Always perfectly mixed cocktails

Profile
What was needed:

• Metal-free and lubrication-free solutions to avoid contamination with the beverages
• Durable, cost-effective components

Requirements:

The startup Kuantom has developed a machine that mixes cocktails. It is suitable for cafés, hotels, restaurants and discos and mixes signature cocktails with consistently high quality. igus supported Kuantom in developing the funnel system and the emulsion axis, in which iglidur plain bearings are used. These had to take on certain challenges, including among others:

• Corrosion resistance
• Rotation despite contact with viscous or sugary liquids
• Resilience at 10,000 revolutions per minute
• No noise development
• Low price

Industry:
Catering, food/beverage industry

Success for the customer:
iglidur plain bearings and xiros ball bearings work as a duo to ensure perfect cocktails. They are durable and lubrication-free, which means that the drinks are not contaminated.

Initially, Kuantom looked around for metal bearings. However, they soon faced the problem that metal bearings need to be greased. Kuantom wanted to avoid using lubricants so that there was no risk of them coming into contact with the beverages.

Other solutions were also considered, but these were out of the question for reasons of durability or cost. Hence, the decision was made to use plastic solutions that are 100% free of lubricating grease.

This is where igus came into play with its technical support and sales team. The solution was found very quickly from the selection of the product to the actual integration into the existing application.

The cocktail emulsion module is driven by a DC motor on which a brass axis is installed. This axis is embedded in a plastic housing. However, the friction between this axis and the injection-moulded plastic housing was much too high. With the iglidur plain bearing, the friction and the assembly effort was significantly reduced. The emulsion module can be completely dismantled and must be rotated in a funnel with up to 10,000rpm, which contains the cocktail. The lower end of the emulsion shaft is equipped with a xiros ball bearing encapsulated in a silicone housing. It fulfils all performance requirements for easy integration into the existing solution. In addition, the bearing has improved the stability of the rotation thanks to its very smooth operation.