ROLLING BEARINGS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

The selection depends on the load, rotational speed, tempe­rature, instal­lation position, and environ­mental condi­tions of the specific food processing machine. Depending on the appli­cation, stainless steel ball bearings, high-nitrogen steel bearings, hybrid bearings, or sealed standard bearings may be suitable. Housing assem­blies can also be a suitable solution. The key factor is the inter­action between the material, seal, and lubricant—tailored to the actual appli­cation.

Stainless steel roller bearings are parti­cu­larly suitable for damp areas of a plant, regular cleaning processes, conden­sation, or contact with corrosive media. They offer higher corrosion resis­tance than conven­tional roller bearing steel. The specific stainless steel design required depends on the intensity and compo­sition of the media present. It is essential to consider the entire bearing solution: the seals, lubricant, housing, and adjacent components must also be suitable for the environ­mental condi­tions.

VA bearings are made of stainless bearing steels and are suitable for numerous appli­ca­tions with increased corrosion protection requi­re­ments. HNS bearings are manufac­tured from a high-nitrogen alloy and offer excep­tio­nally high corrosion and wear resis­tance. Hybrid bearings combine corrosion-resistant bearing rings with ceramic rolling elements. This reduces friction and wear and extends the grease service life. The optimal design depends on the load, speed, contact with media, and desired service life.

The appro­priate seal depends on the risk of conta­mi­nation, the rotational speed, and the permis­sible friction torque. Non-contact Z or RU designs cause virtually no additional friction but offer less protection than sliding seals. RS seals contact the inner ring and provide better protection against particle ingress and lubricant leakage, but generate a higher frictional torque as a result. In cases of intensive cleaning with water jets or cleaning agents, a separate sealing design outside the rolling bearing may also be required.

An NSF H1-regis­tered lubricant may be used in areas where uninten­tional contact with food—which cannot be completely ruled out from a technical standpoint—is possible. However, it is not a food ingre­dient and is not intended for inten­tional contact. The regis­tration applies exclu­sively to the specific lubricant—not automa­ti­cally to the rolling bearing or the entire machine. Even with H1 lubri­cants, only the techni­cally necessary amount should be used.

NSF H1 lubri­cants are intended for appli­ca­tions in which occasional, uninten­tional contact with food cannot be completely ruled out. NSF H2 lubri­cants, on the other hand, may only be used where there is no possi­bility of contact with food. The selection is therefore based first and foremost on the location of use and the facility’s hygiene protocol. Subse­quently, technical properties such as tempe­rature range, viscosity, speed compa­ti­bility, and media resis­tance must be evaluated.

When selecting a lubricant, it is essential to consider speed, load, operating tempe­rature, cleaning media, moisture, and desired maintenance intervals. Equally important are the viscosity of the base oil, the thickener system, and compa­ti­bility with seals and other materials. NSF H1 regis­tration alone does not indicate whether a grease is techni­cally suitable for the appli­cation. SBN therefore considers both the hygienic requi­re­ments and the specific operating condi­tions of the rolling bearing. Please feel free to contact us

The amount of grease filled affects friction torque, tempe­rature rise, grease service life, and sealing perfor­mance. Too little grease can impair the lubricant supply. Conversely, too much grease can lead to increased work done by the grease, rising tempe­ra­tures, and unwanted grease leakage. Optimal lubri­cation depends, among other factors, on the bearing design, rotational speed, instal­lation space, and operating condi­tions. Therefore, the grease charge should be deter­mined for the specific appli­cation and applied to the bearing in a repro­du­cible manner.

Yes. SBN can clean roller bearings in-house and fill them with a lubricant selected speci­fi­cally for the appli­cation. The bearing is first prepared for relubri­cation in an ultra­sonic cleaning system. The specified amount of grease is then applied in a controlled manner. This process can be applied to sample bearings, proto­types, and production runs alike. It enables a bearing confi­gu­ration that is precisely tailored to the technical and hygienic requi­re­ments of the respective food processing machine.