Hygienic and quiet linear bearing for packing fruit and vegetables

Profile

• What was needed: drylin R linear plain bearing, drylin T linear plain bearing
• Requirements: The previous linear bearings were wearing out the shaft, which formed grooves. In addition, there were increased noise emissions and a high susceptibility to corrosion due to cleaning. Particularly dangerous is the grease that could fall directly onto vegetables. The new bearing technology should eliminate these problems.
• Industry: Food industry
• Success for the customer: With drylin bearings, wear is minimised and service life is increased. The absence of lubrication saves time and money. The travelling movement is very quiet and the entire system is corrosion-free.

Problem

This machine for fruit and vegetables packs the products for later transport and sale in supermarkets. It is a unique semi-automatic packaging machine for round and bulky vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, endive, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. The product is tightly wrapped in polypropylene or polystyrene film so that no excess film remains around the product. The product is protected from damage and the round moulded packaging improves its appearance.
In the past, metal bearings with lubrication and linear guides that also required lubrication were used here for format adjustment, which led to several problems during operation. This resulted in grooves on the shaft over time. In addition, there was increased noise emission and increased susceptibility to corrosion when cleaning the components. Particularly dangerous is the grease that could fall directly onto vegetables. The lubrication was also more susceptible to dust deposits, which led to increased maintenance costs.

Solution

Due to the particularly high hygiene requirements in the food industry, bearing products with external lubrication were no longer an option. The machine manufacturer therefore decided to use drylin linear bearing technology and drylin T linear rail guides with matching guide carriages. 
In contrast to conventional metal bearings, the drylin modular product system offers several specific advantages in terms of application, which in particular result in cost benefits for the operator. Initially, there are no more grooves on the shaft, wear decreases and the service life increases. Particularly important is the absence of any external lubrication, which not only saves time but also costs during operation. The critical product quality of the vegetables is also guaranteed. The movement is very quiet and the entire system is now corrosion-free and therefore no longer vulnerable to thorough cleaning. In addition, the sophisticated clamping system of the drylin T guide carriages makes installation very easy and convenient.