Enhancing Efficiency, Extending Equipment Lifetime, and contributing to a more sustainable world.

Within the food processing industry, where efficiency and product quality are vital, applying the proper maintenance to equipment is crucial to achieving business targets and reducing environmental impact. Moreover, in today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, sustainability has become a paramount concern for most of businesses.

An often-overlooked aspect of this maintenance is the selection and application of the right lubricants. Improper lubrication can lead to premature component failure. But the cost of components is almost negligible when you take in account the cost of downtime, collateral damage, lost work hours, lost production, lost orders, poor safety, and low team moral to name a few. 

Hence choosing an effective lubrication strategy that ensures flawless machine operations is a low investment compared to the cost of a potential failure.

In this article, we will explore the significance of using Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) designed lubricants and highlight the role of automatic lubrication systems which will maximize component lifetime while minimizing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

The importance of using JBT subscribed lubricants to maintain the integrity and performance of JBT equipment at the highest level:

In most countries, standards are applied that require food processors to use lubricants that are completely harmless to the final consumer if cross-contamination occurs. The use of food-approved oil as a lubricant for processing equipment is a must for companies in the food industry if they want to achieve official certification and avoid the risk of contamination incidents. 

JBT’s range of food-approved, FDA and NSF-certified lubricants are specifically developed for JBT equipment and the conditions under which they process food on a daily basis. 

But did you know that using the correct JBT lubricants with JBT equipment can extend the working life of machinery, plus save on energy, time, and lubricants?

Johan van Riet, JBT’s Global Customer Care Business Development Manager explains: “JBT lubricants are specially engineered to withstand the extreme operating conditions commonly encountered in food processing facilities. Equipment are often used in cold, humid, or hot conditions and exposed to chemicals for cleaning, sanitation, and sterilization.

“The lubricants developed for JBT equipment are the result of many years of rigorous testing and quality processes, ensuring their compatibility with specific equipment components. Using non-OEM or generic lubricants can lead to poor performance, increased friction, higher energy consumption and potential irreversible damage to components. 

“JBT formulated lubricants will result in a longer lifetime for components and thereby help lower the environmental footprint of the food processing line.”

The importance of OEM Automatic Lubrication Systems while using the correct lubricants is crucially important to ensuring a precise application throughout the equipment:

How do we guard against human error, and ensure consistent and accurate application of lubricants? This is where OEM automatic lubrication systems play a pivotal role. These systems are designed to deliver the right amount of lubrication at the right time, eliminating the guesswork involved in manual lubrication processes. JBT’s Oil Recuperation System keeps the oil at the right level, while at the same time filtering out any impurities, such as plastic particles. 

To further guarantee its efficiency, the Oil Recuperation System removes any water that might have entered the oil, meaning the oil can be maintained at the right quality level and minimize the need for frequent lubricant replacements, thereby lowering their environmental footprint.

The system can be retrofitted on existing machines if not already installed. These systems enable continuous equipment operation as they provide lubrication during operation, eliminating the need for production halts or equipment shutdowns for manual lubrication. This maximizes productivity, minimizes downtime, and enhances overall efficiency.

Monitoring and analytics are additional services under development at JBT, which will let you know if oil has the required characteristics to be effectively used within your installed machinery and will monitor the condition of the components to further optimize the maintenance of the equipment.

So what are the main advantages of using JBT lubricants?

  • Cost savings: Specially formulated for JBT equipment, JBT lubricants lead to less wear-and-tear in parts and higher machine reliability.
  • Time savings: Maintenance means downtime and lower productivity. JBT lubricants help keep downtime to a minimum by prolonging the component life time.
  • Food-safe: JBT food-approved oil is certified by the FDA and the NSF.
  • Optimized usage: JBT’s optional Oil Recuperation System, and the OmniBlu® monitoring and analytics service will ensure oil is maintained at the correct quality levels.

By utilizing JBT subscribed lubricants, businesses can ensure optimal equipment performance and reduce the risk of costly breakdowns. Simultaneously, automatic lubrication systems provide accurate and timely lubrication, extending component lifetime, and lowering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to a bare minimum.

In the pursuit of sustainability, every aspect of a business’s operations should be examined, including equipment maintenance and lubrication practices. By prioritizing sustainable lubrication practices, JBT helps food processing factories achieve their business targets while actively contributing to a more sustainable world.

LEARN MORE about JBT’s food-approved lubricants