Potato chip Production and gear lubrication

The production of  potato  chips illustrates  food  handling  where  the gears  concerned are so  located that  little  contamination from the  lubricant  is possible. Numerous conveyors will be found for the potatoes, the slices, or the packages. Most of the gear reducers  for  conveyors will  be  subjected  to  only  moderate   temperatures  and not too  much  stress. Hence, either  straight  mineral  oil  or  MP  lubricant  of SAE  80  grade  can be used  for  the gears.

 If  a batch  peeler is used,  this may consist of  a  vertical  cylinder with  a rotating  abrasive  disc in the  bottom  which  will  be  driven  by  gears. Also, in washing potato slices, a gear driven drum will probably be used. The gear oil mentioned above will also serve these latter applications.  

Deep Freezing of Foods Gear Lubrication

The  primary  mechanical  device  concerned  with  freezing  of  foodstuffs  is a  compressor. Many  compressors, used in  refrigeration, depend upon  forced  feed  lubrication and this  feed  is provided in many  cases by  either  gear  pumps or gear  driven  pumps. In both instances, the  oil  being  circulated  provides lubrication for the  gears and is  selected on the basis of that  needed for  the  compressor cylinders and  the bearings. While  deep  freezing is followed in most cases by  conveyor handling, either of packages  or of  containers, the lubrication of  conveyor drives  follows  conventional  practice and therefore, will not  be  detailed. If  reduction gears for conveyors  should  operate in cold rooms, an oil of about  100 viscosity SUS  at 100 degree F and with a pour  point  no  higher than  -40 degree F  should  be used  in  the gear case.

Candy Manufacture and Gears

The method  of mixing  batches  of candy  will  vary  depending  upon  both  the  size  of the lots  and the  stiffness. Cake mixers may be used in some cases. In other instances, rollers, gear driven, will be used. Thus, either enclosed or open gears may be encountered. In  the  former case, the  gear  oil  can be  of about  500 viscosity  SUS  at 100 degree F, and in the  latter case  about  2000 SUS at 210 degree F.