Join Spiroflow UK Managing Director James Podevyn for a walk-through of design features for hygienic requirements across Spiroflow equipment. James will take us through design features on a Spiroflow conveyor, bulk bag unloader and more.
Why is hygienic design important?
The hygienic design of production equipment is essential in controlling the microbiological safety and overall quality of produced goods. Any equipment designed to fulfill a part in the food or pharmaceutical production process is designed with dust-minimizing features and interior and exterior quick-clean capabilities.
Since food manufacturers comprise the largest percentage of Spiroflow’s customer base, we have an in-depth understanding of the industry’s hygienic requirements and its primary goal of avoiding microbes, particles, and chemicals from causing cross-contamination issues. Spiroflow’s production equipment, including conveyors, bulk bag unloaders and sack tip stations share standard safety features such as quick release devices and other exterior hygienic design requirements.
Hygienic Feature Highlights
Our bulk bag dischargers are specifically constructed with a diamond configuration to avoid flat exterior sections where dust and particles can settle and cause contamination. The interior operating enclosure is sealed to ensure dust requirements are maintained, and a hygienic bag neck clamp protects against dust escaping for operator safety. This feature also ensures the inside of the machine is easily cleanable at all times.
The hopper beneath the bulk bag discharger is designed so no spaces can harbor bacteria or particles that could then cause cross contamination issues. These design features also make it much easier to clean than traditional hopper configurations.
At the bottom of discharger where it connects to the conveyor system is a quick release device, which are present throughout all Spiroflow products that require hygienic design.
On sack tip stations, operators can remove the tube or spiral from the bottom of the conveyor system in mere minutes, and all have safety switches which plug directly into the panel and make for easy cleaning.
As you move towards the outlet on the system, its rounded design was specifically created to avoid small areas where bacteria could be housed, which in turn makes it as easy as possible to keep clean while in use. With some models, the entire unit can be lowered down to arm level to enable the operator to clean every part of the machine.
Once the sealed hatch is removed from the outlet of the unit, the operator can also clean the interior of the machine as needed. Sealings help to avoid accumulation of dust and microbes, so it must be gap free while being used operationally. Even the smallest of crevices can hold a large number of microbes which in turn can contaminate the product.
Each of these hygienic design features works to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination within the food and pharmaceutical production process.
Questions?
Spiroflow equipment fits a full range of hygienic requirements and can be customized to your application’s specific needs. We are constantly adapting our machinery to meet new regulations and ever-evolving industry standards. Contact us today to see how we can help meet your hygienic process requirements.