Schaeffler adds that the stainless steel rod ends can be used in machines used in food and beverage, chemical and medical applications.

According to Schaeffler, the range of stainless steel rod ends offers machine designers and builders a maintenance-free unit that is resistant to most media, including food, beverages, chemicals and water. The ELGES range of rod ends from Schaeffler is made from alloy steel and comprises a housing with internal or external threaded stem (spigot) and a maintenance-free spherical plain bearing. The housing and stem conform to DIN ISO 12 240-4, dimension series K and have a radial spherical plain bearing and a right or left hand internal or external thread. The sliding contact pair incorporates corrosion-resistant steel and a corrosion-resistant PTFE-bronze film that is fixed in the outer ring crowned surface. This sliding contact ensures maintenance-free operation.

All internal threaded rod ends in the range are also available with CETOP (European Fluid Power Committee) mounting dimensions in accordance with ISO 8139 for pneumatic cylinders. The rod ends are suitable for a diverse range of applications, including pneumatic systems, control and automation equipment, as well as machines destined for the food and beverage processing sector, abattoirs, chemicals, medical, aerospace and shipbuilding.

The rod ends are available with diameters from 5mm up to 30mm. The housing and stem are manufactured to DIN 13 and the bore tolerance of the spherical plain bearings is H7. The rod ends can be used in operating temperatures from –10°C up to 80°C. Typically, X105CrMo17 (material number 1.4125) corrosion-resistant steel is used for the inner ring of the rod ends. For the outer ring and housing, either X8CrNiS18-9 (material number 1.4305) or X5CrNi18-10 (material number 1.4301) is used.