Why metal ball bearings reach their limits in latex processing

Patrick Czaja | 7. April 2021

Whether at the largest manufacturer of rubber gloves in Malaysia or at a specialist in the packaging process of condoms in Thailand: machines in latex processing depend on durable and fail-safe components to avoid downtime. Metal ball bearings are used in a wide range of applications. However, the deployment could turn out to be a costly undertaking in the long run.

The reason is obvious. Metal ball bearings rely on grease to ensure smooth operation. Especially in the field of glove manufacturing, where a lot of talcum is used, grease and powders mix and the ball bearings fail over time. Here, the operators not only incur the costs for maintenance. In addition, they have to deal with considerable production losses. And this is where igus comes into play with its high-performance polymers.

With xiros polymer ball bearings a 1:1 replacement is possible in most cases, and customers benefit from 100% freedom from lubrication as well as durability and corrosion resistance. This enables the operators to prevent annoying and persistent maintenance costs and avoid costly machine downtime.

Learn more about our plastic ball bearings made of high-performance polymers: https://www.igus.eu/info/ball-bearings-technology?L=en