TFL bearings help bakery factory save $22,500 annually
tunnel baking oven
The facility supplies standardized frozen dough and finished bread products to hundreds of its retail stores, demanding exceptional production efficiency and consistent product quality.
The main shaft of the hot air circulation fan in a large-scale tunnel baking oven. This fan is the “heart” of the oven, rotating at high speeds to distribute hot air evenly throughout the chamber. This ensures all bread products are baked uniformly with a perfect golden-brown crust and consistent texture. A fan failure brings the entire production line to an immediate halt.
Key Facts
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Root Cause 1: Persistent High-Temperature Exposure
Mechanism: The oven interior operates continuously at 220°C (428°F). Under this heat, the grease in standard bearings quickly oxidizes, thickens, and dries out, losing its lubricating properties. Concurrently, thermal expansion of the bearing's rings and rolling elements creates excessive internal stress, accelerating raceway wear.
Consequence: The bearing's operational resistance increases, ultimately leading to seizure from "dry friction." This causes sudden fan stoppage and a loss of temperature control inside the oven, resulting in an entire batch of products (worth thousands of dollars) being over-baked or under-baked and subsequently scrapped. -
Root Cause 2: High-Moisture & Steam Corrosion
Mechanism: Baking dough releases a large amount of water vapor, creating a high-humidity environment inside the oven. This hot, moist air penetrates standard bearing seals and condenses into water upon cooling. The water not only causes grease emulsification and failure but also directly corrodes the bearing raceways and steel balls.
Consequence: Corrosion pits become stress concentration points, leading to rapid surface spalling under high-speed rotation. This generates harsh noises and severe vibration, forcing the production team to conduct premature shutdowns for maintenance and disrupting tight production schedules.
The TFL Solution
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Optimized Material & Clearance: The bearing is constructed from SUS440C stainless steel, fundamentally solving the corrosion issue from moisture. The design maintains a C3 large internal clearance, providing sufficient room to compensate for thermal expansion at high temperatures and effectively preventing seizure due to thermal stress.
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Reinforced Sealing System: The standard metal shields were upgraded to double-lip contact seals made from Fluoroelastomer (FKM). This advanced sealing design withstands temperatures exceeding 230°C (446°F) and its double-lip structure effectively blocks the ingress of external moisture and flour dust while preventing the high-temperature grease from leaking out.
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Upgraded Lubrication: The bearing is pre-lubricated with a high-temperature perfluoropolyether (PFPE) grease. This is a mature, high-performance lubricant that maintains excellent chemical stability and lubricating properties at extreme temperatures up to 260°C (500°F), ensuring continuous and reliable lubrication throughout the bearing's service life.
Product Features
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Enhanced High-Temp Resistance: Filled with specialized high-temperature fluorine grease that won't dry out or degrade at 220°C.
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Superior Corrosion Resistance: Full stainless steel construction, making it impervious to rust from steam condensation.
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Robust Sealing: High-temperature resistant FKM double-lip seals effectively block out flour dust and moisture.
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Stable Operation: C3 large internal clearance perfectly accommodates thermal expansion for smooth running.
Application effects
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Before: "Our oven fan bearings had to be replaced every 4 months, max. The grease would bake solid, and any moisture that got in caused rust and a loud 'whirring' noise. We were always on edge during peak production, because a shutdown meant re-scheduling the entire line and stressed out our operators."
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After: "The results after installing TFL's custom bearings were immediate. The FKM seals completely block out the moisture and dust, and the high-temp grease keeps the bearings running incredibly smooth, even in the heat. They've now been operating flawlessly for over 12 months with minimal noise—just like new. Our maintenance team can finally focus on preventative tasks instead of constantly fighting fires."
Cost-Savings Breakdown
| REDUCED PURCHASE | $3,500 |
| DOWNTIME LOSSES | $16,000 |
| REDUCED PRODUCT SPOILAGE | $3,000 |
| ANNUALIZED COST SAVINGS | $22,500 |
About TFL BEARINGS
Why is TFL BEARINGS frequently chosen as the specified bearing brand bymajor international companies?
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