Washdown Bottling Automation

A manufacturer of bottling equipment was having trouble with ball bearings during the washdown process. The cleaning agent used within this washdown environment was washing the lubrication out of linear ball bearings. As one might expect, when lubrication was cleansed from the components and surfaces, the ball bearings would then seize on the shaft. The effect was to destroy both the bearing and the shaft. Along with the cost of replacing these parts, there was also considerable downtime, resulting in overall lower production.

Simplicity® plain bearings were used as an effective alternative to ball bearings. Eltrex Motion has already applied this solution successfully in many wash down applications in the food industry. The plain bearing Frelon® liners produce a microscopic transfer of thin film that creates a smooth interaction between the bearing and shaft. This in turn allows for the self-lubricating condition of Frelon riding on Frelon. Simplicity bearing are also engineered to wipe particles from shafts, so no seals were needed. Frequent seizing of the bearing and shaft was eliminated.

The customer reaction to the solution of utilizing Simplicity plain bearings within this harsh environment was very positive. The bearing’s ability to run without lubrication, protect the shafting, and offer long-life within washdown areas will continue to provide this bottling manufacturer with an improved alternative to ball bearings. The bottom line is a reduction in overall cost associated with bearings from PCB Linear.