Reduced wear and shortened throughput times for packaging machines

Doel Engineering is a manufacturer of packaging and processing machinery that has reduced frictional resistance, improved stiffness, shortened lead times and increased hygiene standards on a series of machinery by applying an iglidur IC-05 tribo-coating to a sliding carriage.

Profile

What was needed: components to transport packaging materials faster within a system
Requirements: high stiffness, low coefficient of friction, high hygiene standards
Industry: packaging
Coating powder: IC-05
Linear guide: drylin T rail guide
Success for the customer: shorter lead times, reduced wear, no risk of contaminating packaging material

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Packaging machine with coated metal rods

"The results are a smoother run at a higher speed and less wear of the shafts and the materials used. The solution offers fast implementation at a very attractive price and a result that I will also consider in other areas of our facilities."

Adam Deighton

Head of Production at Doel Engineering

Problem

The packaging machine takes bubble wrap and/or plastic tray pads from a roll, stretches and cuts them to size, and places them in trays. Originally, Doel Engineering used hollow rollers for this operation, but could not achieve sufficient tension in the material to make a fast, precise cut, so throughput times were too long. Inertia kept the rollers rotating after the system was switched off, which inevitably led to waiting times before the next cycle could begin, decreasing productivity. The previous rollers made of uncoated metallic material carried the potential risk of packaging material contamination even though the machine was regularly cleaned.

Solution

igus analysed the process with Head of Production Adam Deighton and recommended replacing the rollers with solid metal rods coated with iglidur IC-05, an FDA-approved, tribologically optimised polymer in powder form. The coated rods had several advantages. They were stiffer than the rollers previously used, allowing the machine to perform better while running faster and more smoothly with the new components. Start-up time tended to zero and the start/stop process was instantaneous, which resulted in increased throughput. Like all iglidur materials, iglidur IC-05 coating powders are tribologically optimised, protecting the shaft from wear and ensuring excellent coefficient of friction and wear.

The thin coating (60 to 100μm) is also FDA-approved, i.e. it has been verified as "safe for the food industry" and poses no risk of contamination. For better visibility, it is manufactured in blue. The IC-05 coating also means that no bare metal comes into contact with food, which reduces the likelihood of oxidation for such goods as meat.