Innovation with benefits: ZEISS AirSaver considerably lowers the consumption of compressed air on measuring machines, thus reducing costs while promoting environmental protection. The new technology is a software module for ZEISS coordinate measuring machines. It will be officially introduced at the CONTROL in Stuttgart, Germany, in May 2013.
Even if air itself is free, compressed air is not. The Nuremberg Chamber of Commerce puts the figure for the annual power consumption of compressed air systems in Germany at 14 billion kilowatt hours, with around seven percent of industrial power consumption being used to create compressed air. ZEISS realized several years ago that there was room for improvement in this area, for the environment as well. AirSaver is the result: "With this technology, the consumption of compressed air by measuring machines can be considerably reduced. This saves money and also lowers CO2 output, which enables operators to manufacture more ecologically," says Andrezj Grzesiak, who is in charge of Bridge Systems at ZEISS Industrial Metrology.
Intelligent system
This technology virtually makes the decision for operators if it makes sense to shut down the measuring machine or not. "ZEISS AirSaver notices how long the machine has not been used and automatically turns off the compressed air supply after a freely configurable period," states Grzesiak. The measuring machine is immediately operational as soon as a CNC measuring program begins or the joystick on the control panel is moved.
The savings vary based on the respective operating environment, e.g. one-shift or multiple-shift operations. "From an economic standpoint, ZEISS AirSaver pays for itself in just a few months. It is a benefit to the environment from day one," says Grzesiak. In the mid-term, reducing compressed air consumption can lead to even greater ecological savings, e.g. because companies' compressed air generation systems can be smaller: "This reduces power usage and lowers maintenance needs," adds Grzesiak.
ZEISS AirSaver is immediately available for the ZEISS PRISMO navigator and ZEISS ACCURA II coordinate measuring machines. This innovation will become gradually available for all other ZEISS measuring machines that work with compressed air.
Press release Box-ID: 595703
Carl Zeiss AG
Carl-Zeiss-Str. 22
73447
Oberkochen,
Germany
http://www.zeiss.de
Contact
Mr
Martin
Fischer
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Carl Zeiss AG
The Carl Zeiss Group is an international leader in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In fiscal year 2011/12 the company's approx. 24,000 employees generated revenue of nearly 4.2 billion euros. In the markets for Industrial Solutions, Research Solutions, Medical Technology and Consumer Optics, Carl Zeiss has contributed to technological progress for more than 160 years and enhances the quality of life of many people around the globe. The Carl Zeiss Group develops and produces planetariums, eyeglass lenses, camera and cine lenses and binoculars as well as solutions for biomedical research, medical technology and the semiconductor, automotive and mechanical engineering industries. Carl Zeiss is present in over 40 countries around the globe with around 40 production sites, over 50 sales and service locations and approximately 20 research and development centers. Carl Zeiss AG is fully owned by the Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany.
Industrial Metrology
The Industrial Metrology business group of Carl Zeiss is a leading manufacturer of multidimensional metrology solutions. These include coordinate measuring machines and metrology software for the automotive, aircraft, mechanical engineering and plastics industries. The business group additionally offers a broad spectrum of customer services. Around 2,200 employees work for the company, generating revenue totaling 495 million euros in fiscal year 2011/2012. Industrial Metrology is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. It operates manufacturing sites in Germany, the USA, China and India.
