Save parking space

Cities are becoming more crowded, parking space is becoming scarcer – innovative solutions are needed. One of these is called Vertical Parking (VePa for short): cars are parked one above the other in a parking tower to save space, moved by a rotating drive system based on the paternoster principle. Ball bearing slewing rings from Rodriguez, the specialist for rotary products, play a central role.

After four years of development, the first public VePa tower is now in place in Munich's Werksviertel-Mitte district. The technology comes from the Munich-based start-up Vertical Parking, which emerged from the UnternehmerTUM start-up center at the Technical University of Munich. Founders Simon Schubnell and David Schön have further developed the concept based on an Asian model. This allows space for up to twelve vehicles in a space of just seven by seven meters – in a space that would normally only hold four.

The support system in the tower must meet high requirements: At full capacity with a total weight of up to 30 tons, ball bearing slewing rings from Rodriguez ensure safe movement. They are robust, corrosion-resistant, and characterized by low friction and high load-bearing capacity – ideal for the parking tower's weatherproof rotating bearing system. Each vehicle pod can support up to 2.7 tons and is connected to a 30 kW motor via a chain.
The Right Turn Thanks to Rodriguez

Product Manager Andreas Schön emphasizes the performance and versatility of Rodriguez's ball bearing slewing rings: "Thanks to our new design concepts and improved manufacturing processes, designers can develop completely new ideas and solutions with our ball bearing slewing rings." Precision bearings from Rodriguez have proven themselves in many applications – from large construction machinery to robot wrist axes. As a specialist in rotary products, precision bearings, and linear technology, the Eschweiler-based company offers a wide range of ball bearing slewing rings, thin-section bearings, and slewing bearings, as well as linear guides and drives. Rodriguez also develops customized complete solutions based on its products.