STOBER’s stainless steel solution helps food processor improve reliability in harsh washdown environment

For a major North American potato processor, frequent motor and gearbox failures had become an accepted reality. Water ingress, oil leaks, chipped paint, and corrosion on potato peelers created ongoing maintenance challenges and forced the facility to keep excess spare inventory on hand to avoid costly downtime.

The facility needed a more reliable solution that could withstand the harsh washdown environment while reducing maintenance and improving uptime.

The challenge: Frequent failures created maintenance headaches

Potato peelers at the facility operated in a demanding washdown environment, where frequent exposure to moisture and aggressive sanitation procedures took a toll on the existing drive system. The integral gear motors experienced recurring issues with water ingress, leaking oil, corrosion, and chipped paint. These failures led to increased maintenance requirements, higher spare parts inventory, and concerns about unexpected downtime.

To avoid production disruptions, the maintenance team kept replacement units on hand, increasing inventory costs while still risking line stoppages when failures occurred. The facility needed a more durable solution that could withstand daily washdowns and deliver reliable performance over the long term.

A move toward stainless steel

The processor had already begun standardizing equipment throughout the facility with stainless steel components whenever possible. When evaluating solutions for the potato peelers, the goal was not simply to replace another failed gearbox. The company wanted a drive system designed specifically for the realities of food processing environments.

STOBER delivered an all-stainless solution using 2HP cLEAN motors and KSS3 gearboxes. Beyond the durability and washdown protection, the stainless-steel package aligned with the customer’s broader effort to eliminate painted equipment and improve plant cleanliness and inspection readiness.

The customer was also drawn to STOBER’s warranty protection against water ingress, providing additional confidence that the new solution would address one of the application’s most persistent challenges.

More than a replacement

Although the project began as a drive system upgrade, the final solution required collaboration between the customer’s maintenance team, electrical engineers, and STOBER’s application experts.

Because the new drive package differed from the previous design, and the plant didn’t have resources to redesign—not a problem for the STOBER team. John Logan, AF Industrial STOBER Sales Rep, raised the bar by designing a custom bracketed platform to support the cLEAN Motor and gearbox. Stabilizing arms and support bearings were incorporated into the design to create a robust mounting structure and ensure reliable operation under demanding conditions.

STOBER worked closely with the facility throughout the implementation process, including support for drive programming and system integration. The result was not simply a replacement component, but a complete engineered solution tailored to the application’s requirements.

The result is improved uptime, stronger performance, and long-term cost savings. With direct cost savings projected within nine to twelve months and plans already underway to convert six additional peelers, the facility is building on the success of its first installation.

Early results show promising returns

Since installation, the customer has experienced improved reliability and increased confidence in the equipment’s performance.

By eliminating the water ingress issues associated with the previous drive system, the facility expects to reduce maintenance interventions, lower spare parts inventory requirements, and decrease total operating costs. Based on projected savings, the expected return on investment is approximately nine to twelve months.

Perhaps the strongest indicator of success is the customer’s future plans. Following the positive results of the initial installation, the facility intends to convert six additional potato peelers to the STOBER solution as existing inventory is depleted.

STOBER: Built for the realities of food processing

In food processing facilities, equipment reliability affects far more than maintenance budgets. It impacts production schedules, product quality, and operational efficiency.

For this processor, what began as an effort to solve recurring failures has become a roadmap for improving reliability across the operation. The right combination of engineered solutions and application expertise can make a lasting impact in demanding food processing environments.itiative, the project delivered measurable financial returns while improving day-to-day operational reliability.

From improved reliability to documented cost savings, manufacturers are turning to STOBER to solve some of their toughest operational challenges. Discover how other companies are achieving measurable results with STOBER power transmission solutions.