Rotary joints for the food industry

The production of foodstuffs requires temperature control that is as exact as possible. It is here that we encounter the rotary joint machine element.

Rotary joints are used for passing on media to rotating drums, tumblers, shafts or spindles. The cooling and heating rollers or the shafts of many types of machines used in the food processing industry are fed with these liquid or gaseous media in order to ensure the necessary constant process temperature. The temperature range for the optimal feed of the media is between approx. -45° and +345° degrees Celsius. Almost every machine type in the food processing industry can be fitted.

Rotary joints are found in the food industry not only in the manufacturing process of the basic materials, but also in the further processing into intermediate and end products. In doing so, rotary joints are integrated into rotating machine components. In order to quickly and evenly provide a product with the required energy, the rotating shovels of driers, mixers and cookers are often heated. Jams and fruit preparations for juices or dairy products and chocolate are thus given the desired and stable consistency, which amongst other things is of utmost importance in the fermentation process of beer, for example. Flat, solid products such as cereal bars or processed cheese slices are manufactured using heated or cooled drums.

The rotary joints for the cooling or heating media are usually positioned at the end of the rotating machine components and form the interface to the stationary pipelines. The use of a reliable and durable rotary joint is of great significance, as this is the only way to ensure consistent quality and system availability. The rotary seal is a decisive core element in rotary joints. HAAG + ZEISSLER Maschinenelemente GmbH, with the 9001 series, offers a quick-change cartridge system with bellows. This failure-free, vibration-resistant and durable component makes springs, O-rings and the like superfluous. Easy handling and low spare parts requirement – bearings and sealing elements can be easily and individually replaced – minimise machine downtimes. For the high demands in the food industry, HAAG + ZEISSLER Maschinenelemente GmbH offers rotary joints from its 9001 series with nominal widths of 125 mm (5 inch) completely in stainless steel 1.4571 or 1.4404, which fulfil the requirements of the FDA by using the appropriate seals.

HAAG + ZEISSLER Maschinenelemente GmbH keeps more than 2000 different rotary joints and swivel joints in stock for its customers in sizes from ¼” to a nominal width of 300 mm. Special constructions are available upon request. If there is a need for rotary joints or parts, even versions in stainless steel are delivered within the shortest possible time.

Rotary joints have been developed for over 35 years at the Hanau plant with the goal of individually optimising the product for the complex requirements of the machine operator