A combination of proven technologies that reduces food safety risks

Food safety compliance practically anywhere is not just about the critical points in production. Contamination can occur practically everywhere, even in pre and post processing. This might be why our survey of food and beverage producers and OEM’s revealed that food grade grease and seals are important factors, throughout food processing facilities.
These survey results prompted SKF to extend the Food line bearing solutions range.
But innovation isn’t always about new technology. Using proven technology in new products is often the quicker and safer way forward. In this case, we have combined a steel deep groove ball bearing, manufactured to the standards of SKF’s Explorer performance class, with high-performing food grade grease and best-in-class sealing.

Benefits:

  • High performance food grade grease
    • Proven to be effective even in cases of incidental water or detergent penetration
    • Registered by NSF as category H1
    • Allergen-free, it meets all allergen standards issued by the European Community (EC)
    • Halal and Kosher certified
  • High-efficiency food grade seal
    • The synthetic blue rubber seal makes it easy to identify fragments in the food stream
    • SKF RSH seal technology – excellent water and solid contaminant exclusion
    • Complies with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Community (EC) recommendations.
  • Bearing manufactured to SKF Explorer performance class
Supporting sustainable development
Choosing our ball bearing solution for the non-corrosive parts of your production chain also reduces your company’s environmental impact. Sealed bearings require no re-lubrication or maintenance and therefore reduce the consumption of grease and grease absorbents. The low friction seal supports reduced energy consumption in the bearings.

About SKF

From food grade to food safe

Food grade is commonly considered to be the equivalent of having food-grade seals, food-grade lubricant and corrosion-resistant bearing units. 

SKF’s current generation of bearing units are already food-grade products and are relubrication-free.

However, we are now raising the bar to support pro-active food safety by providing food-safe bearing units that are completely sealed, lubricated for life and designed for increased bearing performance, even in the harshest processing and cleaning environments.

Keep contaminants out and maintenance requirements low

SKF bearings with Solid Oil lubrication technology utilize an oil-saturated polymer matrix that virtually fills all of the free space within the bearing.

SKF bearings with Solid Oil technology are relubrication-free. They withstand both the negative effects of high humidity, and the breathing effect caused by air volume expansion and contraction. These features make them ideal for rapid operating temperatures changes, such as those found in freezer applications.

Solid Oil technology can be used in virtually all bearing types that have sufficient internal free space. These include SKF Food Line stainless steel deep groove ball bearings, and MRC Ultra corrosion resistant deep groove ball bearings.

Bearings with Solid Oil are available as NSF H1 approved food-grade variant.

Utilizing SKF bearings with Solid Oil lubrication technology, you can:

  • Increase reliability while reducing the costs associated with failed bearings and downtime
  • Meet proactive food safety regulations
  • Increase production output
  • Make working conditions safer for maintenance personnel 
Increasingly stringent industry requirements place greater emphasis on preventing contamination as opposed to reacting to it after the fact. What if, as part of preventive measures to comply with HACCP, you could use bearings with food safe features in your plant?
 
With SKF’s range of corrosion resistant ball bearings, you can reduce the risks and consequences of potential food line contamination, whilst improving bearing service life.

In applications with harsh or extreme environments, MRC Ultra corrosion resistant sealed deep groove ball bearings are designed for superior corrosion resistance, longer fatigue life and a significantly improved reliability.

These innovative bearings are ideal for applications in freezing, abrasive, wet and corrosive environments and can help you to cut costs and improve productivity.

Key features providing food safety and corrosion resistance

  • Inner and outer rings made from high nitrogen corrosion resistant stainless steel (HNCR).
  • Combined with ceramic balls, the corrosion resistance and fatigue life of MRC Ultra corrosion resistant sealed deep groove ball bearings is far superior to bearings made from standard high chromium bearing steel and standard stainless bearing steel.
  • Seal reinforcements and cages are of stainless steel
  • High quality grease, suitable for typical food and beverage application conditions registered by NSF as category H1
  • The seals are made from synthetic rubber, coloured blue for optical detectability should any fragments enter the food stream, and comply with US Food and Drug Administration
The bearings can also be ordered filled with Solid Oil.
 
With MRC Ultra corrosion resistant sealed deep groove ball bearings you benefit by having a reliable solution with food safety features for challenging operating environments.