Linear guidance

Hygiene at the touch of a button

According to the German environmental organization, over 300,000 disposable cups end up in the trash every hour. This has a serious impact on the environment. Companies are faced with a choice: trash cans full of disposable cups, mountains of cups and glasses to wash, or simply AUUM. AUUM has developed an innovative machine that cleans drinking glasses in a matter of seconds - and in any desired location. This was realized with Drylin products from Igus.

Problem

Offices know the problem: dirty coffee cups pile up in the sink. But employees don't feel like washing them and eventually reach for the disposable cup instead. The environmental impact is high. In France, around 5 billion disposable cups are still used every year.

The up and down movement ensures the best opening and closing of the cleaning dome. Usage is central to the entire user experience. A contactless solution with the best possible linear guide was sought. The automatic side allows a touch-free and therefore hygienic opening to meet the high hygiene requirements and reduce interaction with the user. Alternative plain bearings and guide rails were not considered: they had a limited lifespan and maintenance was very complicated.

Solution

The user places the container in the machine and the dome automatically lowers, completely encapsulating the container. With the help of the steam, the cup is then disinfected and an air flow is used to dry the container. Once this step is completed, the cleaning dome rises again and the user can pick up their glass. The device is quick and easy to use. The machine itself is compact and elegant. It can be placed in the break areas of companies. All the technological building blocks of the machine had to be miniaturized in order to integrate the whole thing into a 50 cm x 50 cm x 20 cm machine.

The drylin SLW guide solved the problem of raising and lowering our cleaning dome. The plain bearings ensure a smooth rotation of the glass. The bearings had to meet the requirements for robustness, reliability and minimal maintenance. Grease-free was also a requirement that was set and met.