A conveyor isn't one surface. The belt, the slide bed it runs on, the chain that drives it and the bearings at each end all have different needs, so the honest answer to silicone or mineral oil is often both, on different parts.
Ballistol makes an NSF H1 white mineral oil, H1 Food Oil. We don't make a food grade silicone, so this page sets out where each type works and where it doesn't.
Where food grade silicone works
- Plastic modular belts sliding on plastic wear strips.
- Plastic guide rails and chutes where product needs to slide.
- Rubber seals and O-rings that mineral oil could swell.
Silicone leaves a very slippery, long-lasting film and doesn't soak into plastics. The downsides: it is hard to remove, it can stop labels, inks and adhesives sticking downstream, and it makes floors dangerously slippery if overspray lands on them.
Where H1 mineral oil works
- Metal roller chains, especially their pins and rollers, where a thin oil needs to creep into the joint.
- Pivots, tensioner arms, guides and linkages.
- Stainless and mild steel frames that need a light protective film after washdown.
- Freeing and cleaning parts with light grime build-up.
White mineral oil creeps into tight gaps, displaces water and can be wiped off with a cloth. It isn't the right choice for rubbers that swell in mineral oil, such as EPDM, and it is too thin for heavily loaded bearings that need grease.
Part by part
| Conveyor part | Usual choice |
|---|---|
| Plastic modular belt on wear strips | Food grade silicone or run dry, per the belt maker |
| Fabric or PU belt on a slider bed | Usually run dry; follow the belt maker |
| Metal roller drive chain | H1 mineral oil |
| Pivots, guides and linkages | H1 mineral oil |
| Bearings and gearboxes | The H1 grease or gear oil the maker specifies |
| Steel frame after washdown | H1 mineral oil, lightly wiped |
| Rubber seals | Check compatibility; silicone is often safer |
Applying a lubricant to a food conveyor
- Stop and isolate the conveyor.
- Clean and dry the part. Washdown chemicals left behind will break down the lubricant.
- Apply the smallest amount that does the job, aimed at the joint, not the belt surface.
- Run the conveyor empty for a minute to spread it.
- Wipe off any excess and check nothing has reached the product contact surface.
- Log it on the maintenance schedule.
Choosing for a small line
If your line is mostly metal chain and steel framework, an H1 mineral oil will cover most of it. If it's a plastic modular belt on plastic wear strips, ask the belt supplier first, as many are designed to run dry. For mixed lines, using both, each on its own parts, is normal. More on H1 grades on our food grade oil page.
