The system has a mobile dispensing head that inserts into the bottom of cups and is said to enable refilling in five seconds without over foaming.
Tamás Kozma, chief information officer at One Two Beer, said: "In order to enable a pour within seconds, a fast and low-friction linear guide was essential.”
The system should deploy to a tenth of a millimetre, and also be as compact as possible to enable efficient transport. It should also be insensitive to the harsh festival environment – including dust, high temperatures and condensation.
"Since our machine works in the food sector, a 100 percent lubrication-free application with FDA compliance was also crucial for us,” Kozma added.
Igus’s linear guide unit consists of a compact lead screw and nut from the dryspin series as well as a stepper motor.
The linear guide works like this: The tap is mounted on a flange threaded nut from the dryspin drive spindle series. When the NEMA-23 spindle stepper motor rotates the spindle, the tap moves up or down. The features include a threaded nut made of a Food and Drugs Administration-compliant plastic, a material with self-lubrication that allows for low-friction, dry running.
According to Igus, the polymer nut does not run the risk of becoming a dirt magnet from the lubricating grease. It is easy to clean, with water or high-pressure air. The linear guide is hygienically and mechanically sound. Due to the pairing of plastic and stainless steel, there is no corrosion.
Additionally, the geometry of the dryspin technology is expected to enable high-performance.
Rob Dumayne, drytech director at Igus UK, said: “Thanks to this asymmetry, we have managed to extend the guide’s service life by around 30% compared to symmetrical trapezoidal threads. In addition, the flank angles of the threaded nut and spindle are flattened, so we can achieve an above-average efficiency of 82 percent."