Making the World Safe for Food Processing
From the butcher shops of recent yesteryear to the 21st Century food processing industry of today, Stainless Steel has always been around. Because of its high resistance to caustic and acidic environments, Stainless Steel’s inherent strength is the perfect sanitary material for handling raw meats, produce and all manner of food preparation. Not only does it hold-up to the most stringent of cleanup regulations, but its chemical composition also prevents the absorption of any tastes, smells and liquids, helping to preserve the food’s flavor.
KML’s Stainless Steel Corrosion Resistant Platinum Series (Platinum as in “top-of-the-line”) feature Stainless Steel insert bearings and Stainless Steel housings for unparalleled resistance to moisture, corrosion and abrasion.
Stainless Steel is ideal for food service applications because of its dense atomic structure. Just as steel hardness is affected by the amount of Carbon (C), so too is the corrosion resistance of Stainless Steel affected by the amount of Chromium (Cr) added to the mix. If there is sufficient Chromium present (10.5%), as well as Oxygen (O), passivation occurs, forming a thin layer of Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3) that prevents Oxygen from forming Iron Oxide (Fe2O3) or rust.
KML Bearing USA uses 440C grade Stainless Steel for all the wear surfaces of the bearing races and balls. 440C grade Stainless Steel is heat treated to reach a hardness of 58-60 HRC (Rockwell Hardness C = 150kgf). Dimensionally stable and durable, 440C is also highly corrosion resistant with a chemical composition of
Carbon (C): 0.95-1.20%
Chromium (Cr): 16.00-18.00% (minimum of 10.5% for stainless steel)
Molybdenum (Mo): 0.75%
Manganese (Mn): 1.00%
Silicon (Si): 1.00%
Iron (Fe): 78.05-80.30%
The most common Austenitic Steel is 304 Stainless Steel. Austenitic Stainless Steels have a maximum of 0.15% Carbon, a minimum of 16% Chromium and sufficient Nickel (Ni) and/or Manganese to retain its stability in temperatures, ranging from cryogenic to melting point.
304 Stainless Steel has an exact composition of 18% Chromium and 8% Nickel, making it the most widely used of all Stainless Steels, including in KML Bearing USA’s slingers, retainers, grease fittings and set screws.
The ball retainers of the insert bearings are made of 316 grade Stainless Steel, the second most common Austenitic steel. Used primarily in marine applications, cutlery and cookware, 316 grade Stainless Steel has a chemical composition of 18% Chromium and 10% Nickel.
The housings themselves are made of 304 fine grain Stainless Steel, media-tumbled to provide an exceptionally smooth surface; this improves wash down by preventing nooks and crannies in which bacteria may form. These units are also designed with solid base construction for both increased stability and the reduced potential for bacteria build-up.
But new design improvements are being made to reduce the footprint where these units come in contact with food processing conveyor systems. Stay tuned.
