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Feature


LINEAR MOTION


FEATURE


HIGH PRECISION CAM FOLLOWERS FROM IKO


Despite being a simple product, the Cam


Follower is an essential part of modern


machinery in the food & beverage industry, as IKO UK & Ireland explains


C


am Followers are often overlooked as an essential part of many modern machinery designs. With a vast array of


different designs, construction methods and materials available, this simple product can have a lasting impact on the overall efficiency and durability of whatever Food and Beverage application it’s used in. IKO UK and Ireland’s team of technical


sales engineers are regularly presented with a variety of application requirements and are often called upon to assess existing or potential issues, using their knowledge and past experiences to suggest alternative solutions. As an example, the Food and Beverage industry is the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, contributing more to the economy than all other manufacturing sectors combined, including automotive and aerospace. With such a vast array of food and drink


manufacturing businesses all striving for the highest possible standards, it’s not surprising that IKO’s products are already specified and used widely throughout the sector. IKO UK and Ireland has helped many manufacturers overcome issues, whether it be to increase their production, reduce their downtime, or reduce their maintenance costs.


INCREASING PRODUCTION RATES One relatively recent example of this was when the company had been contacted by a UK Can Manufacturing facility that had been experiencing regular failures on the line with the previous guide bearings used. In an added complication, the facility had grown


over time and had been using several machines manufactured by various companies across the globe, prompting a requirement for both metric and imperial sizes to suit different applications. This, however, proved not to be a problem.


The maintenance team at the Can


Manufacturing facility needed to close the line monthly due to the current bearing arrangements regularly collapsing without warning. The maintenance schedule (although predicted and planned to reduce overall impact) continued to have an impact on loss of production, and the situation got to a point where it needed to be addressed. IKO collected some of the failed bearings for inspection and issued a free detailed report to the customer, giving their professional opinion on the root cause of the failure. Following subsequent inspection, it became apparent that the washdown procedure used to clean the lines was itself washing away the bearing lubrication, causing excessive corrosion to the rolling elements. This inevitably led to the collapse of the cage and ultimately resulted in seizure and bearing collapse. To resolve these issues IKO suggested


the customer use a combination of its maintenance-free integrated C-Lube technology, its centrally lubricated Cam Followers and, in some areas, its external C-Lube unit which is used to lubricate the rolling surface itself. The IKO C-Lube maintenance-free lubrication


system incorporates the use of NSF H1 certified lubrication oil and an FDA compliant resin, whereby the resin deposits a small amount of lubricant onto any dry contact surfaces via a capillary action. This ensures the bearing is never over lubricated, and the requirement for a regular or ad-hoc regreasing regime is removed. The centrally lubricated units allowed the use of automated lubrication feed systems to apply sufficient food safe grease to the internal rolling elements.


JUNE 2023 DESIGN SOLUTIONS 13


With these changes implemented, planned maintenance was reduced and was subsequently incorporated into the annual facility shutdown regime. Thus, not only did IKO drastically reduce the maintenance costs, but increased production rates and improved production volumes soon followed.


HIGH STANDARDS OF DESIGN As you can see, ‘The Humble Cam Follower’ is not something to be overlooked, and like all IKO products they are designed and manufactured to the highest possible standards. These seemingly inconspicuous products can have a huge effect on improving reliability, durability, and profitability, and it pays to get the experts in to help. IKO UK and Ireland has the knowledge and


expertise to help and advise on the best possible solution for your application, and alongside its wide range of Cam Followers, it also produces an extensive range of other high precision needle, linear motion, and mechatronic products. Whether you need a site visit, a Teams or Zoom meeting, or a consultation over the phone or via email, the company is happy to help whenever it can.


IKO UK & Ireland T: 01908 566144 enquiries@iko.co.uk www.ikont.eu/en


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