Bearing Technology for Harvesting Machines

How igus® helps deliver maintenance-free strawberry harvesting

Agricultural automation is forever advancing in technology and innovation. To keep up with the evolutionary progression, equipment such as harvesting equipment must combine precision, reliability, and low maintenance to maximise productivity in the field.

This case study explores how igus® plain bearings and spherical bearings and energy chain systems helped enhance the performance of the AGROBOT SW6010 strawberry harvester, enabling delicate fruit to be picked with the accuracy of a human. By integrating lubrication-free plain bearings, spherical bearings, and maintenance-free energy chains, the machine not only achieved smoother movement, improved positioning accuracy, reduced wear, and lower maintenance requirements, it also delivered a more efficient and cost-effective harvesting solution.

Requirement, challenge and solution

Agricultural robot moves between plant rows in a greenhouse and works on the crop.

Requirement

The company was looking for a cost-effective bearing that could permanently withstand high pressure and was free from maintenance and lubrication to be used on a wide precision seed sowing machine in the agricultural industry. These machines are sold in large markets such as the USA, South America and Eastern Europe. The component also needed to be able to withstand the heavy loads permanently and safely, whilst being wear-resistant.

Agricultural robot moves between plant rows in a greenhouse.

Challenge

The AGROBOT SW6010 harvester is a harvesting machine for picking strawberries. robot arms with cages for picking up the strawberries move above the ground, cut off the ripe fruit, pick it up and finally place it in a basket system. This is done with the help of dozens of bearings that guarantee the correct positioning of the gripper arms at the time of cutting. The movement of the cages to pick up the strawberries also means that flexible cable routing is required for power and data. As the strawberry is a particularly delicate and impact-sensitive fruit, previous systems were particularly slow in their movement.

A robot grips crates with strawberries on an automated packaging line.

Solution

The solution was found in iglidur plain bearings. Today, more than 100 of them are used in the harvesting machine, helping the robot arms reach their cutting position on the individual strawberry within a few seconds. In addition, the system only picks ripe strawberries. The opening mechanism of the cage on the gripper arm, which passes on the fruit, consists of two symmetrical valves that are anchored to the respective axes of rotation. With great care, the strawberries are then placed into the containers for storage. igubal spherical bearings enable the robot arm to slide along with the cage, ensuring smooth, low-wear and particularly precise movements. A large number of easy chain energy chains guarantee the safe and flexible guidance of cables for power and signals to the individual robot arms.

Applications in use in the agricultural industry

A video to highlight the application of the energy chain and plain bearings being used in harvesting operations.

With this harvesting machine, there will be no more backache during strawberry picking. Collecting the fruit is automated with human hand precision. As strawberries are very sensitive, the robot arm has to move with care, smoothly and slowly. This is guaranteed by easy chain energy chains, which are maintenance-free and cost-effective, as well as iglidur plain bearings and igubal spherical bearings.

Agricultural bearings in Lemken machines

No more wasting time with self-lubricating bearings

igus® has been successfully collaborating with Lemken since 2008. Various Lemken machines are equipped with igus plain bearings, among them the cultivator Karat 9. In the overload elements, the metal bearing points previously used had to be lubricated up to one hour per day to prevent wear and corrosion. By switching to lubrication-free polymer plain bearings, the farmer saves valuable time. Furthermore, the dirt resistance and stability of the plain bearings increase service life and dependability.

The grubber loosens the soil in the field behind the tractor.

Agricultural bearings in bale trimming machines

Heavy load up to 15 tons is made possible

Maintenance-free and resistant to dust and dirt, the iglidur® G plain bearings are used in hinges, locking systems and hydraulic cylinders of bale trimming machines from Optimal-Vertrieb Opitz. They replace red brass solutions, that were produced in-house and required both a relatively large installation space and lubricants that polluted the environment. The new polymer bearings need no lubrication and withstand all edge loads without problems.