Lubrication-free plastic slewing ring ball bearings in a bicycle wash system

Profile

What was needed?
Maintenance-free storage of the washing brushes

Requirements:
Lubrication- and maintenance-free, durable, corrosion-free, resistant to dirt and caustic solutions

Sector:
Bicycle industry / car washes

Success for the customer:
Reduction of downtimes

Bicycles can be cleaned with this system in just a few minutes without a great deal of effort. The bike is pushed through the system and brushes gently but thoroughly clean it with an environmentally friendly bio-soap. Thanks to a closed water circuit and multi-stage filter systems, water and operating costs are saved.

Problem

The use of soap means that the use of conventional metal ball bearings is out of the question. The lubricant is washed out over time, the ball bearings run dry and this results in machine downtime. Metallic bearings in particular are dependent on lubricant to ensure smooth operation of the system. The problem was to find a bearing for the washing brushes that would function perfectly despite the constant influence of dirt and lye in order to avoid the aforementioned downtimes.

Solution

The manufacturer of the system used two xiros slewing ring ball bearings with stainless steel balls to support the washing brushes. The bearing rings are made of the wear-resistant ball bearing material xirodur® B180. This enables lubrication-free operation, low rolling friction and use at temperatures of up to 80 °C. The plastic ball bearings are also corrosion-free, up to 50 % lighter and up to 48 % cheaper than comparable metal solutions. Use under water and soap is harmless and thus increases the service life of the washing system.