agricultural bearings have a “ hex bore ” and are designed to fit on to a hexagonal shaft for easy assembly .
MANUFACTURING CHALLENGES
Next , the product passes to the manufacturing stage . From continuous high speeds to extreme temperature , excessive moisture and chemical exposure — bearings in food processing lines face numerous challenges .
Bearings used in these settings must meet a range of non-standard criteria . The first consideration is the need for continuous high speeds . Contamination is also a concern in many forms . For the highly regulated food and beverage sector , contamination can lead to costly production loss . Excessive moisture due to washdown cycles can also result in lubricants being flushed out of the component .
Similarly , chemical exposure from detergents and sanitisers can cause corrosion and accelerate component wear . Acetal resin bearings offer a low cost , corrosion resistant option . Suitable for low load and low speed use . For greater corrosion resistance and extreme temperatures , alternative ring or cage materials can be used such as polyether ether ketone ( PEEK ), polytetrafluoroethylene ( PTFE ) or polyvinylidene fluoride ( PVDF ).
For processes such as heating , boiling and baking , bearings must be suited to extreme temperatures . Stainless steel ball bearings can be supplied with non-toxic lubricants approved to NSF H1 or H2 standards . Bearings with a choice of food grade lubricants can withstand the ingress of water or cleaning chemicals , as well as coping with regular steam cleaning .
PACKAGING CONSIDERATIONS AND BEYOND
Following production , the product passes to the packaging stage . By investing in a high-speed robotic pick and place cell , operational efficiency can be increased substantially . For robotics applications , thin section bearings deliver high speeds , improve efficiency and offer design flexibility . Due to the little difference in size between the internal and external ring , these bearings also reduce the weight on the application and the space requirements .
However , because they are so thin , you have to pay particular attention to the roundness of the ring itself . As a result , the manufacturing process must be extremely precise to ensure the highest possible degree of roundness in both rings , as well as good noise levels in the bearing itself . This will normally call for fine grinding and machining , complemented by a very high level of quality in both the process and the raw materials . If the rings are not perfectly formed , even a minute discrepancy will stop the bearing running as smoothly , producing excess noise and disrupting the food packaging line .
In efforts to enhance supply chain efficiency , even the smallest components can make a big difference . It ’ s important that food and beverage plant managers consider component suitability at all stages of the food cycle to ensure they can meet the production needs of tomorrow .
For further information about food grade bearings and lubricants , visit the SMB Bearings ’ website or contact a specialist today by emailing sales @ smbbearings . com .
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