---
title: "Infeed Starwheel"
industry: "Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing"
verification_protocol:
  urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:INFEED_STARWHEEL"
  data_integrity_hash: "41f822627a1a72ca359b109e0816e89b"
  source_authority: "https://cnfx.com"
  strict_mode: true
source_identity:
  provider: "CNFX Industrial Knowledge Graph"
  index_version: "2026.Q1-Universal"
  authority_id: "URN:CNFX:ME:INFEED_STARWHEEL"
  data_source_uri: "https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/infeed-starwheel.md"
  official_resource_url: "https://cnfx.com/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/infeed-starwheel"
  is_verified_logic: true
attributes:
  spec:
    status: "config-dependent"
    typical_range: "0.5-3.0 m/s linear container velocity, 5-60 RPM rotational speed, 0.1-0.5 mm radial clearance"
    unit: "mm"
engineering_limits:
  max_safe_operating_point:
    value: 350
    unit: "MPa"
    consequence: "Contact fatigue from Hertzian stress cycles exceeding 10⁶ cycles at 250 MPa contact pressure, abrasive wear from container friction coefficient &gt;0.3, thermal distortion from ΔT&gt;50°C differential heating"
fmea_matrix_quantitative:
  - node_1:
      trigger: "Misalignment exceeding 0.2 mm between infeed conveyor and starwheel centerline"
      severity: 8
      occurrence: 3
      detection: 4
      mitigation_protocol: "Laser alignment system with 0.05 mm tolerance and automatic correction feedback loop"
  - node_2:
      trigger: "Container impact force exceeding 150 N at starwheel tip during jam conditions"
      severity: 8
      occurrence: 3
      detection: 4
      mitigation_protocol: "Torque-limiting clutch set at 120 N·m with optical jam detection triggering immediate system halt"
bom_nodes:
  starwheel-body:
    type: "part"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:STARWHEEL_BODY"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  pocket-inserts:
    type: "component"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:POCKET_INSERTS"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  hub-assembly:
    type: "part"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:HUB_ASSEMBLY"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
  drive-shaft-interface:
    type: "component"
    urn: "URN:CNFX:ME:DRIVE_SHAFT_INTERFACE"
    interface_type: "physical-logic-coupled"
manufacturing_compliance:
  - standard: "ISO 9001:2015 - QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS"
    scope: "Verified Engineering Specification"
url: "https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/infeed-starwheel.md"
on_chain_sovereignty:
  contract_standard: "ERC-721-Industrial"
  metadata_hash: "fe936aedb8597337e6dbce3e5e868ed9cda43ede81ff4910aaa7679573f97c0b"
  royalty_logic: "IPFS-CID-REQUIRED"
  mint_status: "logic-verified-ready"
version: "3.3.4-EXTREME-SOVEREIGN-WEB3"
---

# Industrial Specification: Infeed Starwheel

## 1. Technical Definition
A rotating mechanical component with star-shaped projections used to guide and position containers as they enter a handling system.

## 2. Engineering Reasoning & Causal Matrix
> **Operational Intelligence**: Designed for **0.5-3.0 m/s linear container velocity, 5-60 RPM rotational speed, 0.1-0.5 mm radial clearance**. Failure boundary: **Material yield strength exceeded at 350 MPa stress concentration at starwheel tip, 0.8 mm radial deflection causing container jamming, 85°C thermal expansion exceeding clearance tolerance**, Mechanism: **Contact fatigue from Hertzian stress cycles exceeding 10⁶ cycles at 250 MPa contact pressure, abrasive wear from container friction coefficient &gt;0.3, thermal distortion from ΔT&gt;50°C differential heating**.

### 2.1 Analytical Physics Model
Governed by the **L10 Bearing Life & Fatigue Model**:

> **Primary Equation**: $L_{10} = (\frac{C}{P})^p$  
> **Engineering Impact**: Predicts mechanical lifecycle before component fatigue.

| Symbol | Variable Definition | Localized Reference |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| C | Dynamic Load Rating | Engineering Constant |
| P | Equivalent Dynamic Load | Engineering Constant |

### 2.2 FMEA (Failure Mode & Effects Analysis)
| Event Trigger | Severity | Failure Mode | Mitigation Strategy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Misalignment exceeding 0.2 mm between infeed conveyor and starwheel centerline | 8 | Asymmetric loading causing 15% torque increase and premature bearing failure within 500 hours | Laser alignment system with 0.05 mm tolerance and automatic correction feedback loop |
| Container impact force exceeding 150 N at starwheel tip during jam conditions | 8 | Plastic deformation of starwheel projection causing 0.3 mm permanent deflection and loss of positional accuracy | Torque-limiting clutch set at 120 N·m with optical jam detection triggering immediate system halt |

## 3. Key Technical Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Unit | Status |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| spec | Config-dependent | mm | Verified |

## 4. System BOM & Knowledge Routing
### Core Components (Recursive Links)
- [Starwheel Body](https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/starwheel-body.md) `(Standalone System)`
- [Hub Assembly](https://cnfx.com/llms/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/hub-assembly.md) `(Standalone System)`

### Industrial DNA Context (De-duplicated)
**Complementary Dependencies**: **Conveyor System**, **Container Positioning Sensor**, **Variable Frequency Drive**  
**Downstream Applications**: Bottled Beverages, Pharmaceutical Vials, Cosmetic Containers  

## 5. Engineering Risks & FAQ
- **Caution**: 
- **Caution**: 
- **Caution**: 

### Q: What materials are infeed starwheels typically made from?
**A**: Infeed starwheels are commonly manufactured from stainless steel for durability, engineering plastic for reduced friction, or aluminum alloy for lightweight applications, depending on the specific handling requirements.

### Q: How does an infeed starwheel improve container handling?
**A**: The starwheel's rotating star-shaped projections precisely guide and position containers as they enter a handling system, ensuring smooth, accurate transfer and reducing jams or misalignment in production lines.

### Q: What are the main components of an infeed starwheel assembly?
**A**: Key components include the starwheel body, pocket inserts for container contact, a hub assembly for mounting, and a drive shaft interface to connect to the handling system's power source.

## 6. Manufacturing Compliance
- ISO 9001:2015 - QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

---
### 🛠️ Engineering Resource Access
🔗 **[Full Specification: Infeed Starwheel](https://cnfx.com/industry/machinery-and-equipment-manufacturing/product/infeed-starwheel)**

### 🌐 Knowledge Graph Topology
> **Node Status**: Verified Engineering Spec
> **Connectivity**: Linked to **4** standalone system nodes
> **Global Context**: Part of a 5,814 node industrial cluster within the CNFX Graph

> **Reference ID**: INFEED_STARWHEEL | **Authority**: CNFX-2026-ST-001 | **Fingerprint**: 7c442e6f
