NG bearings in candy production

Is your production environment harsh for your process equipment, and are you therefore often forced to replace your equipment? At BJ-Gear A/S we are aware that our products must be able to be installed in very harsh environments and still function optimally for a long time

Candy manufacturing with no production shutdowns

The candy manufacturer Bubs in Jönköbing, Sweden, have had problems with their installed bearings which maximally functioned for six months. In the production of candy, you use highly acidic materials such as ammonium chloride, sugar, and malic acid causing the company’s processing equipment to corrode quickly. This was also the case with the bearings mounted on the company’s equipment causing huge problems since the company had to make production shutdowns every time a part had to be replaced.

Therefore, they were interested when our Swedish distributor of NG bearings, Kabetex Kullager og Transmission AB in Kinna, Sweden, encouraged them to mount NG bearings with Perma-lubrication on their equipment. Bubs started by testing a few NG bearings over a longer period. When Bubs found that the NG bearings met their expectations, a collaboration could begin. 

The first NG bearings were mounted in 2011. Today, more than seven years later, these NG bearings are still functioning impeccably. Since then, Bubs has invested in even more NG bearings which are mounted on the company’s production machines. At Bubs they are happy that the NG bearings have contributed to a minimisation of production shutdowns and thereby made the production even more efficient.

Easy-to-clean NG bearings of polyurethane

With an easy to clean design NG bearings are ideal for Bubs and other companies in the food industry. The bearing houses are produced in-house in our factory in Denmark and are made of the plastic material polyurethane by means of a two-component injection moulding. The material is held together by chemical bonds and is therefore a both flexible, strong and stable material. Due to the material the bearings meet high cleaning standards as the smooth surface is resistant to corrosion and absorbs neither water nor chemicals. Furthermore, as one of the only flange bearings on the market, the bearing cover is bolted to the bearing house.

The NG bearings are available both as flange and pillow block bearings and have a protection degree of IP66 and IP67. Moreover, the NG bearings are both FDA- and USDA-approved.

Perma-lubrication for further efficiency

At Bubs the NG bearings are mounted with Perma-lubrication, which is a food approved lubricant. It is used to ensure an optimal lubrication and in critically accessible places with no risk of contaminating the food products. The mounting of a Perma-container ensures that the bearing house is always filled with grease. It is an economical solution as the grease is only pressed out of the container when the bearing rotates. Furthermore, the container provides an extra security by having a pressure of 4-6 bar, ensuring an overpressure in the bearing house and hence preventing water and chemicals from entering.