CNC Machining Applications in the Food Industry

Food machinery must be clean, precise, and durable—CNC machining makes that possible.

CNC machining enables the production of high-precision, food-safe components used in equipment for processing, packaging, and handling food.

Keep reading to explore how CNC machining supports hygiene, efficiency, and safety in the food industry.

Why CNC Machining is Ideal for Food-Grade Equipment?

Food machines work in tough conditions. They must stay clean, work precisely, and last for years.

CNC machining is perfect for food equipment¹ because it creates precise, clean, and repeatable components.

Dive Deeper: How CNC Machining Matches Food Industry Demands

Food processing machines often need parts with tight tolerances and smooth finishes. These machines may run 24/7, so their components must be tough and reliable.

CNC machining offers several benefits that align well with these needs:

Precision

Food equipment often requires custom-fitted parts. CNC machines hold tolerances within microns, ensuring perfect alignment and minimal wear over time.

Hygiene

Because food safety is a top priority, CNC parts must be free from cracks, pores, or crevices where bacteria can grow. CNC machining can create smooth surfaces and rounded transitions that are easier to clean.

Repeatability

When producing multiple units of the same equipment, CNC ensures that every part is identical, which reduces assembly issues and improves quality.

Benefit	CNC Machining Support
Precision	Tight tolerances, smooth movement of machinery
Hygiene	No crevices, easy-to-clean designs
Durability	Machined from stainless steel and corrosion-resistant alloys
Repeatability	Identical parts every time, essential for mass production

At Elue Industry, we often make custom food-grade fittings² or brackets for clients that work in beverage bottling or meat processing. These clients need exact shapes and hole positions, which CNC machining provides better than other methods like casting.

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Common Materials Used in Food Industry CNC Parts?

Food-safe parts require food-safe materials. Not every metal or plastic will do.

The food industry mainly uses stainless steel³, aluminum, and FDA-approved plastics⁴ for CNC machining applications.

Dive Deeper: Choosing the Right Material for Food-Safe Machined Parts

The material used in a food machine must meet strict hygiene and durability standards. It must resist corrosion, not react with food or chemicals, and be easy to clean.

1. Stainless Steel

This is the most common metal in food equipment. Grades like 304 and 316L are especially popular.

• 304 Stainless Steel is corrosion-resistant, affordable, and works well in dry environments.
• 316L Stainless Steel⁵ adds molybdenum for better resistance to salts and acids—ideal for wet or salty applications like seafood or sauces.

2. Aluminum

Lightweight and easy to machine. It's used for parts that don't contact food directly or in dry, low-wear situations. However, aluminum needs anodizing or coating to improve corrosion resistance.

3. FDA-Approved Plastics

Used in food conveyors, cutting boards, or machine guards.

• PTFE (Teflon): Non-stick, chemical-resistant, handles high temperatures.
• UHMW-PE: Tough and slippery, used in wear strips and chutes.
• POM (Delrin): Strong, precise, and dimensionally stable.

Material	Corrosion Resistance	Machinability	Food Contact Suitability	Common Use
304 SS	High	Good	Yes	Frames, enclosures
316L SS	Very High	Good	Yes	Pumps, valves, salty environments
Aluminum	Medium	Excellent	Limited (with coating)	Structural components
UHMW-PE	High	Fair	Yes	Wear strips, chutes
PTFE	High	Fair	Yes	Seals, gaskets
POM	Medium	Good	Yes	Bearings, gears

For a recent client, we machined 316L stainless steel mixer paddles that were used in a chili sauce factory. The material had to resist both heat and acid, and our CNC turning ensured a smooth finish for easy cleaning.

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Hygienic Design Considerations in CNC Machining?

CNC parts in food machines must not only fit well—they must also help prevent bacteria growth.

Hygienic CNC design⁶ avoids crevices, uses smooth surfaces⁷, and ensures cleanability for food safety.

Dive Deeper: Why Design Affects Cleanliness in Food Equipment

When machining parts for the food industry, we don't just follow dimensions—we also follow hygienic design principles. These rules are based on how easily the parts can be cleaned and sanitized.

Key Considerations

1. Smooth Surfaces
   Rough or porous surfaces can trap food particles and bacteria. CNC machining can achieve a surface finish as fine as Ra 0.4 µm with polishing or grinding.

2. No Sharp Corners
   Inside corners should be radiused (rounded). Sharp corners are hard to clean and often missed during washdowns.

3. Avoid Threads in Food Zones
   Bolted joints or threaded holes should be placed outside food-contact areas. If they must be used, sanitary thread covers or welds are added.

4. Material Transitions
   If two materials must meet (e.g., steel and plastic), the joint should be sealed and flush. Gaps allow bacteria to hide.

Design Best Practices Table

Design Principle	Why It Matters	How CNC Helps
Smooth surface finish	Prevents bacterial growth	CNC + post-polishing
Rounded edges	Easier to clean, no residue traps	CNC can add fillets, chamfers easily
Sealed joints	No gaps = no contamination	CNC fits with gaskets, press fits
Non-threaded zones	Reduces buildup in hard-to-clean spots	Design can route fasteners elsewhere

We recently modified a valve housing for a juice company. The original design had sharp inside edges, which caused cleaning issues. By adding internal radii and polishing, we helped them pass the hygiene audit with zero corrections.

Typical CNC-Machined Components in Food Processing?

From slicing to packaging, food equipment uses hundreds of CNC-made parts.

CNC-machined parts in the food industry include shafts, mixer paddles, housings, nozzles, and frames.

Dive Deeper: Exploring Key Components and Their Requirements

Food machinery comes in many forms—grinders, mixers, bottlers, sealers—and they all use precision parts made by CNC machining.

Here are some common components:

1. Mixer Paddles and Shafts

These parts stir or blend ingredients. They must be strong, balanced, and resistant to corrosion and wear.

2. Valve Bodies and Connectors

Used in fluid systems like beverage dispensers or dairy lines. These require precision sealing surfaces and clean internal channels.

3. Spray Nozzles and Fittings

Control how liquids are added, washed, or sprayed. CNC helps shape tiny holes or smooth cones for accurate flow.

4. Guide Rails and Brackets

Support moving parts or product paths. These need to be dimensionally consistent and rigid.

5. Machine Frames and Covers

The structural base of food machines. These are typically stainless steel and must be easy to clean.

Part Type	Function	Material	Key Feature
Mixer Shaft	Stirring/blending	316L Stainless	Corrosion resistance, balance
Valve Housing	Fluid flow control	304/316 SS	Precision bores, smooth surfaces
Nozzle	Dispensing liquids	SS or PTFE	Tight tolerances, clog-free
Bracket/Guide	Holding or guiding product flow	SS or UHMW-PE	Consistency, strength
Frame	Machine base/support	Stainless Steel	Weldability, easy to sanitize

One of our regular projects includes custom filling machine nozzles for a bottled tea brand. They require multiple nozzles to be machined from 316L with less than ±0.01 mm variation in bore size to ensure even fill volumes.

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Compliance with Food Safety Standards?

Making parts isn’t enough—they must also meet food safety rules.

CNC-machined parts must comply with FDA, USDA, and EHEDG food safety standards⁸.

Dive Deeper: Navigating Regulations for Food-Grade CNC Work

Food safety organizations have strict guidelines for materials, surfaces, and cleaning access. Here’s a breakdown:

U.S. Standards

• FDA (Food and Drug Administration): Approves materials that contact food—like stainless steel, PTFE, and certain plastics.
• NSF (National Sanitation Foundation)⁹: Certifies food equipment design and material safety.
• 3-A Sanitary Standards: Specific to dairy and beverage industries.

International Guidelines

• EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group): Focuses on hygienic equipment design and surface finish requirements.
• ISO 14159¹⁰: International standard for machinery hygiene in food environments.

How CNC Helps Compliance

• Tight surface finish control
• Use of certified raw materials
• Precision to match sealed joints and cleanable forms

Standard	Focus Area	CNC Relevance
FDA	Material approval	Choose compliant materials
EHEDG	Surface and design hygiene	CNC shaping and polishing
3-A Sanitary	Dairy equipment	Rounded transitions, cleanable joints
ISO 1415910	Machinery hygiene	Design for cleaning and disassembly

In our shop, we keep full material traceability and can provide certificates for FDA- and RoHS-compliant parts. Some clients require inspection reports showing surface roughness under Ra 0.8 µm, which we validate with profilometers before shipping.

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Conclusion

CNC machining is essential in the food industry, offering hygiene, precision, and safety. With the right materials and design, machined parts help food equipment stay clean, efficient, and compliant with global standards.