Poultry plants pose special challenges for lubricants
Interflon Food Lube Increased Dumper Chain Life 7 Times
Initial Situation
This Georgia poultry processing plant was experiencing the same problems we’ve seen in many other plants: due to the high humidity, harsh chemical sanitizing, and regular high-pressure water spray, the chains on their dumpers were constantly losing their lubricant, and needed to be replaced every 8-10 weeks.
Chicken feces and other contaminants were regularly dropping on the chain and forming an abrasive paste, as well as a sanitation issue.
This dumper had 15 chains, which at $45.00 apiece meant that replacement cost an extra $675 every second or third month. Factor into this the cost of lubricant, labor, and downtime while chains were replaced, and expenses were closer to $4,000 to $5,000 per year.
Our Solution
Food Lube with MicPol® is the ideal lubricant for situations in which contamination of lubricant may be a risk. Because it dries to a solid film, it is very difficult for any particles to adhere to it. Thus they are prevented from forming the abrasive paste that is so damaging to chains, causing friction, rapid wear, and stretching. They also become far easier to clean.
Food Lube is easily applied from an aerosol can or an automatic dispenser. For chains with pitch longer than 1" (one inch), we may recommend one of the lubricants from our Food Lube G series, which offers greater viscosity.
Results
The client stated he had never gone longer than 10 weeks without replacing a chain. We checked in with him after switching to Interflon Food Lube, and he had not had to replace a single chain in nine months. Not only that, but in that nine months he had experienced chain stretch of only 1%. At that rate he could go another 18 months before chain replacement was necessary.
