Linear bearings reach 10 million cycles on packaging machine

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. - November 18, 2008 - Matrix Packaging Machinery, a primary packaging equipment manufacturer, implemented maintenance-free DryLin® R linear bearings on its packaging machines after recirculating ball bearings caused shaft damage and grease leaks.

Matrix manufactures form fill and seal packaging equipment to handle a wide range of products, from green beans to candy to detergent. In the past, Matrix employed metal ball bearings in its G Series machines-capable of reaching up to 160 cycles per minute-but the bearings suffered from ingress of dirt, dust and other contaminants and scored the shafts. They also required lubricating and Matrix received reports of grease leaks on some of its machines.

Matrix decided to try lubrication-free, dirt-resistant DryLin R linear bearings instead. To date, DryLin R has been in operation for 10 million cycles in some of Matrix's machines, during which period Matrix has noticed little to no shaft wear and even a slight increase in production due to the bearings' lightweight design. The linear bearings also require no lubrication and so eliminate the need for bearing maintenance. DryLin R manages loads up to 15 pounds per machine and operates at a speed of 750 feet per minute.

DryLin R bearings from igus® consist of two parts: a plastic liner-made from igus®' low-wear iglide® J200 material that can be pushed easily onto the shaft-and a split aluminum adapter that fits over the liner. Installation time is greatly reduced because DryLin R eliminates the need to remove the shaft from its housing. If replacement is necessary, the adapter shell opens easily and only the dirt-proof plastic liner needs to be replaced. This feature saves the customer time, and in some cases, can reduce replacement part costs by 90 percent.

Marcel Willden, president of Matrix, says, "Our products are sold all over the world and every machine operates in a different environment. Dusty or wash down environments, as well as a variety of other harsh conditions, are not unheard of for our machines. With DryLin R, our customers benefit from machines that run longer without service. DryLin R bearings are a low-cost, maintenance-free alternative to other solutions we have used."

For more information on DryLin R linear bearings, click here, e-mail [email protected] or call 888-803-1895. To read more about the ways customers are using DryLin linear bearings and other igus products, go to www.igus.com/applicationcorner.

About igus

igus Inc., founded in 1985 and based in East Providence, R.I., develops and manufactures industry-leading plastic cable carriers, continuous-flex cables, plastic bearings and linear guide systems. With more than 28,000 products available from stock, the company meets the motion control and machinery component needs of customers worldwide. Product lines include Energy Chain Systems® to protect and house moving cables, Chainflex® continuous-flex cables, iglide self-lubricating, oil-free, plastic bearings, DryLin linear guide systems and igubal® spherical bearings.