MACHINERY BEARINGS AND FOOD SAFETY By David Oliver UK platform manager – industry manager - Food and Beverage, SKF T


he food and beverage sector has endured a succession of shocks in recent years, and the problems show little signs of abating. In the UK, Brexit disrupted supply chains, shifted markets, and created


labour challenges. The Coronavirus pandemic exacerbated all those problems and added additional layers of complexity as producers implemented new procedures to protect their employees. Now record energy costs and the conflict in Ukraine are affecting the availability and prices of key commodities. Against this background, food safety managers are under unprecedented pressure to maintain high standards without compromising output or productivity. High- profile recalls sparked by salmonella and listeria infections show that the industry does not always get the balance right. Safe, regulatory compliant food production


requires a multi-level approach. That includes appropriate facilities and equipment, robust and properly enforced operating and maintenance procedures, and effective monitoring and quality assurance. Wherever they can, however, food and beverage processors strive to ensure that food safety is designed into their production systems. SKF’s objective is to help its customers


improve productivity, minimise maintenance, achieve higher energy and resource efficiency, and optimise designs for long service life and reliability. It has been involved in the food industry for decades, working closely with equipment manufacturers and


end users to develop solutions that meet their evolving needs. SKF Food Line Ball Bearing Units – Blue


Range, for example, use special materials to resist corrosion, and advanced seal technology to retain lubricant safely within the bearing during washdowns. The Food Line Blue Range composite housings are manufactured with no unnecessary crevices or pockets where debris or bacteria can accumulate.


END-TO-END HYGIENE One key trend that SKF has observed recently across the industry is the desire to adopt food safe principles across every part of a production facility. Users know that contamination can occur anywhere, and that includes in pre- and post-processing as well as core production activities. In response to this emerging user


requirement, SKF has applied its Food Line technologies to a new range of deep groove ball bearings designed for non-corrosive production environments such as sorting, handling, and packaging machinery. On the outside, the new SKF Food Line ball bearings for non-corrosive environments use the company’s high-efficiency RSH contact seal, which excludes water and contaminants while retaining lubricant. These seals are manufactured from an EC and FDA approved nitrile rubber in a blue colour that makes it easy to identify fragments if they enter the food stream. Inside, the new bearings are lubricated with SKF’s specially developed high-performance


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food-grade grease. Registered as a category H1 product, this grease is designed to be safe in the event of incidental contact food. It is allergen-free and certified to meet Halal and Kosher standards. And at its core, the bearing is manufactured to the exacting standards of SKF’s proven Explorer class, a design that offers reduced friction, higher load tolerance and an extended service life. While safety and hygiene were key priorities


for our engineers, the new range of bearings was also designed with productivity in mind. Under most conditions, the factory-filled grease is sufficient to lubricate the bearing for its full rating life. That means no costly and time- consuming relubrication operations, and no need to dispose of old lubricant or grease- contaminated cleaning equipment.


SKF www.skf.com


Autumn 2022 UKManufacturing


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