During his many years as Technical Director, Jörg Egelhaaf not only significantly influenced and advanced the development of CT bearings and linear systems, but also contributed significantly to the success of our company with his commitment and expertise. As a member of the Executive Board, he was also involved in the strategic direction of the entire company and was able to provide a real boost to the business.
The inventor Erich Franke would have been delighted. In the 1990s, the company he founded transferred his basic idea to new applications: The aluminium roller guide and the exceptionally quiet bearings for CT scanners – innovations that have ensured Franke’s commercial success to this day.
In the course of the 1980s, it became apparent that the linear guides with recirculating elements previously offered by Franke were falling behind competitor products. An innovative idea from Managing Director Michael Helbig and his Design Manager Jörg Egelhaaf changed all that: The use of rollers with a relatively large contact surface that roll at a 45° angle on specially profiled steel rods. These in turn are integrated into aluminium guides, the profile of which can be selected freely.
There was still a long way from the idea to implementation: Countless meetings in the Development department, calculations and tests were needed before the first aluminium roller guides were offered in 1992. They were accompanied by a specially designed marketing programme. The innovation was a milestone, as quickly became clear: Demand increased by leaps and bounds, so that production capacity had to be expanded with a new building (Plant 3). As a result, the linear systems with aluminium roller guides developed into an important pillar of the Franke product range thanks to the countless variants available for almost all areas of application.
It was the same story for an innovation that caused a furore at almost the same time in the 1990s: The exceptionally quiet CT bearings. After attempts to equip the central bearing of CT scanners with standard wire race bearings had failed due to the noise generated at the high speeds required, a different solution was sought. The starting point was the thin-section bearing invented by Michael Helbig in 1985 and patented by Franke. Franke recognised the market opportunities in medical technology and therefore undertook an enormous amount of development and testing with bearings in which an elastomer coating was inserted between the races and the housing as sound insulation.
With success: The exceptionally quiet CT bearings, first made available in 1989, met the high standards of CT scanner manufacturer Siemens, with whom a close business relationship developed. Its smooth running, precision and cost-effectiveness quickly won over most well-known medical device manufacturers around the world. The success story is continuing to this day, especially as Franke’s exceptionally quiet bearings have long been used in other applications, such as scanners for baggage control at airports. //
Quality behind the scenes: In modern CT scanners, the X-ray tube rotates around the patient in a massive ring up to three hundred times a minute. The precision, reliability and smooth running of the CT bearings are crucial performance features. Franke develops and manufactures CT bearings in close consultation with the customer and also offers them with an integrated direct drive. The fact that they can handle up to 600 million revolutions without maintenance or malfunctions and can be serviced or replaced on site if necessary are further reasons for their worldwide success.