To ensure that the salt, curry and pepper tins can be removed quickly from the compartments, they used the Drylin W linear guides with the help of Igus. They ensure fast, smooth and lubricant-free movement of the vending machine.

Putting what you've learned directly into practice: Participants in the Student Engineer Academy have this opportunity, including the students from Rosenstein Gymnasium in Heubach. Five Year 11 pupils had the opportunity to get a taste of the engineering profession for over a year. They learned the basics of project management, technical drawing, gear technology and programming.

Thanks to the knowledge gained from their subjects and the training workshop at EMAG LaserTec GmbH, the students have now been able to develop a vending machine for spices themselves. For the mechanics, the young inventors relied on the Drylin W linear construction kit with the help of young engineers support (yes) from Igus.

From industry to the supermarket
The idea for the automatic spice dispenser was born during a visit to the EMAG LaserTec factory halls in Heubach. There, the students were impressed by the automated high-bay warehouse for tools and then thought about a task that could also be automated in everyday life. "The students quickly came to the decision to build an automatic spice machine for the supermarket to speed up the selection and shopping process," explains Jens Gruber, who supervised the project at EMAG LaserTec. "In order for the system to remove the right spice from the machine, we needed durable and smooth linear guides for the axes. That's why the students contacted igus."

Drylin W for fast automation
A total of three linear guides from the Drylin W modular system are used in the vending machine. They ensure that all compartments are easily accessible so that the corresponding spice can be removed and dispensed. Igus relies entirely on wear-resistant high-performance polymers in the guide carriages of the linear rails. The Tribo plastics in the sliding elements are completely free of lubricants and are suitable for use in the food sector. The absence of lubricating greases means that no dirt can adhere to the linear slide and block the guide.

The young inventors chose a belt drive to drive the z-axis. The problem here was the high vibrations, which the guides were able to absorb successfully. Drylin linear technology is not only used in innovative spice vending machines, but also in many tried and tested vending machines such as ATMs, drinks vending machines and automatic picking systems in pharmacies. dsc