Choosing the Best Bellow Covers for Your Process
Bellow Covers Protect Equipment and Employees
In machine shops across the globe, providing protection for operators and equipment is paramount. This critical task can be made simple with safety options that are highly effective, efficient, and low maintenance.
Bellow covers are just that: they offer an easy solution for safeguarding guideways and machine components from dust and debris while simultaneously shielding operators from accidental entanglement of clothing or limbs in the machine’s moving components. Noise reduction via damping vibration is another advantage of implementing bellow covers on a machine tool.
Hennig offers a bellow cover product range that runs the gamut to include covers for dust protection, sophisticated designs featuring extensions and/or lamellas, as well as designs for laser machines.
Adjusting the Details
Prior to purchasing a bellow cover, it is useful to know the ambient conditions and potential mechanical and thermal strain, as well as the type of chips and agents that will be used in the machine to be protected. Armed with these details, proper bellow cover material and processing methods can be chosen with the help of the material manufacturer to create the most appropriate design for an application.
Friction, extension, and durability properties can be adapted to satisfy any machine requirements as well. These mechanical options include end frames, intermediate frames, guide frames, rollers, coupling rail, lamellas, scissors, and half-scissors.
A Design for Any Application
Understanding bellow cover design types helps users to choose the best option for their equipment. All designs are highly flexible and ensure smooth operation in confined or complex spaces. The following are bellow cover designs offered by Hennig.
- Coated fabric: Industrial coated fabric bellow covers are especially useful for dust protection, laser machines, and guideways that don’t see heavy chip loads. They can be custom made in almost any shape, including round bellow covers.
- Hinged steel lamellas: When vertically mounted bellow covers are needed without a lamella overhang, hinged lamellas are the solution.
- Fixed steel lamellas: This type protects the covers against red hot, sharp-edged chips and mechanical strain.
- Molded rubber / rubber disk: These provide protection against water, oil, chemicals, and high temperatures. They are primarily used for protecting lead screws, shafts, and moving air cylinders, but they can be molded to any shape.
- Machine roof bellow covers: This system is designed as a ceiling for a machining center. It protects a machine from dust and other light contaminants.
Installation and Maintenance
Installing most bellow covers is a relatively simple process that can be completed by trained personnel. Because covers are custom-made to fit the dimensions of the machines they are intended to protect, a secure and precise fit is warranted.
Only periodic maintenance is recommended for bellow covers to preserve their functionality and longevity. This consists of inspection for wear, tear, or damage as well as routine cleaning. This maintenance helps to ensure covers remain free from contaminants that could compromise their protective capabilities.
Talk to Hennig about your application!
To learn more about bellow cover options, designs, and benefits, visit the Hennig bellow covers page to get started with protecting your employees and equipment. These simple safety solutions are designed to easily safeguard your operators while simultaneously shielding your machine tools as well.