Food Production Automation Case Study
This case study presents a universal joint solution developed for food production automation equipment, in this case a pick and place robot.
A client was having problems with a standard cross and needle-bearing joint during the wash down phase on the automation equipment of this food application. The needle-bearing joint would absorb the chemical solution used twice daily to clean and sterilize equipment. Once the alloy bearings absorbed the chemical compounds, gumming would occur, causing the joint to run tight, lock up, and fail.
After discussing operating conditions and product specifications with the customer, Belden Universal developed a precision engineered pin-and-block joint made completely of stainless steel with composite bushings, which provided a corrosion-resistant, lubricant free, low-friction plain bearing joint. The low friction, pin-and-block, plain bearing design enables a higher torque capacity for the friction bearing joint, sharing the needle-bearing joint’s ability to continuously operate at higher speeds with less wear, and doing so with even less backlash. The composite bearings can handle the harsh abrasives found in the cleaning products used by the client, allowing the joint to operate freely and cycle for a longer duration before any precision was compromised. Belden Universal’s precision engineered solution provided the customer with a completely wash-down safe universal joint, eliminating corrosion issues, contamination, burnout, and joint seizure.
As you can tell, thanks to our state-of-the-art production facility in Illinois, U.S.A., we can customize universal joints and driveshafts to suit almost any application you may have in mind. You can explore the possibilities HERE.
