Food & Pharmaceutical
Inert, cleanable and metal-free wear surfaces and grinding media for hygienic processing lines.
In hygienic processing the constraint is not only wear life — it is what the wear part puts into the product, and whether the surface can be cleaned. Alumina is inert, hard and does not corrode, which makes it a natural fit for mills, classifiers and conveying lines that touch the product directly.
How wear actually happens
- Product-contact grinding. Steel media sheds iron; alumina does not. This is often a specification requirement rather than a preference.
- Classifier and cyclone linings. Wear from powders and crystals that also have to stay uncontaminated.
- Pneumatic conveying bends. Sugar, starch, salt and mineral powders are abrasive in a conveying line, and bends take the worst of it.
- Filling and dosing equipment. Small precision ceramic parts where a metal part would corrode or contaminate.
- Cleaning in place. Surfaces have to survive caustic and acid cleaning without corroding or degrading.
What we normally supply
- AL-99 grinding media for hygienic milling and metals-free grinding
- AL-99 ceramic-lined pipe, elbows and fittings with smooth bores
- Alumina tiles for classifier cones and chutes with sealed joints
- Porous ceramic filter elements for air and liquid filtration
- Precision ceramic nozzles, pins and wear pads to drawing
- Food-contact statements and material declarations issued with the order
Typical grade and thickness
| Application | Grade | Thickness / size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hygienic milling media | AL-99 | Ø10–50 mm | Low wear loss keeps foreign matter out of the product. |
| Conveying bend | AL-99 | 10–20 mm | Smooth bore, no ledges where product can accumulate. |
| Classifier cone | AL-95 / 99 | 20–30 mm | Grade chosen for abrasiveness rather than temperature. |
| Dosing wear pad | AL-99.7 | ± 0.01 mm | Ground and lapped where the part meters product. |
Starting points, not rules. The right specification depends on particle size, velocity and impact angle — send us the application and we will size it properly.
Send us your application
Equipment type, material handled, particle size, temperature and current part life — enough for a written recommendation.
Send us your drawing — get a quotation with a firm lead time
PDF, DWG, STEP, IGES or a photo with the critical dimensions marked. Engineering review within one working day.