Still sceptical? *Test the magnetic detectability of food-grade spherical bearings yourself

By OEM Update Editorial July 14, 2023 5:14 pm IST

New, free igubal Food Contact sample box – including magnet and new double joint.

In the food industry, machine components must meet high hygiene requirements to avoid a safety risks. Since 2019, the motion plastics specialist igus has offered igubal Food Contact (FC), a special spherical bearing system made from high-performance polymers that comply with FDA and EU 10/2011 for direct contact with food. The company is now expanding this product range with a new double joint. Interested parties who want to see the advantages and quality of the igubal FC series in advance can now order a new free sample box.

Food manufacturers are faced with the challenge of constantly improving the reliability of their systems. Detecting the smallest impurities is a particularly decisive safety factor for guaranteeing the purity of the products. By integrating detectable and, at the same time, food-compliant additives into its high-performance plastics, the motion plastics specialist igus has managed to develop a spherical plain bearing series, especially for direct food contact: igubal Food Contact (FC). By using FC, it is possible to significantly minimise the risk of a costly recall as detectors recognise even the smallest parts of the components, which makes the work for quality assurance easier. Furthermore, the materials are also coloured blue to improve optical detectability.

More design freedom with the new double joint
Dennis Steffen, Product Manager for igubal Spherical Bearings at igus explains, “To give users even more design freedom in such a hygiene-sensitive area, we are now adding another component to our proven igubal FC series. In addition to pillow block and fixed flange bearings, rod ends, and clevis joints, the product range now also includes a double joint,” explains he. Like all igubal FC products, it contains an optically and magnetically detectable housing made of FDA-compliant igumid FC material. Thanks to the high-performance polymers, the new spherical bearing is also lubrication-free and maintenance-free, vibration-dampening, corrosion-free and, in combination with a spherical ball, suitable for compensating for misalignments. “When selecting the right spherical ball, customers can choose between several materials, depending on their needs,” says Steffen. “The insert made of the material iglidur A181 can be used to comply with the strict FDA guidelines. The material iglidur FC180 guarantees 100% detectability. Both also meet the EU 10/2011 standard for direct food contact. Customers can also choose a stainless-steel version if a higher tightening torque is required due to the spherical ball.” As with all igus products, they work without external lubricants, which rule out contamination. In addition, cleaning processes can be carried out regardless of the bearings.

Try it yourself: new Food Contact sample box
If you want to hold the igubal FC spherical bearings in your hands before you buy them and would like to convince yourself of the materials’ quality and advantages – such as magnetic detectability – you can order a free sample box. The new box contains samples from all product areas: pillow block bearings, fixed flange bearings, rod ends, clevis joints and double joints. A long service life and chemical resistance characterise the entire spherical bearing system. This was proven by numerous tests in our own test laboratory – the largest in the industry for tribopolymers. The igubal FC also beats the conventional spherical plain bearings made of stainless steel in terms of costs. Compared to stainless-steel solutions, a cost advantage of up to 85 percent can be achieved. The igus product also requires less maintenance due to the self-lubricating specifications of the bearing material.

*With the free igubal FC sample box – including the new double-joint – interested parties can see the advantages of the lubrication-free spherical bearing system for the food industry. (Source: igus GmbH)