Precision Bearings Art And Ball Bearing Slewing Ring Combined

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When a 40-arm cable machine traces cosmic orbits around the clock, precision bearing technology becomes a visible part of the artwork. For Shawcross' 33 feet-high installation, Rodriguez developed tailor-made, low-noise ball bearing slewing rings that, despite their compact design, can safely handle high forces and torques over the long term.

Storage technology usually remains invisible in the background, but in the art installation "The Nervous System (Umbilical)" by British artist Conrad Shawcross, it is a central part of the work. It is a machine with 40 arms, each fitted with a spool of thread. They twist threads into a rope in never-repeating sequences. The arms follow the movements of the solar system as it moves through the galaxy: the path of the sun lies in the middle, with the planets and their moons moving in spiral orbits around it. At ten meters high and twelve meters in diameter, the installation combines artistic vision with technical complexity.

Technology for One Year of Continuous Operation

The mechanical implementation was developed by the British engineering firm Brier Solutions. Through its contacts with R.A. Rodriguez UK, a supplier of precision components, the German company Rodriguez GmbH was involved in the project as a specialist in bearing technology and custom-made products.

As the installation moves continuously all year round and is only stopped once a year for a coil change, the requirements were high: the components used had to be precise, reliable and resilient over the long term and at the same time withstand comparatively high axial and radial forces, torsional and tilting torques despite their compact dimensions. Low-noise operation was also very important to the user. In addition to the technical suitability of the products, the ability to implement customer-specific special solutions quickly and precisely was a decisive factor in the collaboration.

Customized Ball Bearing Slewing Rings

Rodriguez developed special ball bearing slewing rings for this purpose. They are particularly suitable for applications in which high load-bearing capacity and precise motion sequences are required in equal measure. This is why they are typically used in demanding areas such as construction machinery and machine tools, cranes, automation, robotics, aerospace, medical technology and wind turbines.

In the artwork, this technology has been transferred into an unusual context. Unlike in classic industrial applications, the mechanics are not concealed, but can be seen and experienced directly by the public. "With this project, we were able to show that we can also react flexibly to unusual customer requirements and special installation situations," emphasizes Product Manager Martin Stremmel.

With Umbilical, Shawcross' work operates at the interface of mathematics, geometry and art. The installation, which was commissioned by the Tasmanian Museum Mona (Australia), is the third and most ambitious part of a series of rope machines.

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