ENGINEERING company BMG is targeting the high-stakes food protein sector with a suite of specialised linear motion systems from Rollon, designed to bridge the gap between high-performance automation and the industry’s hygiene requirements.
As meat, poultry, and fish processing lines face increasing regulatory pressure, the durability of automation components has become a critical factor in operational continuity. BMG’s latest rollout focuses on mitigating the risks of mechanical failure and product contamination in environments where caustic washdowns and corrosive organic matter are the norm.
“Meat, poultry and fish processing lines place unique stresses on automation components, which is why selection of the correct equipment is so critical,” says Leon Koekemoer, BMG’s Linearway & Ball Screw Product Specialist.
“Rollon motion guidance systems have been developed in line with stringent industry regulations for global hygiene standards and offer advantages over conventional guides and actuators.”
According to Koekemoer, the Rollon systems are developed specifically to meet stringent global hygiene standards, utilising advanced sealing technology, corrosion-resistant materials, and FDA-compatible lubricants to ensure food-safety compliance.
For compact machinery where space is at a premium — such as slicing, deboning and robotic picking systems — BMG is deploying the Rollon MiniRoller Rail.
The system features:
- Durability: Induction-hardened raceways (58–62 HRC) and nickel-plated rails to withstand mechanical shock and chemical attack.
- Material Integrity: Stainless steel slider bodies and rollers that resist rust.
- Performance: Support for loads up to 720 N per roller, travel speeds of 1.5 m/s, and acceleration rates of 50 m/s².
- Adaptability: Misalignment tolerance that allows for installation on imperfect mounting surfaces, ensuring smooth, quiet travel with minimal backlash.
For larger linear applications, the Rollon ELM series offers a sealed belt-drive solution designed for aggressive “wet” zones. The unit’s internal recirculating ball guides are housed in an extruded aluminium profile and protected by a polyurethane sealing strip.
To prevent the ingress of high-pressure washdowns or airborne contaminants, the units can be positively or negatively pressurised (0.7–0.8 bar). For environments rich in brine or blood — common in poultry evisceration and fish gutting — BMG offers an anti-corrosion version featuring all-stainless-steel internal components. The ELM supports stroke lengths up to 6 m and loads up to 2,000 N, reaching speeds of 5 m/s.
BMG is positioning itself as more than a component supplier, offering full engineering support that includes CAD configuration, integration assistance and lifecycle optimisation.
BMG’s Rollon portfolio includes linear guides, telescopic rails, actuators and multi-axis systems, as well as ball screws and rotational units – engineered to function reliably in heavy-duty industrial operations.
These robust components withstand high loads, continuous use and exposure to harsh environments, making them suitable for other sectors including automotive assembly, electronics manufacturing, packaging and materials handling.
By eliminating exposed mechanical components and enabling rapid cleaning cycles, BMG aims to significantly reduce industry downtime and maintenance overheads in the most demanding industrial environments.
