For over 50 years Lippert has been building special purpose machines for the ceramics industry, serving the tableware, sanitary equipment and engineering ceramics sectors.
Until last year, its special purpose interior glazing machine for sanitary ware resembled a Ferris wheel, and although relatively efficient it was unacceptably costly to build. A substantial order for several of these units prompted a re-think and the company's chief designer, Martin Hutzler, was charged with the responsibility of coming up with a replacement design that would be compact, simple to operate and, above all, commercially viable.
The machine's motion involves both linear and curved elements, so the transfer system needed to be more than just a linear track. Moreover, as the glazing medium is also corrosive and abrasive, the system had to be both corrosion resistant and sealed against fluid ingress to ensure reliability. Mr Hutzler's solution came in the form of a HepcoMotion PRT (Precision Ring Track) and slide system, which provided a ready-made arc-shaped segment, and thus avoided costly in-house manufacture.
Compared with re-circulating systems the HepcoMotion V-principle linear track and carriage system offers a number of practical advantages. The bearings are manufactured from durable carbon steel and are easily adjusted to be play-free, so they run quietly and with low friction. The specially adapted carriage conveys the glazing fluid hose nozzle to the point of delivery at a speed of 200mm/s - not particularly fast, but for Lippert, smoothness of operation and positioning accuracy are more important as fluid wastage is unacceptable.
The V-shaped slide runs within the V-profile of the bearing, providing a constant wiping action that keeps the track clear of debris. This is a major advantage, as both the slide and bearings are kept clean whether or not the system is lubricated. Martin Hutzler sums up:
"Even in our harsh manufacturing environment the HepcoMotion PRT system remains largely maintenance free. We've certainly chosen the right product for the job."