Corrosion-free linear bearings for washing machine in automobile production

• What was needed: drylin® linear bearing; Tribo-Tape sliding film
• Requirements: Water and chemical cleaning agents attack all components, which must above all be corrosion-free; no lubricants that could mix with the cleaning fluid were allowed to be used
• Industry: Automotive industry
• Success for the customer: drylin®-bearing operate in dry operation and therefore do not require any lubrication; they are insensitive to external influences such as the humid environment; operating costs are saved thanks to long service lives and the absence of component replacements

Special industrial washing machines are used in the automotive industry, as particles in the engine components can damage the parts during assembly. Specifically, coolant, oil or dirt can adhere to them. In this application, the system for treating cylinder heads consisted of two sections, one for cleaning and the other for drying the component. For this purpose, linear bearing systems were to be used at various points.
However, various problems arose when using conventional linear bearings. As hot water and chemical cleaning agents are used with each wash cycle (every minute), the bearing housings corroded very quickly when the system was at a standstill. The use of stainless steel bearings is not common here, firstly because the costs are very high. In addition, the lubricants they contain have a negative impact on the washing process, as the oil mixes with the machine's cleaning fluid.

As the project managers had already had good experiences with products from our bearing range, they also decided to use igus® linear bearings for the washing system. After carefully checking whether these could be used in the machine without any problems, the decision was finally made in favour of using drylin® bearings. The self-aligning linear bearings operate as lubrication-free systems in dry operation and are therefore maintenance-free and insensitive to external influences. They are therefore particularly suitable for the humid environment of the washing system. Tribo-Tape sliding foils are also used, which offer additional protection against splash water. By using the drylin®-bearing, the customer also saves costs by not having to use lubricants. In addition, the bearings no longer need to be replaced regularly, which also reduces the operating costs of the system.