Lubrication-free igus linear axis in hygienic design for clean application in the food industry

Easy to clean, grease- and maintenance-free: The new drylin ZLW timing belt axis is based on hygienic design principles and uses FDA-compliant materials. (Source: igus GmbH)

The elaborate cleaning of machines and systems often leads to longer and thus more expensive downtimes in many food industry companies. To reduce this effort, igus is now launching a ready-to-connect timing belt axis designed according to Hygienic Design guidelines. It relies on FDA-compliant materials and the advantages of maintenance-free, high-performance plastics from the motion plastics specialist.

Cleaning mixing bowls and stirring rods after making waffle batter: a stubborn task. Large bakeries can tell you all about it. They face the challenge of regularly cleaning huge tanks and mixing devices – including linear axes and linear slides on which the mixers are lowered into containers. When traditional linear axes are used here, there is a high risk that dough residues will accumulate in hard-to-reach areas, significantly complicating cleaning and potentially leading to contamination risks. “To reduce cleaning effort in equipment used in the food industry, as well as in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, we have now expanded our portfolio of ZLW timing belt axes,” says Michael Hornung, igus product manager for drylin linear and drive technology. “The new model can be cleaned particularly quickly and thoroughly – whether with high-pressure steam, chemicals, or simply running water. This also increases product safety.”

Hygienic Design principles simplify cleaning

The new linear axis is easy to clean because igus engineers based its development on Hygienic Design guidelines. Undercuts throughout the system are minimized, preventing food residues from accumulating unnoticed. There are also no gaps on the order of a millimeter, which could form, for example, when screw caps are recessed to create a smooth surface. “We deliberately avoided recessing screws. Following the motto: form follows function, in this case, easy cleaning,” emphasizes Hornung. Equally important are rounded edges, which allow water from high-pressure cleaning to flow better and help carry away dirt particles more easily. Water cannot accumulate, reducing microbial growth. Wherever dead ends were unavoidable, holes ensure complete drainage of liquids.

Lubricant-free plain bearings reduce contamination risk

For the new timing belt axis, igus developers use exclusively FDA-compliant materials. The traverses and linear slides are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. The plain bearings on which the slide moves along the rail are made of the food-safe tribo-plastic iglidur A160, enabling low-friction dry operation – without external lubricants that could pose contamination risks and harm the environment. At the same time, the drylin ZLW timing belt axis is extremely durable. This is demonstrated by the approximately 1.5 million double strokes in igus’ own test laboratory at a speed of 0.5 m/s and an acceleration of 2 m/s² under a load of 3 kilograms. The drylin ZLW timing belt axis is now available with a maximum lift height of up to 3,000 millimeters and can optionally be equipped with a suitable stepper motor.