GRAPHALLOY® Bearings
From Frequent Failures to Four Years of Reliability in Snack Food Fryers
- Industry: Food Processing
- Application: Potato Chip Fryers
- Customer: Major Potato Chip Producer (Division of a Leading Snack Food Company)
Challenge
In their continuous fryer systems, manufactured by Heat & Control®, this producer faced recurring failures with greased ball bearings. Bearings used on belts and paddles in the fryers experienced extreme conditions:
- Exposure to 400°F
- Continuous splashing with hot oil
- Full submersion in cooking oil for certain locations
Despite regular re-greasing, the bearings on the hold-down belt had to be replaced every 3 to 4 months. Maintenance was costly, and unplanned downtime was disruptive.
Graphalloy Solution
GRAPHALLOY® supplied FDA-acceptable bearing inserts that fit directly into the existing housings. Later, the producer upgraded to 845SS self-aligning 4-bolt stainless steel flange block assemblies with GRAPHALLOY inserts.
Results
- Bearings have run for over four years with no failures.
- Dramatic reduction in maintenance requirements and costs.
- Complete conversion: All fryer bearings are now GRAPHALLOY.
Conclusion
GRAPHALLOY's high-temperature, self-lubricating bearings provided a durable, grease-free solution that continues to deliver value in one of the food industry's most demanding environments.
For more information, contact us at sales@graphalloy.com.
