Ruland has developed an IP69K rated patent pending hygienic clamping assembly to help protect food processing, medical and other types of equipment from bacteria buildup. Traditional clamping components such as shaft collars have hot spots such as screw pockets, saw cuts, and surface imperfections where bacteria can grow and spread within the system. These hot spots are not always accessible and are very difficult to clean. Hygienic clamping assemblies provide a smooth uninterrupted surface that can be cleaned in place, making them a safer and more cost effective alternative to traditional shaft collars.
Hygienic clamping assemblies can be used as guides, spacers, clamping devices, and hard stops. They offer holding power similar to clamp style shaft collars and allow for simple positioning adjustments without marring the shaft. Ruland’s proprietary design is IP69K rated against the ingress of dust and water up to 80°C and 8 to 10 MPa of pressure.
The patent pending design of hygienic clamping assemblies consists of a type 303 stainless steel shaft collar, a two-piece housing made from FDA compliant materials, and three O-rings with NSF H1 registered lubricant. They are supplied with a zinc-plated forged alloy screw for maximum holding power and are available for shaft sizes ranging from 1/4” to 1” or 6 mm to 25 mm.
The complete range of Ruland shaft collars include one- and two-piece clamp styles with smooth or threaded bores in sizes ranging from 1/8” (3 mm) to 6” (150 mm). Materials are sourced from select North American mills and include 1215 lead-free steel, 303 and 316 stainless steel, 2024 aluminium, zinc plated steel, and engineered plastic. All Ruland products are RoHS2 and REACH compliant.
