Conveyor Belts – Important Elements That Are Subject to High Demands in Terms of Reliability and Hygiene
Conveyor belts in the food and drink industry as well as on packaging lines allow the goods to be processed to be introduced and removed – be they bottles, pre-prepared meals, or other primary or secondary packaged items. They complete important supporting tasks at the same time. Plants will grind to a halt without conveyor belts, as will conveyor belts without the correct bearing supports.
Special Challenges for Conveyor Belts
The Important Role of Conveyor Belts in the Industrial Environment
From Housing Units to Seals: Schaeffler Solutions for Conveyor Belts
Radial insert ball bearing housings units from Schaeffler: Plummer block housings with two- or four-bolt flange housing are perfectly suitable for supporting the shafts of conveyor belts. The spherical outer ring of the corrosion-resistant deep groove ball bearings compensates for shaft misalignments, which increases the clearance when the conveyor belts are assembled. The allergen-free lubricating grease of the bearings has NSF H1 approval and meets the requirements of FDA21 CFR 178.3570 and is certified to halal and kosher standards. End caps at the shaft end and rear seals prevent egress of lubricants or abraded materials from the rolling bearings, which could contaminate the food. At the same time, they protect the rolling bearing from direct water jets during cleaning processes. With application-specific coating and sealing solutions, the rolling bearings achieve a long lifespan without being impacted by moisture or cleaning agents. Optional coating solutions are available for increased corrosion or wear protection, for example.
Important Transport Function in Food Production
Although they only connect the individual production steps, literally nothing can run in the food production process without reliable conveyor belts. Their design and components require special know-how to ensure that the transport meets statutory regulations. In addition to rolling bearings for conveyor belts, Schaeffler offers other solutions for the food industry: Find out which rolling bearing arrangements, for example, are particularly suitable for transfer starwheels in PET bottle production.