en.Wedoany.com Reported - EU Regulation 2024/3190 imposes new requirements on machinery manufacturers in the food industry, mandating that from July 2026, all newly marketed machines must not use components containing the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) in parts that come into contact with products. Existing product lines must be converted by January 2028. To address this change, igus has introduced the BPA-free plain bearing material iglidur A351, enabling design engineers to achieve a seamless transition without technical loss or additional adjustments.
The iglidur A351 material can be used to manufacture plain bearings for conveyor systems, gears for packaging machines, and components in direct contact with products in filling and packaging systems, such as guide rails or spacers. The material is available in various forms, including plastic granules for injection molding, rods for CNC machining, and filaments for 3D printing. Lars Butenschön, Head of the igus iglidur Plain Bearings Business Unit, stated that the material complies with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) standards and is free of both bisphenol A and bisphenol S, aiming to simplify the transition process for design engineers and address procurement challenges arising from the new EU regulations.
iglidur A351 possesses multiple characteristics that meet the high standards of the food industry. With a density of approximately 1.42 g/cm³, it achieves high stability while maintaining a low weight, and its compressive strength is around 78 MPa, enabling it to withstand high surface pressures. The material has a moisture absorption rate of about 0.6%, which helps maintain dimensional accuracy and functional reliability in humid production environments. Additionally, iglidur A351 has a continuous temperature range of -100°C to +180°C, allowing it to withstand high process temperatures and cleaning procedures in the food industry.
As part of the iglidur product family, iglidur A351 features an integrated solid lubricant design, enabling hygienic dry operation without external lubricants. This self-lubricating property reduces maintenance work and improves the economic efficiency and fail-safe operation of machinery. The material is blue in color, facilitating detection by optical systems in the food industry, thereby enhancing product safety. All igus materials are tested in the company's own 5,500-square-meter laboratory in Cologne.
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