KEYWORDS

Failure, Analys, Food, Processing, Spiral, Oven, Conveyor, Chain, System, Roller, Element, Bearings

ROOT CAUSE FAILURE ANALYSIS - INDUSTRIAL FOOD PROCESSING SPIRAL OVEN CONVEYOR CHAIN SYSTEM

A large meat processing facility in the United States experienced a premature chain failure on one of their spiral conveyor ovens. This failure was originally attributed to an incorrect chain lubricant viscosity. It was reported that the oven required an ISO-320 viscosity grade chain lubricant, but had been using an ISO-220 viscosity grade. A root cause failure analysis was performed on oven parts that were provided by the meat processing facility. The results of the testing and analysis showed that the damage on the chain components was yield-related, indicating excessive loading. It was also found that the ISO-220 viscosity grade chain lubricant outperformed the ISO-320 viscosity grade in standardized anti-wear testing, which was not initially expected. The conclusion of the root cause failure analysis attributed the equipment issues seen at the meat processing facility to excessive loading and subsequent abnormal vibration, not the incorrect viscosity grade lubricant.

AUTHORS

Jared Kantar and Jim Sander, Isel, Inc., Jacksonville, FL