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History and Modernity / About Geared Motors and about us
1. Genesis of the Geared Motor
Nowadays electric motors are the most common and most frequently applied drive solution, used in various types of machinery and plants. The "right" motor speed is one of the most important aspects to be considered for obtaining an optimum working level of the driven machine. And really efficient, economic electric drives for low speeds at high torques are obtained by flange-connections of electric motors to gear boxes. This combination, which is called GEARED MOTOR, is now being considered the main element within the fields of drive technology.
This development was initiated during the years after 1920, when progressing industrialization resulted in more and more alternatives to traditional transmissions. When using compact, powerful single drives instead of widespread belt or chain transmission systems liable to break down, machines became much more space-saving and economical. And with electric motors as single drives, applicants called for the most different output speeds, in order to be able to operate their machines within the optimal power range. The thus necessary toothed gearings and the electric motors formed complete units: This was the origin of the Geared Motor, which very soon penetrated all industries, as a result of its unique, multi-purpose adaptability. Now it was possible to obtain the requested output sppeds and output torques - at favourable prices, highly space-saving, accident-proof and everywhere.
2. The History of BOCKWOLDT GmbH & Co. KG
In 1914, the engineer Carl Bockwoldt founded the same called company in Hamburg. Thus, it is for more than 90 years already that BOCKWOLDT are rendering excellent service to their customers in the field of tdrive technology. The successful family enterprise dedicate all efforts to their specialization on Geared Motors.
The founder, engineer Carl Bockwoldt, who died in 1963, was one of the pioneers who realized the breakthrough of the first Geared Motors. As a consequence of the complete destruction of the parent firm during the Second World War, the company was forced to start all over again. It was in Bad Oldesloe where the foundation of the constantly increasing development was laid now. After his return out of war captivity, the businessman Charles-Rudolf Bockwoldt started immediately to rebuild the company, in close teamwork with his father. And very soon they came to the conclusion that evidently the available room was not adequate any more for the fast growing enterprise. This is why in 1955 a new production area was being raised in Bad Oldesloe, at the present location. Besides this, the manufacturing plant kept growing constantly, by means of applying new processing machines at the latest state of technology.
The parent company exclusively produces Geared Motors. During the early years, the BOCKWOLDT product range consisted of only a few types. Then, it was constantly being enlarged, up to today's wide-spread variety of drive solutions, suitable for all the different applications of our customers, all over the world. The domestic sales as well as the exports to European countries grew considerably, and the big success here was the encouragement to expand our export activities to overseas countries as well.
A compact net of BOCKWOLDT sales representatives in Germany was built up very fast, so that it is now possible to stay in permanent contact with the customers and to take care of them. In the same way, the sales representatives work all over Europe and overseas. The goal was to build up not just "sales offices", but to open offices which are able to provide a stock of goods, spare parts and a service department. This makes sure that the customer receives fast expert advice about BOCKWOLDT Geared Motors almost everywhere, including all technical support which may be requested.
In 1985, Charles-Rudolf Bockwoldt died, and Mrs. Margot Bockwoldt took over the management of the company. A year before, in 1984, the Bachelor of Commerce and Graduated Engineer Carl-Michael Bockwoldt had already started his career in the company, in the third generation. The then following years were marked by considerable investments, resulting in even more economical and efficient production processes. Now CNC-steered machines took over the treatment of casings, steel parts, gear wheels, etc., supported by a computer steered control post. The result was a significant reduction of the hours of operation. With the exact data is now possible to reach short delivery times - the already well-known reliability of the company with regard to times of delivery was being improved and assured. The Research and Development Department was equipped with a modern 3-D CAD-unit, enabling the BOCKWOLDT engineers to meet and realize even special customer wishes concerning Geared Motors, within a short period of time.
The independently operating Quality Assurance Department at BOCKWOLDT is a very important part for the production, because it controls each lot of incoming single parts in accordance with statistical methods, thus making sure that only the best materials are used for the manufacture of our Geared Motors. In the same way the complete course of production is being supvervised. Finally, before delivery to the customers, each Geared Motor is thoroughly tested with regard to the electrical data, the output speed and the acoustics. In accordance with the stipulated supervisory system, all relevant data of each unit are registered. A modern test field, which was developed by the BOCKWOLDT engineers themselves for these special purposes, assures that all goods leaving the company are faultless and working in good order.
The permanent technical research and development at BOCKWOLDT - which is, amongst other things, documented and supported by several patent applications in the fields of construction of Geared Motors and electrical adjustment of asynchronous motors - guarantees that all BOCKWOLDT customers profit from ultramodern drive technology. We are members of the "Forschungsvereinigung Antriebstechnik" (FVA), which is the research association for drive technology in Germany. All latest scientific trends and technical achievements for our optimum research and development of Geared Motors are at our fingertips - and of course they are constantly being integrated in every new feature of our products, thus being obvious in our complete programme of BOCKWOLDT Geared Motors.
