The food and drink industry is characterised by highly demanding factors: consistent machinery reliability, stringent national and international regulations, and high standards of hygiene and safety.

These challenges are further amplified by the global growth in demand for food products, which is driving the sector towards greater production efficiency.

To meet these complex requirements, SKF has developed a dedicated portfolio of products and solutions. A comprehensive range that includes bearings, bearing units, seals, lubrication, power transmission, condition monitoring and related services.

SKF’s approach involves direct and ongoing collaboration with customers, enabling the development of bespoke solutions tailored to specific application conditions. This teamwork is aimed at constantly improving efficiency and productivity.

SKF Food Line ball bearings

Food and drink processing exposes machinery to frequent washing and cleaning agents. These conditions place high demands on bearing performance, hygiene and reliability.

With this in mind, SKF Food Line ball bearings are lubricated for life and are designed to withstand washing conditions. They combine an advanced hygienic design with reliable bearing performance.

They are manufactured in accordance with the principles of hygienic design, helping to eliminate areas where contaminants can accumulate and to reduce the risk of bacterial and allergen proliferation.

SKF Food Line ball bearings are available as open units or fully sealed units with a cover and rear seal. In the coming months, a new range of closed and open covers made from plastic and stainless steel will also be introduced; these will be available as optional accessories or pre-fitted to the sealed units.

They can reduce the amount of hot water required for cleaning by 33 per cent, delivering significant energy savings and a reduction in CO₂ emissions in line with sustainability objectives.

They are pre-lubricated with NSF H1, Halal and Kosher-approved grease. The sealing system features a blue synthetic rubber seal approved by the FDA. The FDA-approved polypropylene composite body is overmoulded with an FDA- and CE-approved rubber base seal.

There are no sharp edges and all surfaces are sloped to help prevent water pooling. The only flat external areas are those used to accommodate the rubber-coated mounting washers.

The surface finish is comparable to the internal finish requirements for hygienic pipes and pipework in the food industry.

Bearings

SKF’s range includes a comprehensive catalogue of bearings designed to meet all the requirements of the food and beverage industry.

The sealed radial ball bearing is ideal for non-corrosive environments and is used in post-processing and packaging, for example in mills, mixers, and in filling, packaging and palletising systems. Sealed self-aligning roller bearings, on the other hand, are ideal for heavy loads and are used in preparation and processing systems. They are characterised by high fatigue resistance and a higher dynamic load capacity. Sealed stainless steel radial ball bearings are suitable for corrosive environments and are used in damp and contaminated areas, such as milk processing. MRC sealed radial ball bearings are used in highly corrosive environments, such as lemon juice production and ice cream hardening tunnels. The rings are made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel with a high nitrogen content, whilst the ceramic balls further enhance corrosion resistance and fatigue life.

Solid Oil bearings are ideal for wet and humid environments, such as food processing involving heat removal. Solid Oil is a lubrication technology in which an oil-saturated polymer matrix fills all the free space inside the bearing. This enables efficient lubrication, protects the bearing from the ingress of water and contaminants, and prevents oil leakage.

SKF also develops cam followers for the various production stages along the line, taking into account the cleaning requirements for different types of beverages. The solutions can be customised to meet the specific application requirements of the process. The main applications include filling machines, PET blow moulding machines and packaging equipment. They are available with stainless steel or standard steel bearings and are characterised by low noise levels and high performance in operation.

Lubricants and sealing systems

SKF manufactures specialised food-grade lubricants that meet the industry’s stringent hygiene requirements. These lubricants are characterised by a high level of safety, reduced maintenance costs and improved processing efficiency. They are also NSF H1-registered and certified as Kosher and Halal.

The range includes gas-operated lubricators, electromechanical lubricators, automatic lubrication systems and chain lubrication kits.

As regards seals, SKF’s range includes seals for metering pistons, capable of withstanding exposure to abrasive foodstuffs and high pumping pressures; seals for homogenisers, which offer improved performance compared with traditional elastomer seal assemblies; seals for springless rotary joints; and hygienic seals for rotating shafts, designed to prevent dead spots that can lead to contamination.

Condition monitoring solutions

The food and beverage industry is characterized by highly challenging processes where temperatures, humidity, and the presence of water and detergents can severely test the health of machinery and components. Consider, for example, extremely high-heat applications or, conversely, heat-removal processes. From this perspective, condition monitoring is a strategic element for plant efficiency.

SKF offers condition monitoring solutions such as SKF Microlog dBX and QuickCollect, which provide portable monitoring for immediate indication of potential problems.

The SKF Enlight Collect IMx-1 is ideal for collecting data from machines located in inaccessible locations, and is also available in an entry-level version with immediate access software. The SKF IMx-8/16 and IMx-8/16Plus are comprehensive online monitoring systems for early fault detection.

With regard to expertise, the SKF asset management program allows you to assess the current condition of machinery and components and highlight areas for improvement. The program focuses on maintenance strategy, identification, monitoring, and execution of interventions. This allows you to compare your current maintenance process with industry best practices, thus starting a journey toward improved asset management and greater reliability.