Ball roller BUFO 16

Not every ball table handles pallet goods. This is a low ball unit with a flange plate for light goods: the overall height is only 10 mm and the dynamic load capacity 10 kg per unit, which is plenty for assembly tables, picking stations and fixture tables where parts and light boxes are to be pushed and turned without being lifted. The ball is in steel and the whole unit weighs 0.04 kg, so even a table with many units stays easy to handle and to rebuild.

The flange is 44 mm in diameter and is screwed down on top of the board through holes with a diameter of 4.5 mm at a center distance of 31 mm; the plate thickness is 2.5 mm. Fitting therefore calls for no large cut outs in the table top, only screw holes, which makes the model rewarding to retrofit on existing work benches. If the layout has to change one day you simply move the units and plug the old holes, and then it is done.

The low overall height is the real point of the model. Ten millimeters means the rolling plane ends up almost level with the surrounding surfaces, and that the transition between a fixed bench and a ball field can be made without a ramp or a difference in level that light parts otherwise catch on. In assembly cells where a part travels between fixture, inspection and packing that makes a difference in every cycle, hundreds of times per shift. Parts with a flat underside slide into place with one finger; the operator avoids both lifting and regripping.

The rule about three carrying balls applies in the light goods class too: the goods must always be supported by at least three units wherever on the surface they stand. Start from the base dimensions of the smallest object when you choose the spacing. Small parts call for close spacing, and with a load capacity of 10 kg per unit it is seldom the load that sets the limit on a light goods table; it is the geometry. A grid that looks sparse but neat on the drawing can turn out to be too sparse the first time somebody puts a small box down on its edge. Draw it close from the start; adding units afterward means new holes and new downtime.

The applications are found above all in electronics production, precision assembly and laboratory settings: circuit board boxes pushed between stations, equipment chassis turned during assembly and measuring setups where delicate goods are to be lined up without being lifted and risking knocks. Light plastic crates with a smooth base are ideal goods. Corrugated board works, but wears faster with daily use and over time leaves dust that has to be wiped away. Sensitive circuit boards are handled as always in their boxes or on a suitable base, not straight against the balls.

Care is minimal but not nothing. Keep the surface free from chips, paper clips and other small particles; whatever is pressed against a small ball does proportionally more damage than against a large one. A unit that starts to stick is replaced in a few minutes thanks to the flange mounting, and that ease of replacement is a good reason to choose a bolted flange over drop in models in places where the tables are rebuilt often.

If you need higher load capacity there are larger flange models in the same family with capacity up to 110 kg per unit, as well as a stainless version for damp environments. The basic principle is the same; what differs is the ball size, the overall height and the flange.

Do you have a specific application in mind? We will help you choose the right ball unit and the right spacing for the table.