CASE STUDY | FOOD & BEVERAGE
Seals for a Cocoa Bean Milling Machine
As part of an overhaul of a cocoa bean milling machine, one of our engineers was asked to assist in the re-sealing of the millwheel’s centre-post.
Previously, the customer had been supplied with seals in polyurethane that were inadequate for the job. They were not suited for the high temperatures, too hard, not flexible enough and the wrong size. Consequently, the seals were not lasting very long and causing damage to the metal sleeve.
Assessment
Our engineer carried out a site visit where they accurately measured the housing for the seal and discussed the issues the client was having. A solution was proposed.
Solution
Our engineer proposed using an RB08 rotary seal profile, adapted for the application and manufactured in FPMFQ-BR85, an FDA compliant fluorocarbon material which has been migration tested to comply with FDA requirements for food use. Fluorocarbon has excellent chemical and thermal resistance against a wide range of media.
Result
A small quantity of the proposed seals were produced and following successful trials, further orders were placed.
