Hygienic Levelling Feet

Usage of Hygienic Levelling Feet

Hygienic levelling feet are used to provide stability, vibration damping, and height adjustability to industrial equipment. Their key functions include:

1. Preventing Contamination – Designed with smooth, rounded surfaces and minimal gaps, these feet prevent bacterial growth, making them ideal for hygienic environments.
2. Improving Equipment Stability – Uneven floors can cause instability, leading to inefficiencies in production. Hygienic levelling feet ensure proper weight distribution and stability.
3. Easy Cleaning & Maintenance – The polished surfaces and food-safe materials ensure easy cleaning, reducing downtime for maintenance.
4. Vibration and Noise Reduction – Some models feature rubberized or elastomer bases that absorb vibrations, reducing noise and protecting sensitive equipment.

These features make hygienic levelling feet a crucial element in industries that require strict hygiene control and compliance with safety regulations.

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Industries That Rely on Hygienic Levelling Feet

Various industries benefit from hygienic levelling feet due to their sanitary and corrosion-resistant properties. Below are key sectors:

1. Food & Beverage Industry

• Used in dairy, bakery, meat processing, and beverage production facilities.
• Essential for stabilizing processing machines, conveyor systems, and packaging lines.
• Compliant with food safety standards such as EHEDG and 3-A Sanitary Standards.

2. Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology

• Installed on laboratory equipment, sterile environments, and pharmaceutical production lines.
• Ensures compliance with cGMP (Current Good Manufacturing Practices) and FDA regulations.

3. Cosmetics & Personal Care

• Applied in filling machines for lotions, creams, and powders.
• Reduces contamination risk and meets stringent hygiene requirements.

4. Medical & Healthcare

• Used in medical device production and laboratory environments.
• Prevents cross-contamination and maintains sterile conditions.

5. Chemical & Cleanroom Applications

• Supports precision equipment in chemical processing.
• Resistant to harsh cleaning agents and chemicals.

Each of these industries demands components that are durable, corrosion-resistant, and capable of withstanding regular high-pressure cleaning.

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Materials Used in Hygienic Levelling Feet

Material selection is critical to ensuring the longevity and hygiene of levelling feet. The most commonly used materials include:

1. Stainless Steel (AISI 304 & AISI 316L)

• AISI 304 is corrosion-resistant and suitable for general food processing.
• AISI 316L offers enhanced resistance to aggressive cleaning chemicals, making it ideal for pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

2. Food-Grade Elastomers (NBR, EPDM, PTFE)

• NBR (Nitrile Rubber): Resistant to oils and fats.
• EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer): Withstands extreme temperatures and cleaning chemicals.
• PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene): Non-stick properties prevent bacterial adhesion.

3. Polymer Components

• Used in some hygienic feet bases to enhance vibration absorption and prevent slipping.

The combination of these materials ensures durability and compliance with strict industry regulations.

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Real-World Applications

Dairy Processing Facility – Reducing Bacterial Growth

A large dairy manufacturer installed 316L stainless steel hygienic levelling feet on their yogurt filling machines. The feet’s smooth surface prevented bacterial accumulation, resulting in a 30% reduction in cleaning time and fewer contamination risks.

Meat Processing Plant – Enhanced Stability

A poultry processing company faced vibration issues with its conveyor belts, leading to misalignment. By switching to vibration-dampening hygienic levelling feet, they achieved greater operational efficiency, reducing downtime by 15%.

Pharmaceutical Cleanroom – Compliance with GMP Standards

A pharmaceutical company required levelling feet that could withstand frequent sterilization processes. By installing FDA-compliant PTFE-coated stainless steel feet, they passed a regulatory audit with zero compliance issues.

Beverage Bottling Line – Corrosion Resistance

A soft drink manufacturer was experiencing rapid wear and tear on standard levelling feet due to exposure to acidic beverages. Upgrading to AISI 316L stainless steel hygienic feet increased durability, reducing replacements by 50% annually.

These case studies highlight the advantages of hygienic levelling feet in different operational settings.

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Leading Manufacturers of Hygienic Levelling Feet

Several manufacturers specialize in the production of certified hygienic levelling feet, including:

NHK Group – Provides stainless steel hygienic feet with EHEDG and 3-A certification.

NHK Group is a leading manufacturer of high-quality hygienic machine components, specializing in stainless steel levelling feet, IP67 waterproof bearing housings, and certified industrial solutions. With a strong commitment to hygiene, durability, and compliance, NHK serves the food, pharmaceutical, and packaging industries, ensuring superior performance in demanding environments.

These industry leaders continue to innovate, providing enhanced designs that meet evolving regulatory requirements.

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Certifications & Standards

Hygienic levelling feet must comply with strict international standards to ensure safety and performance:

• EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group) – Ensures that equipment meets hygienic design principles.
• 3-A Sanitary Standards – Certification for food and dairy equipment in the U.S.
• FDA (Food & Drug Administration) – Ensures material safety for direct food contact.
• GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) – Required for pharmaceutical production.
• ISO 14159 – International standard for hygienic design of machinery.

Choosing certified components ensures compliance, minimizes contamination risks, and enhances product longevity.

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Customer Feedback

1. Food Production Manager – Germany

“Switching to EHEDG-certified levelling feet significantly reduced cleaning time and helped us pass our annual hygiene audit with ease.”

2. Operations Director – Pharmaceutical Industry

“We needed GMP-compliant levelling feet for our cleanroom. The stainless steel feet from NHK met all standards, and regulatory approval was seamless.”

3. Maintenance Engineer – Meat Processing

“The anti-vibration design improved our equipment’s lifespan, and we no longer experience misalignment issues.”

4. Plant Manager – Beverage Industry

“Our acidic production environment caused corrosion problems until we upgraded to AISI 316L stainless steel levelling feet. A great investment!”

These testimonials reinforce the reliability and effectiveness of hygienic levelling feet across multiple industries.

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Ensuring Stability, Cleanliness and Compliance

Hygienic levelling feet are critical components for industries that prioritize cleanliness, stability, and regulatory compliance. Their applications span food processing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and beyond, with materials designed to withstand harsh environments and frequent sanitation. Real-world case studies demonstrate their impact in reducing contamination risks, improving efficiency, and ensuring compliance with international standards. By choosing certified components from trusted manufacturers, companies can enhance safety, longevity, and operational performance.

For industries that demand exceptional hygiene and durability, investing in the right levelling feet is not just a necessity—it is a strategic advantage.

Hygienic levelling feet

All process industries are subject to increasing regulatory requirements, which increases the focus on resource consumption, product safety and hygienic design.
The hygienic levelling feet reduce the water consumption and cleaning resources in addition to lowering the risk of contamination in the production.
Choosing NHK’s hygienic levelling feet will secure your machinery with an acceptable hygienic design and contribute to your customer’s Return-On-Investment.

Hygienic levelling feet

The hygienic designed and protected levelling foot is the acceptable choice for machinery and equipment that has to comply with hygienic requirements.
The thread is covered with a hygienic sleeve, which also functions as counter nut. All the movable parts are hygienically sealed.
Lowered cleaning effort is obtained by the design of the self draining surfaces.
Additionally, the foot is hygienically sealed to the floor by vulcanized FDA-approved, anti-vibration, anti-slip rubber, which blocks out bacteria underneath the footplate.

Product Group Features
• Hygienic-oriented design
• Self-draining surfaces and no exposed thread secures minimum cleaning
• All movable parts are hygienically sealed
• Low-friction washer between spindle and footplate ensures easy adjustment
• FDA-approved, anti-vibration, anti-slip rubber blocks out bacteria underneath the footplate
• Stainless steel AISI 304/A2, 1.4301. Optional AISI 316/A4, 1.4401
• More than 1.000 different variations available (weight load, height-adjustment, flexible mounting parts)
• Design and patent protected

NHK manufacture and deliver all necessary accessories, which ensures a quick and easy installation of the levelling foot.
In addition to supplying standardized accessories we are also able to supply customized accessories.

It is important to follow these instructions in order to ensure the certified hygienic design and functionality.
This documentation is enclosed with the levelling feet and should always be handed over to the end-user.

NHK Group

NHK Group fundamentally adheres to all applicable directives and standards. All information is based on the current state of knowledge and is subject to change. We attentively follow the revisions and amendments to these directives and will design our products accordingly. This ensures that products from NHK Group are always in compliance with currently valid requirements.
Our product category is not covered by the scope of application of the EC directive for machinery. For this reason, they cannot be furnished with the CE marking in accordance with the EC directive for machinery.
Furthermore, we declare that the listed materials applied in our products comply with the demands for materials used within the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Questions and contact

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