What the auto industry can teach food makers about seals
Today's CIP and SIP systems and their chemicals place a lot of stress on seals, but applying certain technologies from the auto industry can solve problems for food makers
When it comes to sealing, food and beverage equipment manufacturers can’t rely upon one-size-fits-all solutions for even their most basic components. Extreme temperatures, aggressive sterilization practices, longer operating times and flavor transfer issues can wreak havoc on even simple static seals when they are not tested and designed to address such complex environmental factors. In the past, food and beverage companies have used basic change in weight after exposure to fluid testing to evaluate rubber material compatibility. But, that is no longer sufficient today.
Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies isn’t exactly a household name, but it is a global manufacturer of sealing solutions for multiple industries—especially the automotive industry. The materials innovation company, however, is a seal supplier to major food and beverage equipment manufacturers such as Krones-Evoguard, KHS, Rieger and others.