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Issue 1/2008 The igus Newsletter focusing on the bottling and packaging industry

Editorial

Title story

Lubrication-free igus machinery elements are now being used in many different applications in the packaging industry.

Hygienic design: polymer bearings instead of conventional linear guides

The German company Krones AG, for instance, has replaced the conventional linear guides in its bottling-filling systems with maintenance-free iglidur plastic plain bearings. As a result, high production costs and production losses can now be ruled out (title story). Similarly, the tribooptimised polymer plain bearings which cope with extremely adverse conditions in the bag forming, filling and sealing machine of the German company Hastamat Verpackungstechnik GmbH (page Lars Braun, Branch 3). Already in the Manager Packaging development phase, igus was integrated as system supplier which corresponds to the present trend toward complete solutions. A second trend which could also be recognised at the Interpack show in Dsseldorf is the subject of hygienic design. Here in numerous applications, our lubricant-free plastic plain bearings help keep hygienically disturbing substances away from packing goods.

Like many other beverage producers, Krones AG, in Neutraubling, relies on modern block systems for the purpose of filling PET bottles. Furthermore, the individual system component complement each other perfectly. Here iglidur plastic bearings have become an important factor. They fulfil the requirements of the customer specifications, all hygiene regulations, and cost much less.

The pull-back star developed by Krones combines components of the filling system and must fulfil high aseptic and hygienic requirements. It is also constantly exposed to moist, chemically aggressive ambient conditions. The linear guides and curve rollers installed in the predecessor models were suscep- Pull-back star, installed in an aseptic filler tible to corrosion, difficult to clean, and a hygiene risk because of the required lubricants. That is why Krones has now changed over to the use of lubrication- and maintenancefree polymer bearings from igus. Here iglidur J bearings and high-temperature-resistant iglidur X plain bearings are now being used. They offer minimal heat relaxation, high pressure resistance and dimensional accuracy together with good heat dissipation and minimal creep inclination. Furthermore, they are insensitive to chemicals. iglidur X is resistant to temperatures up to 250 C and resists PES disinfectants
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We look forward to talking to you about these and other subjects! In autumn you will find igus, among others, at the Brau exhibition in Nuremberg , at the Emballage in Paris, at the PPMA in Birmingham, at the China Brew in Shanghai, at the Propak Cape in Cape Town and at the Japanese Tokyo Packaging show. Yours sincerely,

Lars Braun Branch Manager Packaging Industry

Publisher: igus GmbH Spicher Str. 1a D-51147 Kln Phone: +49-(0) 22 03-96 49-218 Fax: +49-(0) 22 03-96 98-218 pack@igus.de, www.igus-packaging.de Editorial work: Lars Braun Layout: Tina Waber, textina Print: Warlich Druck Meckenheim GmbH pack@igus.de is an advertising medium.

Imprint

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Continued ... 90 percent fewer costs With the iglidur polymer bearings, Krones was also able to drastically reduce the costs. Tino Sickert, development engineer at Krones: In the case of the previous linear guides, the lubricants were gradually flushed out with the short cleaning cycles and the cleaning agents; as a result, the guides ran dry more and more frequently. We had to replace them every three weeks and that at a unit price of about 50 Euro and material costs of 1,200 Euro for each replacement. The purchase price of a plain bearing bush amounts to only a fraction of the costs. Here we save about 90 percent!

In practice
DryLin W stainless steel, glide foil made of iglidur J (left) or iglidur X

Lubrication-free in the food engineering industry

Potato chips and salt sticks, pastries and frozen foods there is virtually nothing that cannot be packaged by the machines made by Hastamat Verpackungstechnik GmbH.

Systems

Tribo-plastic in stainless steel

igus offers an extensive range of stainless steel products. The beverage industry, in particular, relies increasingly on complete stainless steel systems.

DryLin W linear guides, for example, provide a lot of flexibility. The stainless steel versions are available with maintenance-free iglidur J or with iglidur X high-temperature polymer bearings. They are characterised by, among other things, high resistance to corrosion and chemicals. New in the programme line-up are shaft support blocks with 20-mm diameters. The blocks made of VA-grade stainless steel have the same connection dimensions as standard supports made of aluminium and offer the best combination options with stainless steel shafts. Linear bushes with stainless steel adapters are also part of the igus product range. The DryLin R stainless steel adapters with polymer glide foils (iglidur J iglidur X) do not require any kind of lubricant.

The bag forming, filling and sealing machines work in warm, cold, dusty, and moist environments. They need to be easy to operate and clean. Maintenance-free iglidur plastic plain bearings defy all external influences here and guarantee the necessary tool life periods. The lubrication-free plain, spherical plain and linear bearings are used at many different places. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Markus Schmachtel, Director of Mechanical Design at Hastamat: The high service life of the polymer bearings from igus and their robustness against soiling have never disappointed us. Hastamat includes igus, where appropriate, already in the development phase at an early time.

Format adjustment of the longitudinal sealing jaws by means of DryLin Easy Tube

Pull-back star with star top part (1), sliding clamp carrier (2), uncoupling unit (3), transfer (4) and base (5) Lubrication-free adjustment of the longitudinal sealing tools by means of DryLin DryLin R linear glide foils with hard-anodised aluminium shafts in vertical welding jaws

Toothed Belt Shaft

Maintenance-free lightweight
For faster positioning of small loads up to 15 kg, igus has now developed a lubrication-free toothed belt shaft specifically for the low-cost range.

DryLin stainless steel adapter, equipped with polymer glide foils

iglidur J: excellent wear values for soft stainless steel shafts DryLin supported shaft system, made completely of stainless steel
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The compact designed, light DryLin ZLW-0630 Basic is recommended as a quick alternative to spindle adjustment or pneumatic cylinders. For example, with a stroke

of 500 mm, it puts weight of only 800 g onto the scales. The stroke length is freely selectable up to a maximum of 1,000 mm. The maintenanceand corrosion-free shaft is ideal for foil-cutting devices, fast format adjustments, camera guides, and inspection technology.

Small, light, compact, lubrication-free: DryLin ZLW0630 Basic , e.g., for sensor adjustment of the print mark detection system

01/2008

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Event
igus member of the Mechatronic Alliance
bert GmbH Verpackungsmaschinen. In a presentation, he explained what is possible with a mechatronically organized machinery concept. The fact that mechatronics is not yet the standard everywhere is something that Schubert considers to be one of the major challenges. Packaged and filled was the motto of the forum Mechatronics in Mechanical Engineering, which took place at Festo last year. Organizer was the Mechatronic Alliance in which companies like igus, Phnix Contact, Schunk, ABB Robotics, SEW, etc. are actively involved. Also involved: Gerhard Schubert, Managing Director of Gerhard Schu-

Gerhard Schubert: Mechatronics must become standard

Engineering

iglidur special parts on request

As an international plastics developer and injection moulder with decades of experience, igus also offers special parts in addition to its extensive range of standard products. Under the motto customized engineering parts are created in Cologne according to customer requests even in medium piece numbers. Manufactured from iglidur materials, these parts include, e.g. geometries that permit rinsing processes (hygienic design) or loss-proof machinery elements such as double flanged bushes. Thanks to a modular tool system, first samples are created quickly and inexpensively.

Maintenance-free special parts according to customer requests (top) igus plain bearing test laboratory

Quiz

First-class through performance and passion

Experience Cologne enthusiasm in the Rhine Energy Stadium with two tickets to a Federal league home game of the 1st FC Cologne of your choice. Question: Why do iglidur plastic plain bearings from igus fulfil the requirements specified for hygienic design? Simply send the correct answer by e-mail to pack@igus.de. Closing date for entries is 10 October 2008. Dont forget your sender information!

od Luck! Go
01/2008 4 1. FC Kln