Roller bearings with non-adhesive plain bearings in conveyor technology

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• What was needed: iglidur plastic plain bearing
• Requirements: A material was needed that could not stick through the adhesive and would maintain the perfect rotation of the roller. In addition, the designers were looking for a cost-effective and low-maintenance solution.
• Industry: Packaging technology, conveyor technology
• Success for the customer: By using a polymer resin tube together with iglidur plastic plain bearings, a durable roller could be produced at low cost that permanently prevents the adhesion of glue. No replacement of the parts has been necessary to date.

This machine automatically packs products in secondary packaging. The products and packaging material pass through several stations until the finished packaged product and secondary packaging can finally be removed.
A large number of conveyor rollers are used to transport the products within the loading and filling sections, which follow directly after the primary packaging.
A new bearing solution was required for the rotation of these rollers. Previously used general rollers had adhesive sticking to the secondary packaging material, which increasingly impaired rotation. The subsequent use of Teflon-coated metal rollers solved the problem of adhesion. However, the bearings had to be replaced regularly and at great expense when the coating wore off. A more cost-effective and low-maintenance solution therefore needed to be found for end customers.

To prevent sticky adhesive from adhering in future, the manufacturer opted for a polymer resin tube as the material for the conveyor rollers. These are complemented by the use of iglidur plastic plain bearings in the rotating bushings at both ends of the rollers.
iglidur is a completely lubricant-free and maintenance-free material that is both robust and durable, as well as cost-effective. In order to always find the optimum product properties for the most diverse requirements, various bearings and materials are tested in the in-house igus laboratory, e.g. for wear and friction properties under real test conditions.
With the help of the two components, the designer was ultimately able to produce a very durable roller at low cost, whereby no adhesive can now adhere to the packaging material. No replacement of the parts was previously necessary.