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Major Design Challenges in Food
& Dairy Industry Equipment
Ways to overcome them with Polymer Seals-
PTFE and UHMW
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T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
1. Equipment Design Challenges……………………………………………………………32. Contamination Issues………………………………………………………………………133. Facts about PTFE and UHMW………………………………………………………….234. 7 Ways to Overcome with Polymer Seals…………………………………..…….345. Conclusion and Recommendation……………………………………………………43
There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
3. Exposure to harsh chemicals
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
3. Exposure to harsh chemicals
4. Excessive moisture
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
3. Exposure to harsh chemicals
4. Excessive moisture
5. Corrosion
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
3. Exposure to harsh chemicals
4. Excessive moisture
5. Corrosion
6. Continuous sanitation regimens
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic
2. Contamination
3. Exposure to harsh chemicals
4. Excessive moisture
5. Corrosion
6. Continuous sanitation regimens
7. Regulations
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic2. Contamination3. Exposure to harsh chemicals4. Excessive moisture5. Corrosion6. Continuous sanitation regimens7. Regulations8. Expensive shutdowns
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There are several major design issues faced in the food and dairy industry, including …
1. Temperature conditions that range from extremely high to cryogenic2. Contamination3. Exposure to harsh chemicals4. Excessive moisture5. Corrosion6. Continuous sanitation regimens7. Regulations8. Expensive shutdowns
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In these industries, simple things like lubrication of seals and bearings become major issues because of potential contamination. Potential contaminants in the food and dairy industry are varied, ranging from lubricants, antimicrobial barrier fluids, insects, splinters of plastic or metal, to coolants. Even contamination at the microbial level can lead to very expensive recalls.
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Seals for chemicals that are relatively inert may have to be exposed to harsh sanitizing chemicals on a regular basis.
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Because of strict sanitation regimens, including processes such as CIP (clean-in-place) and SIP (sterilization-in-place), seals and bearings not only have to exhibit chemical inertness with regard to the liquids and gases that are designed to be exposed to on a daily basis, but also to harsh and potentially corrosive cleaning agents.
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The operating temperature for a seal or bearing may be well within the range of the material chosen, but it may be exposed to even higher temperatures for sanitation.
Materials that come in contact with food and dairy products must be scratch resistant to prevent trapping contaminants. This means that they must have outstanding abrasion resistance without damaging the surfaces they contact. Any surfaces that contact foods must be smooth and easily cleaned. In addition, the surfaces cannot be damaged or corroded by cleaning agents.
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Whereas in some applications seal failure may lead to a puddle of oil in the floor, in the food and dairy industries it may lead to disastrous contamination consequences.
Challenges Faced in the Food and Dairy Industry
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To deal with such issues, many engineers have decided to build in hygiene beginning at the design stage of new equipment.
Challenges Faced in the Food and Dairy Industry
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Sanitation is another major consideration in seal design and selection for the food and dairy industries.
Challenges Faced in the Food and Dairy Industry
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These are just examples of challenges faced by engineers in the food and dairy industries as they implement seals and bearings.
Challenges Faced in the Food and Dairy Industry
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UHMW is a subset of polyethylene and the acronym stands for ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene. UHMW is considered one of the toughest plastics, with the highest impact strength of any existing thermoplastic polymer.
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NOTEUHMW is one of the few materials that can resist abrasion so well while still being soft enough for use in sealing applications.
It combines extremely high abrasion resistance (up to 6x better than steel) with a low coefficient of friction (comparable to that of Teflon), moisture absorption that is almost non-existent, and overall good dimensional stability.
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NOTEUHMW is one of the few materials that can resist abrasion so well while still being soft enough for use in sealing applications.
Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• UMHW also has low gas permeability.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• UMHW also has low gas permeability.
• It works well in temperatures ranging from cryogenic applications to regular steam exposure.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• UMHW also has low gas permeability.
• It works well in temperatures ranging from cryogenic applications to regular steam exposure.
• Unlike many polymers, it does not suffer from cold embrittlement.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• UMHW also has low gas permeability.
• It works well in temperatures ranging from cryogenic applications to regular steam exposure.
• Unlike many polymers, it does not suffer from cold embrittlement.
• UMHW is non-toxic and has no odor associated with it.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• When used in food and dairy applications, its shatter resistant properties are important, as well as its resistance to corrosion and chemical attack.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• When used in food and dairy applications, its shatter resistant properties are important, as well as its resistance to corrosion and chemical attack.
• UHMW is also self-lubricating, which means that when used as a seal there is no need for additional lubricants that can act as a contaminant.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
• When used in food and dairy applications, its shatter resistant properties are important, as well as its resistance to corrosion and chemical attack.
• UHMW is also self-lubricating, which means that when used as a seal there is no need for additional lubricants that can act as a contaminant.
• It also meets USDA, 3-A Dairy, and FDA guidelines.
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Other Facts about PTFE and UHMW
Some people may be more familiar with its use in fiber form, where it is called Spectra or Dyneema.
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Ways to Overcome with
Polymer Seals -
UHMW and PTFE
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With federal oversight, strict standards for hygiene and sanitation, and high competition, it is important that engineers working in the food and dairy industries know their options are when it comes to designing and specifying equipment seals. There are seven ways UHMW (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) and PTFE (also known as Teflon) seals can solve some common (and expensive) seal problems in the food and dairy industries.
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Contamination by lubricants. Both PTFE and
UHMW are self-lubricating, eliminating the need
for additional lubricants that run the risk of
becoming a contaminant.01
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Leakage of seals due to thermal contract/expansion or moisture absorption. PTFE and UHMW have outstanding dimensional stability, and more specifically they absorb almost no moisture. This can be vital in applications where parts need to be periodically steam cleaned or sanitized by heat or steam.
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Corrosion and degradation after exposure to cleaning and sanitizing agents. Chemically speaking, PTFE and UHMW react very little with other chemicals. They are both very corrosion resistant, even under the harsh chemical conditions they may be subject to as a part of a regular cleaning and sanitation regimen. It is noteworthy that PTFE does not degrade when exposed to UV light, which is often used for sanitation.
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Scratched surfaces. UHMW is considered the most abrasion resistant thermoplastic on the market. In fact, it can resist abrasion up to six times better than steel without damaging the surfaces it contacts. PTFE actually repels debris that could be trapped and subsequently cause abrasion. Both of these plastics offer excellent abrasion resistance in even the most demanding environments.
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Wear. After being in use for extended periods of time, seals are subject to wear which can lead to unexpected failure. Fortunately, PTFE and UHMW both have outstanding wear properties. This reduces machine downtime as seals are replaced, and ultimately means a more productive environment.
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Changes in taste or odor due. PTFE and UHMW are both non-toxic, and will not affect the taste or smell of food and dairy products that come in contact with them, even if that contact is extended.06
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FDA Compliance. Both PTFE and UHMW are FDA compliant.07
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With the challenges facing food and dairy equipment maintenance and reliability engineers, the exceptional properties of PTFE and UHMW seals and bearings are a viable option for many applications within the processing industry and original equipment manufacturers.
Innovation in new materials development,seal and bearing geometries, and manufacturing
processes are at work providing our customers improved solutions to engineering problems.
Advanced EMC Technologies1095 Evergreen Circle, Suite 200
The Woodlands, Texas 77380 800 644-9770 or 713-389-5049
Advanced-EMC.com [email protected]
