Here’s food for thought—even one damaged bearing can bring a food or beverage plant to a standstill. A typical processing or packaging facility might house equipment containing thousands of bearings in total, and the threat of a contamination from a single bearing that is purging grease might be enough to shut down a conveyor line. Other times, protective bearing unit covers can come loose or go missing to the alarm of maintenance managers. A highly corroded bearing meanwhile, is unsightly at best, a potential risk to food integrity at worst, and unlikely to escape the attention of a safety inspector in any event.
Bearings have a tough job to do in all types of equipment, and few environments are harder on mechanical components than food and beverage plants. Wet, humid conditions constantly challenge plant operators to keep machines rust-free while sanitization requirements can mandate daily cleanings, meaning some bearings never get a break from repeated exposure to corrosive acids and alkalis, as well as high-pressure water jets.