Automatic disinfectant machine

Technical data:

• What was needed: A cleaning machine that disinfects reusable cups within a few seconds with 140°C hot steam
• Requirements: 100% lubrication and maintenance-free, use in small installation spaces, robust, reliable, low-friction dry operation, wear-resistant, quiet operation
• Products used: drylin® SLW-1040 with integrated dryspin® high helix lead screw made of stainless steel, drylin® guide rail and matching DC motor
• Success for the customer: The vending machine is located directly next to the coffee machine in break areas. To make the machine compact, the designers had to miniaturise all components - including the linear guide and bearing for the cleaning dome, which lowers over the cup before cleaning. The components also had to be robust, reliable, low-maintenance and grease-free. For this reason, linear guides and
  polymer plain bearings from igus® are therefore used. They enable low-friction dry operation without external lubricants, are wear-resistant and quiet in operation. They are therefore ideal candidates for the disinfection machine.

Offices are familiar with the problem: dirty coffee cups pile up in the sink. However, employees don't feel like washing them up and eventually resort to disposable cups instead. The environmental impact is high. In France, around 5 billion disposable cups are still used every year.

The up and down movement achieves the best opening and closing of the cleaning dome. Usage is central to the overall user experience. A touchless solution with the best possible linear guidance was sought. The automatic side enables contact-free and therefore hygienic opening to fulfil the high hygiene requirements and reduce interaction with the user. Alternative slide bearings and guide rails were not considered: they had a limited service life and maintenance was very complicated.

The user places the container in the machine and the dome automatically lowers and completely encapsulates the container. The steam is then used to sanitise the cup and a stream of air is used to dry the container. Once this step is complete, the cleaning dome rises again and the user can collect their glass. The machine is quick and easy to use. The machine itself is compact and elegant. It can be set up in the break areas of companies. All the technological components of the machine had to be miniaturised in order to integrate the whole thing into a 50 cm x 50 cm x 20 cm machine.

The drylin® SLW-guidance solved the problem of raising and lowering our cleaning dome. The slide bearings ensure smooth rotation of the glass. The bearings had to fulfil the requirements for robustness, reliability and minimal maintenance. Grease-free was also a requirement that was set and fulfilled.