iwis introduces Megalife-branded maintenance-free roller and conveyor chains. The special characteristics of the Megalife chains allow longer replacement intervals and reduce maintenance costs and downtimes of conveying systems.
Maintenance-free Megalife roller chains from iwis
The chains are used wherever relubrication is not possible or disadvantageous, for example in dry ambient conditions and on installations with restricted maintenance access. This includes conveying systems and applications in the packaging and food industry, in textile machines, in the printing industry, in paper processing and bookbinding, in the electronics industry, in printed circuit-board production, in wood, glass and ceramic processing industries and in medical engineering.
(1) Seamless sintered sleeve made from a specially developed material, hardened and treated for suitable tribological properties — (2) Pin with wear-resistant, friction-optimized surface coating — (3) Seamless roller with corrosion-protected surface and geometry optimized for the sintered sleeves
Megalife chains feature seamless sintered bushes made from a material developed specially for this product. For enhanced tribological properties, the bushes have been hardened and specially treated. The pin features a wear-resistant, friction-optimised surface coating, and the seamless roller has a corrosion-protected surface that is also wear-resistant. Thanks to these properties, the Megalife chains have a longer service life and greater strength than conventional low-maintenance chains. Their components are nickel-plated for corrosion protection and can be used in a temperature range from -40 to +160 °C. The maintenance-free chains can be supplied dry or with additional special lubrication to suit any application.
The Megalife I series products are suitable for normal chain applications without relubrication at speeds of up to 3 m/sec. Under certain conditions, the chains are entirely maintenance-free, can be easily dismantled and can be used in corrosive environments. Using the same range of attachments as iwis’ standard conveyor chains, the Megalife chains are fully compatible with the standard products. As well as roller chains, the Megalife I series also includes transfer chain, accumulation chain and grip chain variants.
The Megalife II series offers a setup for demanding applications with high-speed chain drives running at more than 3 m/s and exposed to high loads. The pins are treated in a special thermochemical process to achieve an exceptional surface hardness and suitable adhesive strength, which improves the chains’ wear resistance and lifespan. Being used mainly as drive chains, they are not suitable, however, for corrosive environments.
“Megalife maintenance-free roller and conveyor chains have a much longer service life than conventional low- or zero-maintenance roller chains. Benefits for the customer include fewer downtimes, longer replacement intervals and significantly lower maintenance costs”, explains Helmut Spell, Key Account Manager at iwis’ headquarters in Munich, Germany.
“The chains also contribute to sustainability: they are dry, clean and environment-friendly. For the customer that means no need for manual relubrication or lubrication systems as well as lower energy and investment costs and, not least, savings in fossil resources.”
Chain specialist iwis supplies a comprehensive product range for all drives and conveying applications. The full product range comprises precision and high-performance roller chains, conveyor chains, maintenance-free and corrosion-resistant chains, accumulation chains, special-purpose conveyor chains, flyer chains, flat-top chains and modular belts for industrial applications, chains and accessories for agricultural machinery, and timing drives for the automotive industry.
With headquarters in Munich, Germany, the iwis Group is a leading supplier of precision chain systems for power transmission and conveying applications. The iwis Group comprises three divisions:
iwis motorsysteme GmbH and Co KG, providing engine timing systems for the automotive industry.
iwis antriebssysteme GmbH and Co KG, supplying a wide range of precision roller and conveyor chains for industrial applications, including machine and plant engineering, material handling systems, and the packaging, printing and food industries.
iwis antriebssysteme GmbH, formerly known as Flexon GmbH, specialising in roller, conveyor, special-purpose and flat top chains, modular belts, chains for agricultural machinery, sprockets and accessories.
Established in 1916, iwis is a family-run business which today employs more than 1400 people. In addition to production sites in Germany (Munich, Landsberg, Wilnsdorf and Sontra) and in the Czech Republic, in China and in the USA, iwis has subsidiaries in various countries in Europe and overseas, including Canada, England, France, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, South Africa and Switzerland. Altogether, the iwis Group has 45 business locations throughout the world.
Filed Under: Motors (linear), Linear Motion Tips, LINEAR MOTION
