Rod ends for automatic packaging machines

A leading company in the packaging machinery industry was looking for a linear motion technology partner that could not only efficiently meet application challenges but also become the single, specialized supplier of high-performance, customizable rod ends. Here is how the team of experts in Rollon’s Rotational Units division responded to the challenge.

A world-leading designer and manufacturer of automatic packaging machines for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products was looking for a highly specialized partner for linear motion, particularly rod ends, that could offer both a complete range in terms of technologies, sizes, and materials and a high level of customization in order to develop increasingly innovative and high-performance solutions.

The application challenges

The machinery produced by the company serves multiple industries and presents no small application challenges.

These are, in fact, very wear-intensive applications, characterized by high speeds and large inclination angles, rotary movements with high loads, and requiring low friction, low maintenance and low radial clearance. There are also applications for which a high degree of efficiency and reliability is required. This entails reduced maintenance (thus also eliminating lubrication-related costs and reducing environmental impact), high productivity, and less unscheduled downtime.

Rod ends must therefore ensure durability, proper operation even in the presence of contaminants, and low radial and axial clearance.

The proposed solution

To meet all the application requirements demanded by the customer, the choice fell on two solutions:

• Durbal’s Premium line rod ends, ideal for wear-intensive applications with high turning speeds, large swiveling angles and high loads.
• Durbal’s Classic line rod ends, specific for applications requiring high efficiency and reliability over time.

In particular, Premium rod ends are available in various designs (double row ball bearing, roller bearing, full complement, or cage) and offer a complete range in terms of both materials of construction (galvanized and stainless steel) and sizes. Moreover, they are made in both metric and inch sizes.

Classic rod ends, on the other hand, feature a techno polymer outer ring that provides extremely low clearance, maintenance-free performance, and strong resistance to contaminants. Like the Premium line, the Classic line offers a wide range in terms of materials and sizes.

Comprehensive portfolio

Meeting customer requirements has been made possible by one of the industry’s broadest ranges of rod ends. In fact, Durbal and Chiavette Unificate, each with over 70 years of experience, are the Rollon by Timken Group’s specialists in the design and manufacture of rod ends, angular and axial plain bearings, spherical plain bearings and clevises.

The comprehensive range coupled with attentive and localized customer service has made it possible to become the customer’s single, specialized supplier of high-performance rod ends that can offer a high level of customization.

Contact our experts for more information.