Food Processing
The food industry is usually considered the basic market to which Lubrication Engineers addresses itself. Our QUINPLEX® additive makes Lubrication Engineers an automatic choice in many food applications. Our USDA / NSF approved greases are important in sealing & waterproofing machinery. These products include:
In spite of electronics, automated equipment, computers and other modern technology, people are still responsible for lubrication and maintenance in the food processing industry. They are constantly beset with plaguing problems of the operating environment, as well as problems inherent in complex equipment.
Some of the classic problems experienced in the industry are listed below:
Moisture is an always present destroyer of lubrication and detrimental to good maintenance. The water or steam present is due to the necessity for constant cleanliness of the machinery and surrounding areas. It may also be a part of the process itself .This moisture can wash out lubricants, cause emulsions of both grease and oil, cause rust and corrosion and increase and hasten deterioration of the lubricant.
Heat/Cold very often is one of the more serious problems. High temperatures may come from drying and sterilizing processes, or from steam and hot water used in cleaning. Higher temperatures can cause greases to melt and run out of bearings and will speed up oxidation of both greases and oils, thereby shortening their life. Conversely, in some plants there may be refrigerated areas, coolers, etc., which require low temperature mobility in greases and low pour points in oils. Wear can result from channelling of the lubricant. These areas may also create moisture problems because of excessive condensation.
Shock loading or impact may be a factor in many areas. The lubricant may be pounded out of an area leaving metal-to-metal contact with consequent damage to surfaces. Grease may lack cohesion or adhesion, oil may be light or won't penetrate to critical areas.
Long life of the equipment & lubricant is another challenge. Some operations run around the clock, twenty-four hours a day. Again, these operations may be hot, wet, cold, subject to contamination, etc., creating doubly severe conditions. Greases may "shear down" or become very soft or liquid, oils oxidize rapidly and both become contaminated. Both greases and oils may harden or thicken in service, creating increased power demands.
Non-toxicity is one of the most severe requirements imposed on lubricants. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and various other agencies concern themselves with controlling the possible effects of lubricants on beverage and food processing and packaging. There are stringent and very restrictive regulations in effect, which often limit a lubricant's ability to perform well.
Chemicals are an often ignored problem in the built-in environment of a particular plant. These include the process-mild acids and alkalis in juices, syrups and other components, citric acid, carbonic acid, various salts, sugars, malts and alcohol often have their own peculiar deteriorating effect on lubricants. These are usually recognized as a fact of life and not something that better maintenance and/or lubrication might be able to overcome or at least alleviate. In other words, prospective accounts feel problems associated with these ingredients are "normal" or expected.
Other chemicals are involved in the cleaning process. Again, acids and alkalis, but also some severe materials such as cleaner lubricants (generally, soaps of some type) for conveyors, sodium hypochlorite, polyphosphates, silicates, acid detergents, sanitizing solutions, iodine sanitizers, spray insecticides, foaming additives and conditioners for algae, slime and bacteria. Often the interactions of these products are unknown or unrecognized, to the severe detriment of lubrication and maintenance.
In spite of the size and appearance of this vast family of equipment, all of the complicated machinery can be broken down into four basic divisions for lubrication purposes:
- Bearings,
- Gears
- Slides
- Chains
L.E. has an extensive product range for all four types of Food Processing applications.