Getting cheese ready for grocery store shelves involves many steps, one of which includes slicing large blocks of cheese into smaller portions. To do this, cheese blocks must be guided to the correct place where a cutting machine can properly slice them. In one such application, pillow blocks from igus Inc., East Providence, R.I., are used on the cutting machine’s in-feed guidance mechanism to center hunks of cheese weighing as much as 187 lb.
The arms of the centralizing unit are mounted on the pillow blocks and then guided smoothly up from beneath a conveyor. The position of the guides means they are subjected to severe washdowns, act as potential bacteria traps, and are inaccessible for maintenance. Fortunately, the DryLin components are water and chemical resistant, will not corrode, and have virtually no cavities in which food can lodge. They are also lubrication-free and maintenance-free. The DryLin R range of linear bearings and components are made entirely from solid, wear-resistant polymers, which offer technical advantages over dimensionally interchangeable linear ball-bearing equivalents. DryLin bearings and pillow blocks offer clean, cost-effective operation, feature an extremely low coefficient of friction, and are lightweight. For more information, visit igus Inc.