INSIDE THE FOOD FACTORY Cases & enclosures
means keeping machines, enclosures and systems spotlessly clean while maintaining production efficiency. However, within food and beverage
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production and processing plants there are three categories of hygiene “zones”: high, medium and low hygiene spaces. Your choice of a suitable enclosure solution depends on the zone where it will be installed. Rittal and EPLAN have identified the ideal solutions for each area to keep processes moving forward, while reducing downtime.
ZONE 1: FOOD ZONE - HIGH HYGIENE ZONE Of all the zones, the food preparation zone is the most critical. Due to the high risk of contamination, it is essential that the enclosures within this space are designed according to very strict hygiene rules. Hygienic Design guidelines state that materials
environments. The lightweight polycarbonate design is easy to install and delivers an impact rating of IK09. An innovative ‘Drain Protect’ system that channels moisture away from the enclosure’s seals is incorporated into all models to aid ingress protection – available up to IP67. Variety is also built into the GEOS range with a large sekection of standard sizes and accessories available to order. David explains: “With 40 years of
experience in the field, I well understand the challenges of customising an enclosure that will withstand such prolonged exposure to the elements. As soon as I held the sample GEOS in my hand, I could see the level of engineering and quality – it was a real breath of fresh air compared to other enclosures on the market.” Having initially specified the GEOS for the one-off power generation project, Jubilee Electronics is now specifying the range in several new projects. This is part of the continuing partnership with Spelsberg that is helping to deliver innovation and reliability to Jubilee’s clients.
Spelsberg UK
www.spelsberg.co.uk
must, among other things, be corrosion resistant and easy to clean, while all joints must be sealed, seamlessly welded or glued. Unfortunately, many electrical enclosure systems fail to meet these requirements, and this can lead to water entering inside the control enclosures during the wash down and sanitation process. Not surprisingly, water ingress across electrical components will cause considerable damage, leading to unnecessary maintenance and repair costs as well as production downtime. Hygienic Design enclosures have become the standard housing for electrical controls in this environment because they allow rapid cleaning, they create a sealed environment for electrical systems, and they prevent the formation of pockets of dirt. As a powerful and multifaceted CAE system, the EPLAN Platform offers comprehensive functional support in the creation and use of device and master data, enabling you to apply and comply with international codes and standards for documentation and manufacturing.
ZONE 2: SPRAY ZONE – MEDIUM HYGIENE ZONE The risk of contamination in this zone is lower than in the high hygiene zone. Here, the food is already packaged or undergoing further sterilisation treatment; so for example, products such as milk are enclosed in pipe systems and are therefore protected from the outside environment. However, floors are cleaned with cleaning agents so any enclosures in this area should be resistant to both corrosion and airborne chemical particles from the cleaning products. Stainless steel enclosures are ideal for use
Instrumentation Monthly September 2020
in medium hygiene zones. Cabinets constructed from this type of steel have a long life as they are resistant to water vapour, humidity and weak acids. As always, adequate climate control for the equipment housed in the cabinets is essential. Design flaws in air-conditioning and/or high ambient temperatures can lead to components overheating, resulting in repair costs and loss of revenue. With thermal design, this can be detected and remedied already in the design phase. Thermal Design Integration is a standard feature within EPLAN Pro Panel and provides engineers with the necessary visual assistance. Once specified, climate control units (also made of stainless steel) will manage the temperatures within an enclosure, thereby reducing energy consumption and extending electrical component life.
ZONE 3: NON-FOOD ZONE - BASIC HYGIENE ZONE In low hygiene zones, the risk of contamination of food and beverage products is minimal, for example in the IT area or the offices within a factory. Needless to say, enclosures within these spaces do not have to comply with specific hygiene rules. The ever-increasing amount of data
gathered from processing equipment’s diagnostic and IoT devices means there is a rising demand for fast data processing, as close to the source as possible. Edge data centres can handle a wide variety of tasks, and will assist organisations with critical processes - such as data capture and monitoring production processes - while providing scalability and resilience benefits to users. Edge data centre enclosures can be tailored to the specific industrial application if there is any risk to their internal electrical components. For example, on a busy shop floor, the enclosure may need to have a high Ingress Protection (IP) rating to avoid dust particles fouling up the system.
Rittal
www.rittal.co.uk 33
aintaining high standards of hygiene is a priority in all food and beverage factories, which
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