INDUSTRY 4.0/SMART FACTORIES P


ick-and-place operations and multi-station component transfer are common bottlenecks, particularly in environments where lubrication introduces a contamination risk.


Rollon, a linear motion systems company, has engineered a solution to exactly this problem: lubrication-free actuators capable of high load capacity, precision and resistance to dirt and debris, without the maintenance burden or contamination risk that grease-based systems bring. A recent project for Sangsin ENG, brake pad production line equipment company, part of the Sangsin Brake Group, demonstrates the approach in practice. As factories aim to reduce manual intervention and downtime, the practical detail of how that automation is engineered, rather than the concept alone, is what tends to matter most on the shop fl oor. Sangsin ENG needed to complete an


automated production line for brake pads, requiring a linear motion system capable of reliable pick-and-place operations and the transport of components across multiple workstations. The environment demanded a high standard of cleanliness, while simultaneously exposing components to contaminants generated during production. The system also had to move smoothly, quietly and quickly enough to match the customer’s production speed. Sangsin ENG turned to Rollon for a solution


combining performance, reliability and compatibility with the production environment. Rollon engineered a tailored solution


comprising a YZ gantry system based on SAB actuators, and a Robot Transfer Unit (RTU) built with two ELM actuators. The integrated system was installed across the entire brake pad production line, managing the full range of component handling and transfer operations with precision and consistency. The YZ gantry handles vertical and horizontal manipulation with strokes of 6,500 mm on the Y-axis and 800 mm on the Z-axis. Both axes use SAB self-supporting actuators driven by a belt system. Their deep hard-anodized surface treatment and polyamide-coated rollers provide high load capacity while requiring no lubrication or maintenance, with robust resistance to dirt and contaminants, a critical feature given Sangsin ENG’s operating conditions. The RTU complements the gantry with horizontal movement along a 3,600 mm stroke. Built with two ELM actuators, it features extruded and anodized aluminium profi les and a polyurethane sealing strip, offering complete protection of the belt drive and guide system and shielding the internal mechanisms from dust and production debris. For Sangsin ENG, cleanliness was the


defi ning constraint. Its own in-house system had not met performance expectations before it adopted Rollon’s actuators. Lee Cheshire, UK & Ireland Country Manager at Rollon, says: “The feedback we had from the customer was that removing the need for grease made a real difference to their production environment, on top of easier maintenance and motion that is fast and quiet. Once a line is free of lubrication,


SMART FACTORIES, CLEANER LINES: AUTOMATING BRAKE PAD PRODUCTION WITHOUT LUBRICATION


Manufacturers are under growing pressure to automate production lines without compromising on quality or reliability


a lot of downstream problems are resolved.” The system’s resilience was also demonstrated during machine testing, when a collision damaged several other components on the line but left Rollon’s system unaffected. Cheshire adds: “That was down to a safety


factor we build into the design from the outset. It is not something you notice until something goes wrong, and then it is the difference between a line going down and a line carrying on.


This project shows exactly the kind of


automation challenge UK manufacturers are grappling with right now: how to increase speed and consistency on the line while removing lubricants and manual intervention from processes where cleanliness is non-


negotiable. The same pick-and-place, multi- station transfer challenges show up across UK precision engineering, from material handling to medical device assembly, and the solution, lubrication-free linear motion designed to withstand contamination, translates directly.” Smart factory automation is no longer


confi ned to a handful of leading markets. The technical demands driving it, cleanliness, precision, speed and reliability, are the same wherever a production line runs, and the engineering answers developed to meet them are increasingly global and increasingly transferable. For UK manufacturers evaluating their own


automation roadmaps, that transferability is the point: a solution proven under demanding conditions in one market can typically be specifi ed with confi dence in another.


Lee Cheshire 34 JULY/AUGUST 2026 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS


Precision-engineered brake pads Rollon


www.rollon.com/gbr/en/


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