FEATURE Drives, controls & motors
Elevating food and beverage production
Chris Johnson, Managing Director of ceramic bearings supplier, SMB Bearings, discusses the role of ceramic bearings in hygienic and efficient food packaging applications
F
ood packaging demands the highest levels of hygiene for consumption safety and product quality. Traditional steel bearings are
crucial in these setups, but can present a contamination risk. In the pursuit of maintaining hygienic conditions, cleaning procedures can inadvertently damage seals and promote bearing corrosion, undermining the bearings’ integrity and longevity. Excessive re-greasing can also lead to contamination.
Ceramic bearings, with their non-reactive and non-porous nature are a robust solution. They exhibit exceptional resistance to corrosion, keeping their structural integrity over extended operational cycles. Food packaging processes often involve
exposure to elevated temperatures. Ceramic bearings thrive in these conditions due to their high thermal stability. What’s more, ceramic bearings’ ability to operate without lubrication at lower speeds, translates into lower friction and reduced heat generation during operation. This contributes to energy packaging line, making them a great asset in high-throughput environments.
Navigating engineering challenges In the world of food packaging lines, bearings encounter many challenges, including extreme temperatures and exposure to excessive moisture and chemicals.
28 May 2024 | Automation
In such settings, the bearings must adhere to various standards. The presence of contaminants further compounds the situation, manifesting problems. In the meticulously-regulated domain of food and beverage production, the introduction of contaminants can result in Moreover, the copious moisture stemming from regular washdown cycles can lead to the displacement of lubricants from the component.
Likewise, the bearings must withstand chemical exposure arising from detergents and sanitisers, which can trigger corrosion and expedite components wear. For applications that are too corrosive for 440 stainless steel ball bearings, or where the load is too high for 316 grade stainless steel bearings, full ceramic bearings in zirconia or silicon nitride are advised. These bearings are also suitable for much greater temperature extremes.
A transformative force Ceramic bearings are often costlier to manufacture, so design engineers must
packaging application and determine if the enhanced performance and longevity justify the investment. Alternatively, plastic acetal resin are resistant to corrosion. To enhance
resistance against corrosion and withstand extreme temperatures, it is possible to use alternative materials for the rings or cages, such as polyether ether ketone The slender nature of bearings often used in packaging applications necessitates meticulous attention to the circularity of the rings themselves. Consequently, the manufacturing procedure demands an exceptionally precise approach to ensure optimal circularity in both rings, along with favourable noise levels within the bearing. This invariably mandates the techniques, complemented by an exceedingly high standard of quality in both the manufacturing process and the raw materials used. Any imperfection in the formation of the rings, no matter how minuscule, can impede the smooth operation of the bearing, resulting in excessive noise and disturbances along the food packaging line.
Ceramic materials, though highly resilient, must strike a balance between optimising load-bearing capacity and safeguarding against potential fractures or surface damage during high-impact events.
In the evolving landscape of hygienic and
emerge as a transformative force.
automationmagazine.co.uk
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