Can Seamers

Case Study

Increased profitability of the production of canned goods

In the production of canned foods, can seamers are vital pieces of equipment. This Danish producer of powdered milk has managed to reduce downtime and maintenance costs significantly.

Problem

Steel bearings fail prematurely and cause
frequent production stops. The frequent
start-stop cycles in the can seamers led to mixed lubrication conditions inside the bearings. As a result, microwelding occurred – a process in which the steel balls and the steel raceway of the bearings would fuse together and cause micro-pitting, eventually leading to a complete failure of the bearing.
The can seamers would suffer frequent,
unplanned breakdowns when the conventional steel bearings failed.

Solution

CeramicSpeed Corrotec series are unaffected by micro-welding between the
balls and the raceway. Our Corrotec series are also approved for use in the food industry and made of stainless steel with ceramic balls and lubricants approved for use in the food industry.

Result

There are no more unplanned production
shut downs - only planned replacement
of the hybrid bearings which takes place
with interval of 28-30 months.

Productivity is up by 44% and the bearing
life is now 8 times longer just by a simple
switch to CeramicSpeed Hybrid Bearings.

Technical Highlights

  • Production environment heavily
    contaminated
  • Stand-/run function with frequent
    acceleration
  • Bearing temperature: 40ºC-50ºC
  • Lubrication: FDA approved grease