"What can you still eat without hesitation?" More and more consumers are asking themselves this question in view of regular product recalls. Food manufacturers are constantly struggling with dangerous contaminants. And tiny splinters often come from broken components in processing machines. "Whether it's a filling line, meat processing machine or packaging line, manufacturers are faced with the challenge of constantly improving the robustness and reliability of their systems while simultaneously increasing the detectability of tiny contaminants," says Dennis Steffen, Product Manager igubal Spherical Plain Bearings at igus. "We support manufacturers in this optimization of food safety by continuously developing the pillow block bearings, rod ends and flange bearings of the igubal FC spherical plain bearing system. Our latest innovation is a spherical cap made from the new iglidur A181 material."

Three times more wear-resistant and 25 percent cheaper than the previous version

The housing of the igubal FC joint system is still made of igumid FC - a robust and corrosion-free high-performance plastic that is resistant to moisture, acids, alkalis and UV rays. However, the spherical cap FC 180 is no longer used in the housing, but the iglidur A181 spherical cap. A successor that scores with high wear resistance. "Thanks to a new material composition, the spherical cap moves on stainless steel shafts up to three times more wear-resistant than the previous FC180 version," emphasizes Steffen. "This makes movements in the machine even more reliable and safe." Like all igus products, the igubal spherical plain bearings prove their durability in numerous tests in the company's own 3,800 square meter test laboratory. At the same time, it has been possible to reduce the price by 25 percent. A positive side effect that should make it easier for many machine builders to say goodbye to classic metal joint systems. "The price advantage is now enormous. igubal FC is now up to 85 percent cheaper than stainless steel variants."

Lubricant-free improves hygiene of machines and systems

But the igubal FC joint system with the new A181 spherical cap is not only cheaper than its metal counterparts. It also improves the hygiene of machines and systems in the food industry. This is because, unlike metal spherical plain bearings, no external lubricant is required, which could combine with dirt and dust to form sticky deposits and become a contamination hazard. Instead, igus integrates a solid lubricant into the material, which is automatically released over time and enables low-friction and hygienic dry running. As a result, both the housing and the new spherical cap material are FDA and EU 10/2011 compliant. "The approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has one of the strictest hygiene guidelines in the world, and conformity with the EU 10/2011 directive confirm the high level of hygiene of our joint system," emphasizes Steffen.

To further improve hygiene, both the bearing housing and the calotte are colored blue. This color allows food residues and mold spores to be quickly detected during cleaning inspections and facilitates visual detection in the event of machine damage. Food-safe, detectable additives are also integrated into the housing material. In an emergency, they enable metal detectors to recognize even the smallest splinters in the range of a tenth of a gram.