February 2017 – Light, durable and food-safe – new xiros guide rollers from igus ball bearing system solution with FDA-compliant components save over 60 per cent weight compared to stainless steel solutions.

For guide rollers and transport rollers, igus has developed a system solution consisting of tube and polymer ball bearings, which is now also available from stock in a light and FDA-compliant design. The rollers for use in the labelling, packaging and food industry consist of a blue PVC tube with two flange ball bearings at the ends made of wear-resistant xirodur B180 with stainless steel balls.

Under the brand name xiros, the motion plastics specialist igus has developed maintenance-free and, above all, lubricant-free polymer ball bearings. Especially in the food and packaging industry, this is a decisive advantage as there is no risk of contamination. New in the product range is a ready harnessed system solution consisting of a blue PVC tube as well as two flange ball bearings made of xirodur B180 with stainless steel balls.

"All components used in these new guide rollers are FDA-compliant," explains Marcus Semsroth, head of xiros polymer ball bearings at igus. "From now on, we offer this system solution in two installation sizes with outer diameters of 50 and 63 millimetres respectively." These ligh weight rollers are available from stock at igus in lengths of 100 to 1000 millimetres.

Compared to stainless steel tubes, the food-grade plastic tube weighs only about one third as much, which in turn has an effect on the required drive energy when the rollers themselves are moved, for example in film storage. Also the dry operating xiros polymer ball bearings achieve less friction than lubricated ball bearings made of metal, since the balls do not have to overcome the resistance of the lubricant. Here, they have the advantage that they start much more easily than ball bearings made of metal.

Since 2008, igus has developed a wide range of lubrication-free polymer ball bearings, which are already in use in a wide range of applications. The service life of the xiros ball bearings can be calculated by entering the respective application parameters. The most widely used designs are radial deep groove ball bearings according to DIN 625, similar to the available ball bearings made of metal. Further types are, for example, axial ball bearings, multiple bearings, slewing ring bearings or axial polymer ball transfer units.