In food and beverage manufacturing, bearing performance is measured not only in hours run, but in hygiene compliance and production uptime. SKF’s Blue Line units are engineered to withstand aggressive cleaning, washdown, reduce contamination risk, and support continuous operation.
Food and beverage processing is unforgiving. Production lines often run 24/7, cleaning cycles are frequent and rigorous, and compliance requirements leave little room for error. In this environment, bearings are exposed to far more than rotational load.
“Regular stringent cleaning requirements to eliminate contaminants and reduce bacteria place enormous pressure on manufacturing machinery to keep performing at maximum levels,” says Fabio Rebecchi, product manager – Industrial Bearings at Motion.
Frequent washdowns, Cleaning-in-Place (CIP) and Sterilisation-in-Place (SIP) processes, and exposure to caustic antibacterial cleaning agents create a harsh operating environment. Standard bearing units can suffer from corrosion, seal degradation, and lubricant breakdown, leading to premature wear and unplanned downtime.
“Frequent exposure to pressure washdowns and aggressive cleaning chemicals means the bearing unit has to be specifically engineered for that environment,” Rebecchi explained. “It’s not just about load capacity – it’s about how the materials, seals, and lubrication respond to repeated chemical and moisture exposure …
To continue reading this piece, click for Industry InMotion Edition 1.
