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Customer: Kirschner Mechanical Engineering GmbH

Location:
Euerwang near Greding (Bavaria), Germany

industry:
Automation Technology / Service and Testing Technology / Automotive Industry

Application:
Battery turner for service stations

Maximum safety during battery flipping

The battery turner becomes a safety-critical core componentof the service station. Together with Kirschner Mechanical Engineering GmbHand Müller control technology, SEW-EURODRIVE developed a solution specifically designed for service applications. At its core is a redundant lifting system with two drives, in which a single gearmotor can safely hold the load. The concept is complemented by:

  • regular brake tests
  • a standardized automation architecture
  • integrated safety functions based on MOVI‑C®

The result is a battery turner that offers reliability in integrating into the service process and ensures safety where people and technique work in close proximity to one another. The system is used in service stations where battery modules from electric vehicles aretested, maintained, and repaired off the line. It enables:

  • automatic feeding in and out of the battery modules
  • safe, controlled flipping
  • transfer to downstream testing and repair processes
  • flexible adaptation to different variants

Kirschner Mechanical Engineering GmbH

Location: Euerwang near Greding (Bavaria, Germany)

  • Special-purpose machine manufacturing with a focus on mechanics
  • Founded in 1987
  • Approximately 90 employees
  • Operating in the automotive industry, custom machine building, and contract manufacturing, among other sectors

Partner: Müller Control Technology

Location: Preith / Pollenfeld (Bavaria, Germany)

  • Specialist in electrical, open-loop control, and automation technology
  • Family-owned business with over 25 years of experience
  • Certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015
  • Comprehensive expertise ranging from electrical design and software development to startup

Industry: Automation and Electrical Engineering

Application: Battery turntable for service stations
  • Highest safety and quality requirements due to work performed under a suspended load.
  • Redundant design: A gearmotor supports the entire load.
  • Integrated and reliable solution for regular brake tests
  • Minimal cabling
  • Existing end-customer standards and proven drive technology

For this demanding application, innovative technology from theMOVI-C® modular automation system was used:

Decentralized drive technology:

Control Cabinet Technology:

Drive technology:

Software:

The coordinated interaction of hardware and software enables a safe, precise, and standardized solution across all product categories.

How were these requirements implemented?

  • A single gearmotor must be capable of safely holding the entire load at all times.
  • Daily automatic brake tests per shift to ensure safe operation
  • Redundant design of the entire drive and safety technology

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Special challenge

The heart of the system is a vertical drive with two gearmotors and state-of-the-art safety technology. Since workers must occasionally work beneath the raised load, the highest requirements for functional safety and reliability apply.

This offers the following benefits to customers:

  • Proven software modules meet complex safety and testing requirements
  • Reduced variety of variants thanks to standardized interfaces
  • A comprehensive, end-to-end system solution from a single source—from the open-loop control system to the gearmotor
  • Minimal cabling thanks to modern single-cable solutions
  • High system availability and reproducible quality
  • Efficient and transparent project structure thanks to a clear division of responsibilities:
    • Kirschner mechanical engineering: Mechanics
    • Müller control technology: Electrical systems and control software

Several battery turners have already been successfully implemented as part of the project. The center of gravity was placed on the complex design of the drive and safety technology for the entire vertical drive. SEW-EURODRIVE worked closely with the project team and provided support in areas such as design, startup, and safety certification.

Feedback from the project

The system is designed for various configurations and is fully automated. Given the high value of the battery modules, quality is our top priority, as even a single slip or crash can have serious consequences. The requirements for design and operational safety were correspondingly high. Our collaboration with SEW-EURODRIVE was consistently excellent and reliable throughout: they provided sound advice, quick support, and cooperative coordination throughout the entire project.
Florian Schneider, Sales and Dimensioning
Kirschner Mechanical Engineering GmbH
What sets this system apart is its systematic approach to the overall safety technology design of the vertical drive and the clear structure of the automation. The project focused on safety, quality, and clean technical implementation. The MOVI‑C® drive technology offers exactly the flexibility and standards we need for such demanding applications. Our collaboration with SEW-EURODRIVE was based on partnership and a solution-oriented approach.
Ernst Müller, Managing Director
Müller control technology
This reference demonstrates how the requirements of a safety-critical service operation can be implemented with MOVI‑C® using a consistent system-wide approach. The combination of standardized drive technology, integrated safety functions, and predefined software modules results in a solution that is technically well-structured and, at the same time, adapts flexibly to the service process. From mechanical design and drive technology to open-loop control and software, MOVI‑C® offers a comprehensive system concept for this purpose.
Peter Keila, In-House Engineer and End-Customer Support Specialist
SEW-EURODRIVE, Drive Office Nuremberg

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