Manufacturing of series components from plastic, elastomer and MIM metal as well as automation technology from Rheinau
ZIMMER GROUP GmbH
Rheinau · Ottersweier · EttlingenNew on Amplifa
About Zimmer Group
ZIMMER GROUP GmbH is a family-owned company headquartered in Rheinau (Baden-Württemberg) that emerged in 1980 from a converted cowshed in Rheinau-Freistett. The company develops and manufactures components and system solutions for automation and handling technology, including grippers, linear technology, motor spindles, zero-point clamping systems and industrial dampers. In process technology, the group produces complex series parts by metal injection moulding (MIM), plastic injection moulding and transfer moulding of elastomers, complemented by prototype manufacturing through machining or 3D printing (FDM) as well as series assembly including functional testing. Materials include steels, alloys, plastics, elastomers, brass, aluminium, cast iron and hardened stainless steel. Products are supplied to industries such as mechanical and plant engineering, mobility, logistics, life science, the furniture industry, electronics and packaging, and are delivered via a network of 19 international subsidiaries to more than 125 countries. The group employs around 1,400 staff at three production sites in Baden-Württemberg.
- Site
- Rheinau
- Processes
- Series production of parts from metal (MIM – Metal Injection Moulding), Plastic injection moulding (series production, fully automated incl. mould removal and storage), Elastomer series production by transfer moulding (vulcanisation), Prototype/single-part production by machining or 3D printing (FDM), Series assembly of assemblies incl. procurement, production and functional testing, Milling (with motor spindles for milling machines and machining centres), Drilling (robot-assisted drilling, batch size 1, furniture industry), Deburring with robot-guided electric motor spindles
- Materials
- Steels, Alloys, Metals (metal powder for MIM), Plastic, Elastomer, Aluminium, Brass, Steel
- Certificates
- Quality management, Energy/environmental management
- Founded
- 1980
- Employees
- 1400
- Industries
- Mechanical and plant engineering, Mobility/Automotive, Logistics, Life Science, Furniture industry, Electronics
- 01
System/component development and design engineering
- 02
Prototype construction (machining or FDM printing)
- 03
Injection moulding / MIM / elastomer transfer moulding
- 04
Machining and post-processing
- 05
Assembly and functional testing
- 06
Quality assurance
- 07
Service and commissioning
Materials and Processes
Metal injection moulding (MIM)
Series production of complex metal parts from steels and alloys from 5,000 units per year with Ra below 3 µm.
Plastic injection moulding
Fully automated series production of plastic components including mould removal and storage.
Elastomer transfer moulding
Vulcanisation of unvulcanised rubber compounds for single and small-series elastomer parts.
3D printing (FDM)
Material-independent prototype and single-part production additively or by machining.
Steel
Material for MIM parts, motor spindles and hardened clamping systems.
Aluminium
Light metal for motor spindle components and gripper guidances.
Brass
Clamped material in machining of motor spindle and milling applications.
Cast iron
Material for robust machine engineering components.
Hardened stainless steel
Used in the SPN zero-point clamping system for high precision and torsional stiffness.
Elastomer
Rubber compounds for damping and soft-close components.
Wood and composite
Composite materials for robot-assisted batch-size-1 machining in the furniture industry.
Locations
Rheinau (Im Salmenkopf 5)
DEProduction/Plant 1 and development centre
- Materials
- Steel, aluminium, brass, cast iron
- Motor spindle manufacturing (HF series, liquid- and air-cooled)
- Zero-point clamping systems SPN
- Pallet changer SPP
- Robot-assisted complete machining system for furniture (Batch Size 1)
Rheinau (Am Glockenloch 2)
DEHeadquarters, production/Plant 2 and damping technology
- Materials
- Elastomer
- Industrial damper and soft-close production
Rheinau (Plastics Technology)
DEInjection moulding and MIM production
- Part weight / size
- 0.3–250 g, wall thickness down to 0.2 mm
- Lot size
- from 5,000 units/year (MIM)
- Materials
- Plastic, elastomer, MIM metal powder
- Injection moulding machines (fully automated incl. mould removal)
- Transfer moulding systems
- In-house toolmaking clamping system
Ettlingen
DESales (Sommer-automatic)
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series production of parts from metal (MIM – Metal Injection Moulding)Casting | Ra < 3 µm | – | 0.3 g – 250 g | from 5,000 units per year | Steels, Alloys, Metals (metal powder 60 vol.-%, binder 40 vol.-%) |
| Plastic injection moulding (series production, fully automated incl. mould removal and storage)Plastic | – | – | – | – | Plastic |
| Elastomer series production by transfer moulding (vulcanisation)Plastic | – | – | – | – | Elastomer (unvulcanised rubber compound) |
| Prototype/single-part production by machining or 3D printing (FDM)Additive | – | – | – | – | material-independent |
| Series assembly of assemblies incl. procurement, production and functional testingAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Milling (with motor spindles for milling machines and machining centres)Machining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Plastics, Light metals, Composites, Brass, Aluminium, Steel, Cast iron |
| Drilling (robot-assisted drilling, batch size 1, furniture industry)Machining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Wood-like composite materials |
| Deburring with robot-guided electric motor spindlesMachining | – | – | – | – | various components and materials |
| 3D and rotary machining on all sides (wood/composite, batch size 1)Machining | – | – | – | – | Wood, Composite materials |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | Metal, Plastic, Elastomer |
15 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor spindle (HF, liquid-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF205-006 | – | 34 kW/48 kW, 14,000/6,000 rpm, HSK | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (HF, liquid-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF150-005 | – | 20 kW, 24,000 rpm, synchronous/asynchronous | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (HF, liquid-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF150-003 | – | 15 kW, 26,000 rpm | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (HF, liquid-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF125-002 | – | 9 kW/12 kW, 24,000 rpm, HSK-F63/HSK-T50 | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (HF, air-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF145-001 | – | 6 kW/7.5 kW/11.8 kW, 24,000 rpm, HSK-F63 | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (air-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF110-007 / HF110-014 / HF145-008 | – | – | – | Rheinau |
| Motor spindle (liquid-cooled) | Zimmer Group HF100-010 / HF100-012 / HF150-004 / HF150-009 | – | – | – | Rheinau |
| Electric air-cooled motor spindle (deburring spindle, with/without radial or axial offset function) | Zimmer Group | – | variable speed control | – | Rheinau |
| Zero-point clamping system SPN (Advanced and E-Sense series) | Zimmer Group SPN | – | Repeatability 0.005 mm, holding force 25–75 kN, pull-in force 1.0–18.0 kN (2.5–36.0 kN with PLUS) | – | Rheinau |
| Pallet changer SPP (series 138) | Zimmer Group SPP138-B | – | Operating pressure 4.5–7 bar, pull-in force 10 kN (22 kN with PLUS), weight 2.4 kg | – | Rheinau |
| Tool changer series WPR5000 | Zimmer Group WPR5000 | – | – | – | Rheinau |
| – | Zimmer Group | – | Part weight 0.3–250 g, wall thickness down to 0.2 mm | – | Rheinau (Zimmer GmbH Kunststofftechnik) |
| Transfer moulding systems for elastomer components | Zimmer Group | – | – | – | Rheinau (Zimmer GmbH Kunststofftechnik) |
| – | Zimmer Group | – | – | – | Rheinau |
| Manual clamping system for injection moulds (quick clamping system) | Zimmer Group | – | – | – | Rheinau |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality Management
Zimmer Group maintains quality, energy and environmental management with continuous process improvement; integrated quality control accompanies series production from toolmaking to functional testing of assemblies.
| Evidence | Rheinau (Salmenkopf) | Rheinau (Glockenloch) | Ottersweier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality management | |||
| Energy/environmental management |
Company History
- 1980
Foundation of Zimmer GmbH Technische Werkstätten in Rheinau-Freistett from a converted cowshed; first products in automation and handling technology.
- 1992
Market launch of the PowerStop industrial dampers with spiral-groove technology.
- 1994
First clamping elements for profile rails (LKH/LK series) come onto the market.
- 1999
Acquisition and integration of Sommer-automatic GmbH in Ettlingen.
- 2004
Foundation of Zimmer GmbH Daempfungssysteme in Rheinau.
- 2007
Foundation of Zimmer GmbH Kunststofftechnik in Rheinau.
- 2009
Occupancy of new production space in Rheinau (10,500 m²); a further 3,800 m² follows in 2011.
- 2013
Merger to form Zimmer Group; merger of Zimmer GmbH Technische Werkstätten and Sommer-automatic GmbH; the KNOW-HOW FACTORY brand is created.
- 2014
Expansion of mechatronics and intelligent components.