Food-grade spherical bearings for direct food contact

The igubal Food Contact (FC) is a special spherical bearing system made from high-performance polymers that comply with FDA and EU 10/2011 for direct food contact. It has been on the market since 2019, according to motion plastics specialist, igus. The company has expanded this product range with a double joint that can benefit especially those in the food manufacturing sector.   

The igubal Food Contact (FC) spherical plain bearing series was developed by integrating both detectable and food-compliant additives into high-performance plastics. With FC, it is possible to minimise the risk of a costly recall as detectors recognise even the smallest parts of the components, which makes the work for quality assurance easier. Furthermore, the materials are also coloured blue to improve optical detectability.

"To give users even more design freedom in such a hygiene-sensitive area, we are now adding another component to our proven igubal FC series. In addition to pillow block and fixed flange bearings, rod ends and clevis joints, the product range now also includes a double joint," explains Dennis Steffen, Product Manager for igubal Spherical Bearings at igus. Like all igubal FC products, it contains an optically and magnetically detectable housing made of the FDA-compliant igumid FC material.

High-performance polymers used on the new spherical bearing make it lubrication- and maintenance-free, vibration-dampening, corrosion-free and, in combination with a spherical ball, suitable for compensating for misalignments.

"When selecting the right spherical ball, customers can choose between several materials, depending on their needs," says Steffen. "The insert made of the material iglidur A181 can be used to comply with the strict FDA guidelines. The material iglidur FC180 guarantees 100% detectability. Both also meet the EU 10/2011 standard for direct food contact. If a higher tightening torque is required due to the spherical ball, customers can also choose a stainless-steel version." As with all igus products, they work without external lubricants, which rules out contamination. In addition, cleaning processes can be carried out regardless of the bearings.

Food Contact sample box

igus provides a free contact sample box for companies interested in inspecting the igubal FC spherical bearings for magnetic detectability, and other features. The sample box contains samples from all product areas: pillow block bearings, fixed flange bearings, rod ends, clevis joints and double joints. The entire spherical bearing system is characterised by a long service life and chemical resistance.