How to make the material flow more efficient with ball rollers

Details: Released: 03.04.2020; Last updated: 17.11.2023; Hits: 11717

How to deal with high quality Machine elements In-house material flows designed more efficiently, knows Alexander Rubin, Product manager at Dr. Tretter in Rechberghausen. With an extensive program Ball Transfer Units users can move loads of different weights with ease. This portfolio also includes the Air Cargo series of heavy-duty ball transfer units, which are significantly lighter and more resilient than competitive products.

Expertise content:

With our wide range of standard ball casters, users can efficient material flows implement. But what does this do Machine Elements so special, and where can they actually be used? In contrast to conveyor rollers, the user can turn and transport the load on ball transfer units in any direction. This is why they are also installed in conveyor belts or roller tracks at crossings, switches or discharge points. Our ball transfer units are also suitable for assembly workstations where heavy workpieces have to be effortlessly moved or rotated in the plane.

Structure of the ball rollers

A ball roller essentially consists of a large ball on which the material to be conveyed is moved. It sits in a sheet steel housing on a spherical shell. There are many small support balls between the ball and the support shell. These enable the ball to roll in all directions with little friction.

The standard version of the balls is made of hardened ball bearing steel or corrosion-resistant steel. For sensitive goods such as Glass or treated sheets, we also offer them as Plastic Execution on. The steel housing is usually coated, galvanized or made entirely of stainless steel.

In addition to the inexpensive standard ball castors with sheet steel housings for roller conveyors and tables, we also have Heavy duty ball casters in program. They are suitable for handling extreme load capacities in heavy machinery construction or to support turntables in foundries, for example. The heavy duty ball transfer units are installed with the ball running downwards so that large components can be stored in a floating manner.

Dr. Tretter: Linear technology for everyone and in particular

We have for the handling of press tools spring-loaded ball rollers in our product portfolio. With the special ball rollers, users can easily move the components into their press. Our ball transfer units spring into the machine when they are subsequently clamped Tools .

Air Cargo ball castors for outdoor applications

Our Air cargo ball casters we have designed for use in harsh environmental conditions and outdoors. We use corrosion-resistant housing and ball materials here. The ball castors also have special properties such as dirt outlet openings on the underside. These promote penetrating impurities from the ball roller.

We also have for this series weight-optimized variants. We achieve the lightweight design with an increased basic load rating through an anodized aluminum housing with a support shell made of hardened stainless steel. But we are not yet at the end of the line. To further reduce weight, we also offer these ball casters with a plastic cover and a hollow ball as a running ball.

The name Air Cargo it already says: We have the type of ball transfer unit especially for the Airport and runway area developed. Here they are used for luggage logistics and freight handling. But they are also suitable for general conveyor technology, for example if they can withstand high loads and have to be stable.

Heavy duty ball roller for up to 4,5 tons

In order to be able to offer even more resilient solutions with a high load capacity, we will expand our ball transfer unit upwards. We also have the BR00-160 Heavy duty ball roller with a load capacity of 4,5 t per roll in the portfolio. And we also develop customer-specific solutions. A nice example is a special ball roller for deburring technology, which can also absorb lateral forces.

Wide range of modular rail guides

One advantage of ball transfer units is that they can be easily attached, for example with tolerance sleeves. Of course we also have them in our program. At our tolerance sleeve It is basically a slotted ring made of corrugated steel spring band. When the ball transfer unit is pressed into the mounting hole, this ring creates a friction fit Shaft-hub-connection. Tolerance sleeves are used in conveyor technology and roller conveyors to connect the idlers with the shafts. They are also used for driven idlers, where they fix drive components or bearing shells.

The support rollers can be moved axially on the running axis at the customer's facility. This is necessary, for example, to make room for a subsequent Sensorto create assembly. In addition, bearing shells with tolerance sleeves can be pressed directly into the tubes of roller conveyors without further reworking.

Classic connection techniques such as Glue, welding or Interference fit to their limits, tolerance sleeves are the solution thanks to their resilient properties. This can be seen, among other things, in temperature expansion, vibration or torque limitation. And they are easily interchangeable.

Intralogistics as a typical A business at Dr. Tretter

With our heavy mover we have a light and compact one transport aid created with recessed ball transfer units, which is ideal for intralogistics. It offers a load capacity with which loads such as machines, shelves or other operating equipment can be easily moved and repositioned.

Pillow block bearings made of stainless steel for food and pharmaceutical use

One reason why the intralogistics industry is moving into our business is the steadily growing customer base in conveyor technology. The users not only use the solutions mentioned, but also use our classic components Linear Technology. Here they use z. B. steel shafts for roller conveyors, linear guides and ball screw drives for lifting stations or torque shafts for format adjustments of conveyor belts.