Product category:
Industrial Motors
News Release from: Baldor UK | Subject: Washdown-duty motors
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 10 October 2000
Feather plucking machinery gets washdown
motors
Grampian Foods has installed Baldor's special washdown-duty motors to refurbish feather plucking machinery at several of its UK sites - in a move designed to optimise reliability.
Grampian Foods has installed Baldor's special washdown-duty motors to refurbish feather plucking machinery at several of its UK sites - in a move designed to optimise reliability The new motors started service from January 2000, and are providing fault-free operation despite double- or triple-shift working, and high-pressure hose-down cleaning at typically three times a day
Grampian Foods is the UK's leading supplier of fresh chickens to supermarkets.
The sheer volume of this production means that the feather-plucking machinery operates for either two or three shifts.
In combination with the steamy atmosphere and the 1100-1200PSI hose-down cleaning that takes place both at the end of every shift and during the overnight machine cleaning cycle, this harsh environment was taking its toll on the motors that were fitted as standard.
These were often failing after a few months of service - and occasionally after a matter of just days or weeks - typically because of burn-outs caused by water ingress.
Baldor's regional distributor JR Power Transmission suggested that Grampian Foods replaced the failures using Baldor's washdown-duty motors, and installed a trial unit.
These motors feature much higher protection than the typical IP55 units that often come on food processing machinery and have performed reliably at Grampian.
Special features include double-sealed bearings with a v-ring slinger fitted to the shaft to act as a barrier against hose pressure hitting the seals and causing damage, and winding insulation which is double-dipped and baked for extra protection against any condensation or mist inside the enclosure.
"We are one of a tiny handful of suppliers in Europe capable of meeting the very high volumes and efficiencies demanded by modern food retailers, and we make extensive use of automation", says Alan Hyne, Engineering Manager for Grampian Foods Group.
"Baldor's washdown-duty motors help us to boost the reliability of that automation to maintain our reputation for dependable supply".
"High pressure water cleaning is an essential part of modern food processing hygiene, but it has the capacity to damage motors, either directly by causing a seal to roll under, or indirectly by fostering the humid and misty conditions that can lead to corrosion and voltage break-down", says Robin Cowley, Baldor UK's Industrial Product Manager.
"Washdown-duty motors add numerous special classes of protection to these motors to avoid these problems".
Baldor's washdown duty motor range includes a large number of additional features and processing to optimise protection for hosedown, wet and bacteria-free environments such as those found in food and biopharm processing.
These include premium double-sealed ball bearings, a Forsheda v-ring slinger and contact lip seals, a rolled steel frame with baked-on epoxy finish, 300-grade stainless steel shaft and epoxy coated rotor, tropicalised class F insulated windings, neoprene gaskets, and all stainless steel hardware and nameplates.
All stainless steel variants of the motors are also produced for special requirements. Request a free brochure from Baldor UK ...
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