The German company Kendrion Kuhnke Automation develops, manufactures and supplies various controllers and a wide range of pneumatic, electromechanical and electronic devices for automation systems that have found their application in many industries. Industrial control systems are headquartered in Malente (Germany) and manufacturing facilities are located in Malente (Germany) and Sibiu (Romania). The company supplies its products to a total of 2,500 customers worldwide.
The main sales market is Germany, followed by Scandinavia and then North America. The history of the company begins with its foundation in 1928 by Helmut Kunke and Friedrich Wilhelm Berger in the city of Kiel. After that Kiel was badly damaged during the Second World War, in 1944 the company moved to Malente. After the development of the first universal relay in 1948, construction began on a new plant in Malente. In 1958, the production of a new type of electromagnets began, and in 1960, the production of pneumatic devices began. In 1972 a second plant was built in Malente.
In 1998 the company opened a plant in Sibiu. In 2011, the company's sales exceeded 100 million euros. In 2012 the company significantly expanded its presence in Italy and the USA, in the same year the construction of the third workshop at the plant in Sibiu (Romania) was completed. In May 2013, Kuhnke was acquired by Kendrion. The merger gives the company the current name Kendrion Kuhnke Automation.
Valves for gas and liquid media with manual, mechanical, pneumatic and electromagnetic actuators, as well as proportional valves manufactured by Kendrion Kuhnke Automation, are characterized by high reliability and performance and are used in industrial automation of various processes. With over 50 years of experience in the development of valves of various types, the company's products provide optimal performance for the control of small and large flows of working media while maintaining a minimum size of devices.
Kuhnke pressure regulators can handle a variety of flow rates and provide increased control accuracy thanks to the special reinforced diaphragm design. Each series of pressure regulators can be supplied with or without a bypass port. The devices are made in brass or plastic housings, depending on which operating environment the regulators will work with.
The pneumatic product line includes Kuhnke pneumatic time switches, which are used as delayed on or off valves that do not use any electrical components. PE transmitters with M5 thread or flange connection and electrical contacts are used to convert pneumatic pressure signals into electrical signals. Simple yet functional Kuhnke pneumatic indicators are used to detect the presence of pressure. Check valves and flow controllers are flow control components and are available with a fixed or variable orifice adjustable. All of these complementary products help meet the challenges of pneumatic flow control without power supply.
Kuhnke electromagnetic drives are designed for use in mechanical engineering, power engineering, medical and laboratory technology. These actuators are available in a variety of designs, retract, push or combination type with integrated return spring. Bistable linear magnetic actuators with permanent magnet support are especially suitable for building devices and applications in the power industry. Typical requirements for such applications are high holding power combined with low power consumption and low switching frequency. The shut-off devices can also be operated without a power source, with batteries or with solar energy.
Rotating solenoids are used in mechanical engineering, medical and laboratory technology, in aviation and transport. Such rotating solenoids are used in graders, chokes and shut-off devices. Shaft with ball bearings on both sides ensures precise positioning and maximum durability. There are options with single acting, spring return solenoids and reversing solenoids with two windings.
Kuhnke control technology for industrial automation offers customers functionally optimized PLCs for every requirement, compact and modular control systems, flexible PC-based or PLC-based PLCs with integrated control, decentralized drive technology. For flexible communication, all major EtherCAT, CANopen, Ethernet, RS232, RS485, PROFIBUS and wireless interfaces are supported. Kuhnke products provide system safety functions in accordance with IEC 61508 SIL3 and DIN EN ISO 13849 PLe.
