igus polymer bearings improve service life and hygiene in winemaking

Grease-free iglidur J plain bearings replace metal solutions in destemmers
In Baden, the grape harvest began this year as early as the start of August. In the southern regions of Germany in particular, experts are expecting an excellent vintage. Once the harvest is over, the grapes must be handled with care in order to obtain a quality wine. Destemmers ensure the meticulous separation of berries and stems. These machines use grease-free, maintenance-free iglidur J plain bearings, which provide good guidance of the cage and thus extend the service life of the equipment.

Wine was already appreciated in ancient Egypt. At that time, the bunches were picked by hand and then crushed in a large vat. The stems, that is, the peduncle and the pedicels, were removed at picking in order to avoid bitter tannins. The principle of winemaking has changed little since. The one difference is that the machines used have evolved considerably. During the harvest, whole bunches are picked by a grape harvester before being transported to a destemmer. The berries are separated from the bitter woody stalks in a rotating cylindrical cage. The presence of dirt, wood and must places enormous stress on the guides. This is why the company Siprem International uses iglidur J bearings in its destemmers.

iglidur J for greater system availability
In California alone, 130.000 liters pass through Siprem International's systems in just two months. The iglidur J bearings enable reliable, continuous rotation of the cage thanks to being grease-free, chemically resistant and having low moisture absorption. The metal bearings previously found in the destemmers had to be maintained and replaced regularly in this harsh environment, until they were finally replaced by igus polymer plain bearings. These bearings, which are a simple and economical solution, have made it possible to extend the service life of the machine and reduce downtime.