21. maj 2026
From Manual Cheese Handling to Fully Automated Production Lines
Benefits
High hygiene standards in demanding food environments
By using BJ-Gear’s stainless steel gears, motors and waterproof NG bearings, FF Engineering achieves full compliance with strict hygiene requirements. The components are designed for frequent high-pressure washing and chemical cleaning without compromisin
Stable operation at high capacity and minimal downtime
The stainless steel gear solutions ensure stable and continuous operation in a production line handling over 5 tonnes of sticky cheese per hour. This reduces unplanned downtime and increases the plant’s overall efficiency.
Long service life in wet and demanding production environments
BJ-Gear’s components are designed for operation in wet and aggressive environments. FF Engineering achieves extended service life and reduced maintenance compared to previously used bearing and drive solutions.
Company profile
FF Engineering ApS was founded in 2002 by Finn Petersen as a spin-off from FF Teknik A/S, building on more than 30 years of experience in the development and servicing of packaging and production equipment.
Through this experience, FF Engineering has developed strong technical expertise and an extensive network of European manufacturers within packaging and process equipment. The company supplies both standardised solutions and customised machinery for the food and process industries.
With a strong focus on quality, reliability and flexibility, FF Engineering works closely with customers as both a supplier and technical partner in the development of advanced production facilities. Consultancy, design and support are integrated parts of every project.
This combination of engineering expertise and specialised machine building makes FF Engineering a natural partner for applications with high demands on hygiene, uptime and robustness, such as those found in the food industry, where solutions incorporating BJ-Gears’ stainless steel gears and components are particularly well suited.
Problem Statement
The development of the plant presented several complex challenges. First and foremost, the plant had to be able to handle large quantities of soft and sticky cheese without damaging the product or the packaging during the process.
At the same time, the cheese blocks varied in both size and shape, which placed high demands on the precision of the robot technology and the plant’s overall process control.
Another significant challenge was the extensive hygiene requirements in the food industry. The entire plant had to be able to withstand frequent cleaning with chemicals and high-pressure washing without compromising the reliability or service life of the components.
This placed particularly high demands on:
• Gears and motors
• Bearings and mechanical components
• The materials’ resistance to moisture and chemicals
• Reliability during continuous production
FF Engineering therefore needed a robust solution that could operate reliably in a demanding and wet production environment.
Solution
The process begins with a robot picking up cheese blocks from a pallet and placing them on a conveyor belt. As the cheese blocks vary in size and shape, each block must be handled with high precision to avoid damage.
The blocks are then transported through a washing machine, which disinfects the plastic wrapping before entering the plant’s high-risk area.
Next, FF Engineering’s proprietary de-foiling machine automatically measures and centres the cheese blocks. Air is blown into the packaging to separate the plastic from the cheese, allowing a Fanuc Cleanroom Robot to remove the wrapping gently and without damaging the product. The packaging is then removed through a central waste disposal system.
The unwrapped cheese blocks are transferred to a robot cell, where another Fanuc Cleanroom Robot stacks them before they are diced into smaller blocks. A shaker system then distributes the cheese to three grating lines, where it is grated, weighed, packaged, labelled and packed automatically.
To ensure reliability and long service life in the demanding production environment, FF Engineering selected BJ-Gears’ stainless steel gear and motor solutions.
The following have been installed at the plant:
• 15 x Series 42 Premium stainless steel worm gearboxes
• 2 x Series 61 Premium stainless steel worm gearboxes
• Stainless steel motors adapted for the food industry
In addition, several flange bearings are fitted with BJ-Gears’ waterproof NG bearings, designed for wet environments with frequent cleaning.
Development and Engineering Phase
Over a two-year period, FF Engineering designed and developed its largest process and packaging system ever built. The project included extensive engineering, testing and optimization to ensure reliable automated cheese handling.
Full-Scale Testing and Final Preparation
Due to the physical size of the system, FF Engineering rented an additional production hall to assemble and test the complete installation before shipment to the international customer.
Results
The completed system provides the cheese manufacturer with a fully automated and highly efficient production solution capable of handling large volumes of cheese while meeting the food industry's stringent hygiene and reliability requirements.
1. High-capacity automated production
The plant is designed for continuous, high-volume processing and can handle up to 576 cheese blocks per hour, equivalent to 5.3 tonnes of cheese per hour.
2. Fully integrated processing line
The entire production flow is automated, covering every step from disinfection and foil removal to dicing, grating, weighing and packaging.
3. Reliable operation in demanding environments
By utilising stainless steel gears, motors and waterproof bearings, the solution ensures reliable operation in wet and chemically demanding conditions while reducing the risk of downtime and maintenance.
4. Long-lasting and hygienic components
The selected components offer high resistance to cleaning agents and chemicals, extended service life and compliance with the strict hygiene standards required in food production.
5. Proven bearing performance
FF Engineering has found that BJ-Gears NG bearings provide a longer service life than bearing blocks previously used in similar applications, contributing to improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements.
Lessons Learned
Food production systems operating in high-risk environments require transmission components specifically designed for aggressive cleaning procedures and wet operating conditions.
The integration of robotics and automated handling significantly improved production efficiency while ensuring more consistent product handling and reduced manual intervention.
Long-lasting and washdown-resistant gear and bearing solutions play a crucial role in minimizing downtime and ensuring stable production in demanding food processing applications.