High performance plastic allows for continuous use in steam

It is able to withstand temperatures up to 180°C continuously and temporarily up to 210°C, the low cost material is the new all-rounder for use in hot steam sterilisation during autoclaving.

Autoclaving is one of the most important methods for killing bacteria during the production of foodstuffs, medicines and in the cleaning of medical products. In the standard method, heating to 121°C at 2 bar takes place in the pressure vessel for 15 to 20 minutes, or to 134°C for 2 to 3 minutes at 3 bar steam pressure with particularly resistant bacteria.

“This is a challenge for the individual parts of the machine, particularly the bearings,” said Robert Dumayne, Dry-tech Director, igus. “For metallic bearings, a special high temperature lubrication is often necessary, however, the sterilisation affect is reduced significantly for products that use grease.”

As a self-lubricating and maintenance-free alternative to metallic bearings, the iglidur HSD350 plain bearing material is resistant to heat, pressure and moisture, as well as corrosion free. The new material thus proves to be extremely resistant to media and remains undamaged even in hot steam sterilisation processes.

“This provides the customer with the opportunity of designing bearings and joints so that perfect cleaning results can be achieved in more complex, non-separable units,” added Dumayne.