hanover not only will the exhibits revolve, but also that a lot of specialist discussion will revolve around your devices.

Thank you very much for this conversation.