HEIDENHAIN: a pioneer in measurement and control technology with a long tradition
Founded in 1889 in Berlin, Germany, the company's roots go back to the 19th century. Today, HEIDENHAIN products serve the most innovative industries of the 21st century. Technological advances from the company's early days still play a key role in its success and market positioning within certain fields. The history of the company's graduation products paved the way for its leading role in high-accuracy measurement technology. HEIDENHAIN also shaped the machine tool industry as an early pioneer in state-of-the-art technology for CNC controls.
History of the company
The metal-etching company is founded
HEIDENHAIN had its beginnings in the W. HEIDENHAIN metal-etching company in Berlin.
Dr. Johannes Heidenhain joins his father’s company
50th anniversary of W. HEIDENHAIN
The W. HEIDENHAIN company employed 700 workers at this time.
New beginnings in Traunreut
In 1948, Dr. Johannes Heidenhain relaunches the company with five employees.
Subsidiary opens in the U.S.
Founding of the DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN-STIFTUNG GmbH, a non-profit foundation
Subsidiary opens in Japan
100th anniversary of HEIDENHAIN
HEIDENHAIN has 4,200 employees at this time.
Subsidiary opens in China
HEIDENHAIN is integrated into DIADUR SE
HEIDENHAIN is integrated into DIADUR SE, a holding company of the owner.
New logistics center opens in Traunreut
Our new logistics center is built on 164,000 sq m of land in Hochreit near Traunreut, Germany. There are now more than 8,100 employees.
75 years in Traunreut
Construction of our new R&D center begins in Traunreut 75 years after the company was restarted there.
Milestones in product development
Optical linear and angle encoders
Optical linear and angle encoders that read positions via a transverse field are developed for the first time at HEIDENHAIN.
Photoelectric linear and angle encoders
Absolute angle encoder
Sealed incremental linear encoder
Bidirectional counter
For photoelectric encoders
Numerical straight-cut controls
Enabling keypad entry of machining positions, these controls are named TNC (Touch Numerical Control).
TNC numerical contouring control
For three axes
Interferential exposed linear encoders
Numerical contouring controls
Along with drives and motors
iTNC contouring control
With the alternative smart.NC operating mode
Interferential angle encoder
For wafer probers and large-surface grids
TNC contouring control
For combined mill-turn machining
2Dplus multi-dimensional linear encoder technology
MULTI-DOF TECHNOLOGY
Multi-dimensional encoder technology tracks movement in up to six degrees of freedom for nanometer-level position accuracies.
The process-oriented TNC7
PP 6000 two-coordinate incremental encoder