Bushing wear in a food zone (granulated material)

[KWilliston]

Hello fellow engineers,

I have recently started to learn about bushings to try and solve a problem that I have. Currently I have a bushing that holds an auger to push granulated food products through a a nozzle at the other end. The problem is that the bushing wears very quickly because the granulated material is not kind to it. The inner diameter of the bushing will increase quite fast after the wear begins. The bushing is currently made of a Rulon and is required to be made of a food safe material because of the nature of the machine. I am seeking a more experienced opinion on using bushing in contact with granulated materials - which material would be suitable/and food-safe (brass/bronze comes to mind), ideally the material would not wear excessively, and best practices for this type of setup. Or if someone could point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[DGTriStarPlastics]

Old thread I know but which grade of Rulon are you using? And what is your shaft material and surface finish?
If temperature isn't excessive have you looked at Ertalyte TX?
Rochling's Matrox may be another material to look at. Its a filled UHMW, FDA grade with great abrasion resistance.