Injection-moulded clamps in Krones bottlers save two hours setup time per day

What was needed: Clamps as injection-moulded special parts made from iglidur RN367, rollers and plain bearings made from iglidur X (to the product range overview: plain bearings made from iglidur X), and liners made from iglidur E7 for the linear movements

Requirements: Lowest possible wear in contact with glass, durability, resistance to chemical cleaning, hygienic design

Industry: Beverage bottling plants

Success for the customer: Thanks to newly developed grippers made from the durable material iglidur X, changeover times are minimised and the efficiency of bottling plants is increased.

Up to now, pocket starwheels were used to transport bottles around the fillers in Krones systems. However, a new solution is being introduced with immediate effect.

Why? So far, different bottle shapes or sizes meant converting the pocket starwheels. Such an exchange, which is usually carried out daily in bottling plants, takes around two hours: this shows that there is immense potential for optimisation.

The goal was therefore obvious: a universal gripping mechanism was needed to safely transport bottles of different sizes and shapes to their destination.

To realise this, Krones AG had to find clamps, rollers, plain bearings and liners that could withstand the demanding environmental conditions of a bottling plant. Hygienic design and resistance to chemical cleaning agents were crucial. Low material abrasion of the clamps in contact with glass was also essential.

The solution for the new gripper mechanism: a new clamp developed by Krones, which is based on a completely new material developed by igus. The grippers, for example, are made of the material iglidur RN367, which was developed for the special challenges of bottle handling (see Picture 1).

Thanks to the knowledge sharing between Krones and igus, all requirements were fulfilled: despite contact with glass, the clamps have a long service life, meet hygienic-design specifications and chemical cleaning is also no problem for the components from igus. This minimises the bacterial contamination of the clamping starwheel.
Another advantage for bottlers is that igus bearing technology is self-lubricating and therefore particularly low-maintenance.

However, the new grippers have more advantages. Thanks to the universal solution and the durability of the solution, fewer replacement and conversion parts are needed and a whole 2.5t of material is no longer required.

In the time previously spent on converting the pocket starwheels, filling can now continue. Assuming one conversion per day, this harbours enormous potential for a higher production volume.

The market response also speaks for itself: Krones had already received numerous enquiries even before the clamping starwheel had been finalised. First, extensive practical tests were carried out to guarantee the best possible quality.