Rollon - How To Protect Your Actuator From Contamination
Rollon - How To Protect Your Actuator From Contamination
Contamination can be tough on your linear actuators. Airborne contaminants can work their way into crevices, causing premature wear and shortening your actuator’s life. Some solutions, like polyurethane seal strips, boast 100 percent protection from particulates as small as 10 microns in diameter. But in harsher environments, dust and debris can still find their way in.
Depending on the application, it’s important to know how to best protect your actuators from contaminants. There are several options to consider.
Seal Strips And Bellows:
Some actuators, like the ones in Rollon’s Actuator Line, contain built-in seal strips to protect the internal components from debris. Made from polyurethane, the strips in the ELM, Robot, and TH series conform to the contour of the aluminum profile to prevent foreign particulates, with a diameter of 10 to 1,000 microns, from getting inside. To protect the entire travel surface of the actuator, you can also use optional way-cover bellows.
Sometimes, however, strips and bellows may not be enough to fully prevent contaminants from entering the actuator. This is especially the case in harsher environments, such as metal foundries, wood-working environments, welding applications, postal and food processing systems and environments that utilize waterjet cutters. Because of the high concentration of very fine solid particulates, strips and bellows can become overloaded with matter build-up.
Positive Pressure System:
That’s where air-purging comes in. In this solution, a hose is attached to a tapped hole on one end of the actuator. By applying air pressure, the seal is forced upwards for better engagement against the aluminum body, unblocking any micro-openings that may exist. This internal, positive air pressure system, combined with seal strips or bellows, ensures your actuator will be fully protected from debris and contamination, sparing you thousands of dollars of repair work and downtime.
The PLUS SYSTEM series of linear actuators consists of highly protected linear units featuring a self-sustaining anodized aluminum structure and a steel re-enforced driving belt. This is a line of exceptionally sturdy and high performance actuators in terms of load, moment control, speed and acceleration.
High load capacity
High speed
Low wear and tear
Low friction
Low noise
Low maintenance
Corrosion resistant version:
All Plus System series of linear actuators are available with stainless steel elements, for applications in harsh environments and/or subject to frequent washes.
The Plus System linear units are made by using extruded anodized Anricorodal 6060 and 6082 aluminum, which houses bearings, linear rails, nuts and bolts and components made of low carbon SS AISI 303 and 404C steel, preventing or delaying corrosion caused by humidity experienced in the environments where the linear units are used.
Special no-deposit surface treatments, combined with a lubrication system using food grade organic vegetable oils, allow the linear actuators to be used in highly sensitive and crucial applications, such as in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where product contamination is prohibited.
Internal stainless steel elements:
Extruded anodized Anticorodal 6060 and 6082 aluminum
Very low carbon SS AISI 303 and 404C steel linear rails, nuts and bolts and components
Lubricated with organic food grade vegetable oils
The PLUS SYSTEM series consists of 3 distinct products with different features: ELM, ROBOT, SC.
PLUS SYSTEM - ELM:
This is Rollon's highly versatile, premier line of completely enclosed belt drive linear actuators.
The ELM linear units are available in four sizes from 50mm to 110 mm. They have a self-supporting structure with a robust profile of extruded and anodized aluminum. The thrust force is transmitted by a steel reinforced, polyurethane belt drive. The moving carriage is precisely guided and supported by a linear guide system or optional cam roller system.
A polyurethane sealing strip ensures complete protection of the belt drive and linear guide system against dust, dirt, chips, liquids and other contaminants. It avoids the fragility of other sealing systems such as stainless steel strips.
The components used for linear motion, lubricant reservoir, caged ball bearing blocks and double-lip seals; promote a "maintenance-free" system. The pulleys, bearings and drive shafts are among the most robust in the industry. ELM is the best product for applications in very aggressive working environments that also require high speed duty cycles and position repeatability.
PLUS SYSTEM – ROBOT:
The ROBOT series is particularly well-suited for heavy load applications where significant carriage pitch, yaw or roll moments are applied; or for the linear conveyance of SCARA-type articulated arm robots on a transfer or factory automation line. As a robust, high load choice, the ROBOT Series is the linear actuator for the most demanding applications.
Available in four sizes from 100mm to 220 mm, the ROBOT series linear units have a rigid structure made by a heavy rectangular cross-section of extruded and anodized aluminum. The thrust force is transmitted by a steel reinforced polyurethane belt drive. The carriage is running on two parallel linear guides with four self-lubricated "maintenance-free" caged ball bearing blocks, positioned to support the carriage and all incident loads and moments. Multiple independent or idler style carriages are available to further enhance load or moment carrying capacity.
A polyurethane sealing strip ensures complete protection of the driving belt against dirt, chips, liquids and other contaminants.
The ROBOT series is the clear choice for heavy, high-speed, fluctuating load and moment applications in aggressive environments where repeatable, maintenance-free industrial automation is required.
PLUS SYSTEM – SC:
The SC series linear units are specifically designed for vertical motion in gantry applications, or in those applications where the aluminum profile must move while the carriage remains fixed.
Available in three sizes of 65mm, 130mm and 160 mm, the SC linear actuator has a self-supporting structure made by a profile (square profile for SC 65) of extruded and anodized aluminum.
The SC is a very stiff vertical system, guaranteed by the use of two parallel linear guides and four "maintenance-free" caged ball bearing blocks and a very wide belt drive.
The SC Series has been designed for heavy loads and high cycle applications. It is specifically designed and configured to be compatible and assembled with the ROBOT Series actuators without the need for adaptor plates.
Main fields of application for Plus System linear units:
Automation
Production and assembly lines
Packaging
Food & Beverage