Hygienic design energy chain in high-performance slicing plants

Profile

• What was needed: TH3 e-chains in Hygienic Design
• Requirements: High demands on availability with heavy utilisation of all components as well as fast, jerky movements within the system; resistance to the cleaning agents and chemicals used 
• Industry: Mechanical engineering, packaging
• Success for the customer: Chain solution is easy to clean, FDA-compliant and withstands the chemicals used without any problems; the energy chains have already been in operation for more than two years without any complaints; other product requirements for plain bearings, linear bearings and other bar stock items also come from a single source

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► TH3 e-chain sample order on product page
► iglidur plain bearing sample box
► drylin R round guide sample box
► drylin W linear guide sample box
► iglidur bar stock sample box

Problem

The medium-sized Dipl.-Ing. Schindler & Wagner GmbH & Co. KG develops and designs high-quality machine systems such as high-tech slicer-check-weigher machine combinations, which are used for slicing, portioning and weighing a wide variety of meat and cheese products. The high-performance slicers are characterised by the internationally unique "SCHIWA walk-in design". This enables the operator to enter the interior of the machine without bending down and, for example,  remove the knife ergonomically by changing the knife standing upright. Since all surfaces have to be cleaned daily, the machines are characterised by a completely open design and easy accessibility. The new hygiene design was created for SCHIWA at the end of 2017, when many of the machine parts were 'uncovered' and made as visible as possible according to the philosophy "You can only clean what you can see".
The new machine concept influenced all the details - including the cable guides to the grippers, which lead the cheese to the slicing knife. While previously the cables were led through makeshift places and then fixed with loops, later they looked for a more suitable solution. The high performance of the machines in particular also places great demands on the energy supply system. The 4-lead screw slicer from SCHIWA e.g. performs up to 6,000 cuts and makes 240 packs per minute with a guaranteed technical availability of 98.5 %. Approximately three tons of cheese per hour can be processed on one machine. The grippers on the system move back and forth intermittently for 20 hours a day, which puts an immense strain on the energy supply. All media necessary, such as pneumatics, sensors and electrics must be safely accommodated in a guide. A solution was also sought that was made of detergent-resistant materials and involved an open design that was easy to clean.

Solution

While searching for a suitable cable guide, the company found what it was looking for at igus, with whom the machine manufacturer has already maintained a long partnership. Special solutions made of bar stock, iglidur plain bearings and drylin linear guides are also installed in the company's own systems. "The quality, the flexibility and also the co-operation simply fit, and so it was clear to us from the outset that igus was also the first contact for this energy supply chain", says Martin Hüttenrauch, Sales Manager at SCHIWA.
Since then, TH3 e-chains have been used. This Hygienic Design e-chain is used wherever the highest hygiene requirements prevail and cables and hoses must be guided safely. It is easy to clean, FDA-compliant, has no screw connections and is ideally suited for aggressive cleaning agents and chemicals. With up to four fixed interior segments of the e-chain, cables and hoses can be laid neatly separated from each other and still have sufficient clearance for cleaning. Another advantage of the TH3 e-chain is the rounded edges, which prevent so-called dead spaces and the resulting germ formation. The screw-free construction and open design also raise hygiene standards by ensuring easier cleaning of the system.
The TH3 energy chains were first used in the 4-lead screw slicer from SCHIWA . "We have been using the energy supply systems for more than two years and have not had any complaints so far. They are exactly what we wanted. The cables are guided safely and the blue chain is also an eye-catcher", says Tobias Wahl, Head of Mechanical Development at SCHIWA. With the choice of the colour blue, the company is also following the idea of "optical detectability", an increasingly important requirement in food technology.

High-tech slicer from SCHIWA with igus TH3 energy chain on the 4-lead screw slicer of the product grippers.

The TH3 energy chain ensures hygienic and clean media and energy supply to the individual product grippers.

The SCHIWA slicer machines cut cheese precisely and quickly.

In the future, the liners of the drylin linear systems will also be changed from iglidur J to the blue FDA and EU-compliant iglidur A160 material.