Revolutionary connection technology for sensitive hygiene areas

(Photos: NovoNox.com)

(Photos: NovoNox.com)

From January 31 to February 2, 2016, the LOUNGES 2017 will open its doors at the Stuttgart trade fair location. Participating is NovoNox KG based in Markgröningen. As part of the Hygienic Design Community, the company will present, alongside stainless steel components according to Hygienic Design, patented ball head screws with safety drive as a new product innovation.

For hygiene-sensitive production areas, innovative safety systems are indispensable. The reason: Conventional screws and control parts pose a high risk of contamination with germs and bacteria. By using machine elements according to Hygienic Design and Hygienic USIT®, NovoNox KG offers a comprehensive safety system. In addition to meeting high hygiene standards and optimizing cleaning levels, this also helps to avoid machine downtimes and costly production failures.

Dead-space-free Inox elements with safety drive

The revolutionary sealing and connection technology made of stainless steel 1.4404 is FDA-compliant and features special rounded edges, chamfers, transition shapes, and high-gloss polished surfaces. At LOUNGES 2017, NovoNox presents its current range for hygienic applications and highlights newly developed, patented ball head screws with safety drive (Si), available in two basic head designs and two surface qualities.

Hygienic Design variants of ball head screws have surfaces with a roughness of 0.8 µm. In addition to the high-gloss polished version, a brushed variant is offered. This is intended to match brushed and striped polished surfaces to avoid visual irregularities. Additionally, ball head screws according to Hygienic USIT® are available, which use a special sealing and washer from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. This variant differs by a modified edge of the ball head and a centering collar mounted under the ball head, ensuring the sealing washer is optimally centered to the screw axis. This component is only available in the "high-gloss polished" version.

Designed for sensitive hygienic areas

The special ball head screws from NovoNox KG are ideally suited for use in hygienically sensitive, machine-based manufacturing environments. Furthermore, the components are used wherever safety elements such as barriers, switches, and roller switches are employed to ensure product integrity, and adjustments or readjustments may only be performed by trained personnel. "Our newly developed and patented ball head screws significantly contribute to maintaining the system safety documented in the CE declaration," explains Jürgen Leuze, Head of Business at NovoNox. "For this purpose, the components can be marked as invisible upon request and for the user."

Appropriate tools are indispensable

Due to the offset arrangement of the screw surfaces, standard tools cannot be used. Therefore, NovoNox offers suitable tools. These are inserts made of aluminum that can be adapted with standard tools. The aluminum is an alloy according to EN AW 6082 in accordance with EN 602 (aluminum in contact with food). The arrangement and size of the three screw surfaces, combined with the special tool, guarantee that the respective size of the ball head screw (Si) can be tightened with the maximum possible torque according to A4-70. To ensure that screws and nuts remain completely undamaged, a scratch-free application of the tools—similar to the use of protective inserts—ensures the necessary cleanliness. Finally, a so-called ball cap section ensures that the side facing the screw surface always has the flat ball head. Even with pliers, no torque can be applied to turn the screw.

On a total of three trade days, NovoNox experts in Stuttgart will provide detailed information and advice on the optimal comprehensive protection that guarantees safety and leads to entirely new application possibilities in hygiene-sensitive production processes. Welcome to the Hygienic Design Community HD Expo as part of LOUNGES 2017 – Messe Stuttgart, Hall 9 / Stand 1.17. Customers and interested parties of NovoNox KG receive free admission to the fair. A required access code can be obtained via email at: info@novonox.com.