Meanwhile, lightweight construction is one of the most important challenges in the aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering industries. The increasing demand for material- and energy-efficient products is also driving Eichenberger Gewinde AG to continuously develop its manufacturing processes. A threaded spindle drive is actually a simple design element. However, if the drive component meets the highest quality and dimensional requirements, this opens up extraordinary application possibilities - for example in medical technology:
We develop, design and manufacture precise round and lead screws in aluminum for the sensitive and highly specific applications of the medtech industry. EASY lightweight lead screws are already indispensable in high-tech equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices. This is because "non-ferromagnetic" materials are a prerequisite for components in radiological equipment.
EASY light threaded spindle in use for contrast medium injection
Imaging systems represent the largest and most dynamic sector of the medical electronics industry. Among the wide range of imaging modalities that are constantly evolving, MRI scanners are one of the most important technologies. MRI machines use a powerful magnetic field to produce an image, allowing doctors to create visual representations of conditions in organs, joints and other tissues. Conventional MRI examinations are often unable to find the cause of pain, particularly in the spine. Harmless disc protrusions are often wrongly blamed for the pain and can lead to unnecessary operations. By applying a special MRI contrast agent, inflammatory foci that are responsible for the pain can be reliably detected and targeted treatment can be administered.
Eichenberger mastered the challenge of designing a non-magnetic sliding spindle that guarantees absolutely reliable and extremely fast transportation of the contrast medium into the human body. The EASY light thread spindle made of aluminum, diameter 12 mm, pitch 5 mm, ensures the safety of patients as well as the efficiency and economy of the radiology practice.
Development and use of new materials determine competitiveness
We are responding to the rapid developments in medicine by developing new drive technologies. Eichenberger is primarily dedicated to the rolling - i.e. cold forming - of threads and the production of ball and lead screws (spindles and nuts). To give our customers a competitive edge, we challenge the limits of what is technically feasible. We want to make the impossible possible - with a focus on the individual expectations of our products. Our passion for perfect motion constantly leads us down new paths. This results in screw drive solutions that bring your innovations to the forefront of the market.
After steel, aluminum is the most widely used metallic material. Thanks to a wide variety of alloys and alloying additions, e.g. the combination of aluminum with other metals, the material covers an enormous range of unique properties. You could call aluminum a material database. Among other things, it has an extremely low density and is therefore very light. Bare aluminum coats itself with an oxide layer when exposed to air, making it resistant to corrosion. This self-passivation, the lightness combined with stability, the excellent machinability and the fact that aluminum is non-magnetic are making it increasingly important in new areas of application. Over 70 % of the aluminum material ever produced is still in use. The material is extremely easy to recycle, as the loss of value is extremely low thanks to the energy stored in aluminum.
Technical progress and the highest standards of mechanics go hand in hand
When new products are launched, people are relatively quick to talk about a revolution in order to attract attention. Sometimes, however, it is more evolution than revolution. However, revolutionary progress has clearly been made in the product development of our EASY lightweight aluminum screw drive.
Challenging hurdles had to be overcome. Aluminum can be strengthened by alloys. Small quantities of dissolved alloying elements already have an influence on the tensile strength. It was therefore quite a challenge to achieve the perfect strength values. Aluminium is also characterized by its good machinability, but it is still not undemanding when it comes to clean and controlled cold forming in the thread area. Aluminum tends to flake off during thread rolling. It is not only the careful determination of the optimum starting material in the right alloy that requires a sure instinct; the geometry and design of the forming tool are also crucial for a technically flawless and high-quality product.
"Short exposure times combined with absolute safety for the patient require the right amount of contrast medium to be delivered to the right place at the right time," was the motto. We succeeded in developing an aluminum sliding spindle that performs precisely this linear movement with perfect dynamics. The highly efficient implementation of the rotary motion enables amazingly fast and precise conveyance. In terms of tolerances, aluminum is in no way inferior to steel. As is well known, high cutting data can be achieved. Tool wear is 10 to 25 times lower than is the case with steel. The machining times for end machining in the production process are also much shorter and the purchase price of the light metal lead screws is far lower than that of their steel counterparts.
is extremely low thanks to the energy stored in the aluminum.
Maximum performance for your drive solution: fast, smooth, reliable
The cold-formed EASY threaded spindles are not disturbed by magnetic fields and are MRI-compatible. The extremely good tribological properties of the smooth aluminum surface of EASY, which is positively influenced by the thread rolling process, increase its importance in the medical sector, where sterility and sterility are essential. Aluminum also has good sliding properties. However, these are always influenced by the mating partner. With EASY, the aluminum spindle is paired with a highly wear-resistant plastic nut. In the injector application, the ideal coating even guarantees dry running and freedom from maintenance.
We are your partner for the development and production of your screw drives to measure, in any shape and design. Such a high degree of flexibility and adaptability only works if a wealth of experience is available, coupled with a deep awareness of quality on the part of our employees and correspondingly modern machinery. Our passion for perfect movement leads to surprising screw drive solutions that will bring your innovations to the forefront of the market.
The EASY neutral lead screw in the injector drive unit proves this once again. The aluminum screw drive ensures simple, safe and fast intravenous or intra-arterial contrast medium application.
