Most people who run systems using Indramat servo motors and servo drives can’t tell you a whole lot about the company that made those components. They recognize the name Indramat, but all they can tell you about the company is that they make machines that run for a really, really long time.
There are a couple of reasons that people’s knowledge of Indramat is limited to this one fact.
- It’s true. If you’re operating with Indramat servo motors or servo drives in your plant, there’s a good chance that those components have been running in that plant for at minimum a decade, and often several decades.
- Indramat no longer exists. Well, the drives, controls, and motors still exist, but the company known as Indramat does not.
Indramat was founded in 1958 in Neuwied, Germany. The company specialized in industrial motion control and produced servo drives, servo motors, and controls for assembly lines, packaging, and printing, and many other types of manufacturing.
Why Indramat?
So where did the name Indramat come from? It doesn’t seem to be related to manufacturing or servos in any way. Did the founders just think it was a cool word and decide to run with it? Not quite.
Indramat is actually an abbreviation for the German, “Gesellschaft zur INDustrialisierun RAtionalisierung und AutoMATisierung”. This translates to mean Association for Industrialization, Rationalization, and Automation.
For the next few years, Indramat continued making components for industrial automation and motion control, until they were acquired by another German company known as Rexroth in 1965. The Indramat name was still used, but in conjunction with the new parent company Rexroth.
Things went well for the company over the next few years. 1979 was a big year for Indramat, marking the introduction of their AC brushless servo motor.
Another acquisition
However in 2001, Rexroth and Indramat were acquired by Robert Bosch GmbH. The name was changed to Bosch Rexroth, and Indramat was no longer used.
The fact that Indramat has not existed for more than a decade is why it can be hard to find replacement components. Indramat servos, drives, and controls are all legacy products, which means they’re no longer made. Luckily we have plenty of Indramat replacement units on hand. Give us a call today!