One of the world’s largest producers of spunmelt non-woven materials contacted TriStar engineering about a new bearing design for a machine in their plant. This facility makes materials used in hygiene applications such as diapers, adult sanitary products, and various surgical and respiratory protection products. The existing bearing material was generating a persistent squealing in the production room.
The Spunmelt Technique is Used to Make Non-Woven Fabrics from Plastic Materials
The spunmelt process begins with the selection of thermoplastics such as polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). These polymers are melted and extruded through spinnerets, which are plates with numerous tiny holes. The spinnerets determine the size and shape of the filaments.
The extruded filaments are then drawn or stretched to align them and increase their strength. After the filaments are formed, they are laid down onto a moving conveyor belt or forming surface in either a random or controlled pattern. This pattern is achieved through various methods, including air drafting, roller drafting, or electrostatic charging. Once the filaments are in place, they are bonded together using heat, pressure, or adhesives to create the finished fabric.
The Problem – A Very Noisy Injection Molded Bearing was Creating an Environmental Nuisance
The bearing in question was for a machine that had two critical requirements: First, high temperature resistance because it is located in the melt chamber/filament extruder section, and second, the material must be FDA approved due to the sanitary nature of the end product.
The bearing they were using when they came to us was injection molded from what was purported to be a self- lubricating material, but a persistent squeal coming from several of the bearings in the chamber was an environmental nuisance. Greasing them was not feasible due to the likelihood of the lubricant migrating into the finished material.
Enter TriStar – With the Ideal FDA-Compliant, Self-Lubricating Bearing Material
Our engineering team looked at all the parameters of the application to select the optimal material for the job. In addition to an operating temperature range of 300-400°F, we found the speed, load and total PV to be well within the capabilities of Saint-Gobain’s FDA grade Rulon® materials – for which we are the exclusive North American distributor. Specifically, Rulon® 641 was our choice because it met all the thermal and mechanical requirements of the application and the bearing size just happened to be one that is available off-the-shelf.
After some additional minor adjustments to the bearing profile we were able to quickly bring an end to the squealing issue. The customer was happy with this outcome, and we were subsequently called upon to solve additional bearing problems with some winding equipment at the same facility as well as another high-load application that was a good fit for our Ultracomp product – a material which again, requires no external lubrication.
If you have a tricky bearing problem in your manufacturing environment, we encourage you to reach out to our engineering experts. We’re always happy to help.
Rulon 641: From Food Processing To Medical Equipment Manufacturing
