Wellness in the barn

Lubrication-free polymer bearing technology for cow cleaners
 

In modern barns the cows roam freely. Farmers invest in cow cleaners on the one hand to increase their comfort factor, and on the other to be able to avail of the EU funding. They have to be insensitive to dirt and dust. A lubricant-free flange bearing permanently safeguards the required motion profile at a central position and ensures maximum service life.
"Anyone looking for a calf hutch for the farm or a rabbit hutch in an alpine hut setting, will find it with us," says Martin Lechner, responsible for product development of the Albert Kerbl GmbH in Buchbach. With approximately 400 employees, the producer and wholesaler specialises on products around farms and barns, riders and horses, pets and fences and is active virtually worldwide. But its own developments, especially in the agricultural sector, have also always played a central role.

This fully automated 'Cow Cleaner DUO' is a double-brush system. The vertical brush is almost the equivalent of the tree trunk and is used very intensively. The advantage of the double brush is that the cow can not only scrub and scratch the side and the back, but also its neck. "Cows can also be angry. If the system doesn't work right away, they will become ruthless and attack the machine," Lechner points out. It is therefore very important to use a rugged overall design for the cattle scratching brush.

The lubricant-free flange bearing made of plastic is installed with two mounting holes at the bottom side of the cow cleaner. It reliably accommodates the rotational movements. It is resistant against vapours, fine dust and coarse dirt. In addition, there is the UV resistance. "In these aggressive ambient conditions metallic ball bearings seize up immediately. Stoppage is pre-programmed," says the technical sales consultant from igus, Thomas Weber. "Dirt increases wear. Due to the freedom from lubricants nothing can however stick on the bearing, which would have an impact on the holding times and the service life. “
 
Another big advantage in this application is that a precise alignment of the bearing housing is not required, as the flange bearing compensates for misalignment autonomously. The gear is fixed at the top. Since the holder for the gear cannot always be the same, the angle of the shaft to the carriage may possibly also be different. This is balanced by the angle compensation of the igus bearing. "If this angle compensation was not used, we would have to pose much greater demands on the dimensional accuracy of the welding work and possibly re-mill it," says Lechner. "This should be avoided for reasons of cost. “

A total of five test machines were built, sampled with the maintenance-free flange bearings and put to use in the real application. All are still running today without any problems. Meanwhile, hundreds of cow cleaners are in use in barns throughout Europe. Lechner clarifies this in conclusion: "For a minimum expected service life of five years, we will always resort to the lubricant-free plain bearing technology for future developments with bearings. It ensures the maximum performance and a long service life under the toughest conditions. “

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