Laska equipment line using SKF seals in food processingSKF food-grade seals are helping Laska push the limits of productivity, automation and hygiene in food production.
The year 2020 should have been memorable for Austrian food-equipment manufacturer Laska. The family-owned company was celebrating 140 years in business, during which it had grown from a sausage-casing producer into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-tech food-processing machinery, serving customers in 140 countries.
Instead of holding a major celebration, CEO Maximilian Laska, the fifth generation of his family to run the company, had to guide it through the COVID-19 crisis. Lockdowns and travel restrictions forced the celebrations to be cancelled, but Laska did not allow the pandemic to halt its progress.
The company continued to advance multiple projects, including the rollout of a new IT system and the development of digital tools that help its sales and service teams connect with customers worldwide.
1. Challenges & Solutions for the Modern F&B Industry
To meet high-volume production requirements, strict quality control and food-hygiene standards, F&B companies such as Laska prioritize highly automated, integrated production lines. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend as factories needed to operate with fewer workers while maintaining productivity and applying more rigorous equipment-cleaning procedures.
Screw-conveyor assembly for a frozen-meat grinder. The blue seal is an SKF food-grade seal.
2. Key Advantages of SKF Food-Grade Seals
- Special TPU material: Blue polyurethane (H-ECOPUR 95A-blue) offers excellent chemical resistance, withstands temperatures from -20°C to +110°C and contains no animal-derived ingredients.
- Compliance with international standards: Complies with US FDA, EU and 3-A requirements for safe food contact.
- Distinctive blue color: Makes fragments easy to identify if they enter the product.
- Resistance to aggressive cleaning chemicals: Unaffected by nitric acid, phosphoric acid, caustic soda, chlorine, hot steam and similar agents.
- Flexible production: SKF supplies both standard and made-to-order seals, with short lead times supported by modern CNC technology.
3. Practical Applications & Verified Results
Laska has used SKF seals in its latest meat grinders, emulsifiers and mixers. After more than three years of field operation, the SKF seals have met all performance and hygiene expectations. As Laska redesigns equipment to meet new hygienic standards, it continues to select SKF sealing solutions for every machine range, supporting food safety, durability, easy maintenance and industry compliance.
4. Harsh Operating Conditions in the Food and Beverage Industry
Food and beverage processing presents many challenges for seals. Industry equipment must withstand high and low temperatures, high humidity, and contact with corrosive or abrasive materials. Between production shifts, machines may be pressure-washed and cleaned with alkaline or acidic chemicals.
These conditions can cause seal failure, leakage or unplanned downtime. If a metal or plastic fragment enters the finished product, regulations may require the manufacturer to recall the entire batch.
SKF has decades of experience designing and manufacturing seals for the food and beverage industry. Its engineers have worked with equipment manufacturers to solve the industry’s specialized sealing challenges. Today, SKF offers a broad selection of standardized seals for demanding applications and can also develop customized solutions for customers worldwide.
Selecting the Right Seal Design Material
In addition to delivering the required performance, SKF supports Laska with its manufacturing capabilities. Each new grinder uses dozens of seals, and the company needs a combination of standard designs and highly engineered custom parts.
With modern in-house CNC machining and SKF SEAL JET systems, SKF can produce customized parts quickly and in the exact quantities required for Laska’s production and testing schedules.
The new grinder range has been operating for about three years, and the new seals have met every performance expectation. Meanwhile, the Laska team continues its hygienic-redesign project and selects SKF sealing solutions for each new machine. It launched a new emulsifier in 2021 and has recently completed the design of a new mixer range.
Other machines will be updated in turn. ‘The design cycle for each new machine takes two to three years,’ Leibetseder said. ‘The process may be slow, but we must carry out extensive testing to ensure every product launch meets our customers’ demanding expectations.’ As Laska continues to develop innovative hygienic solutions, SKF remains alongside it with ongoing support.
- TPU (Polyurethane): High resistance to wear, tearing and pressure; easy-to-detect blue color; and good chemical resistance.
- Special elastomers: EPDM resists water and chemicals, while HNBR & FKM resist fats and oils.
- Engineering plastics: POM, PEEK, PTFE and UHMWPE for positions requiring low friction and durability.
- All SKF materials comply with US FDA requirements and European food-safety regulations.
4. Business Benefits of Choosing SKF Seals
- Optimize hygiene, reduce contamination risks, and protect brand reputation and consumer health.
- Extend equipment service life and reduce unplanned downtime.
- Reduce maintenance and replacement costs while increasing operating efficiency and output.
- Meet international food-safety standards more efficiently.
- Simplify inspection and replacement while saving labor and cleaning time.
5. Frequently Asked Questions About SKF Food-Grade Seals
- What temperatures can SKF seals withstand? From -20°C to +110°C, suitable for both chilled production and high-temperature operation.
- How strong is their chemical resistance? Good resistance to acids, bases, industrial cleaning agents and food-grade oils and greases.
- Can custom designs be ordered? SKF supplies both standard seals and parts machined to special dimensions or designs.
- Can SKF seals be detected by a metal detector? The blue color makes them easy to identify visually, and some product lines also offer metal-detectable versions.
- What are the lead times? SKF Seal Jet technology enables very fast production of special seals.
LDT is proud to be a major SKF partner. In addition to supplying genuine products, LDT’s sales engineering team provides advice and recommends optimized technical solutions.
Please contact LDT using the details below for consultation and special offers.
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