Starting from agriculture and food processing to packaging operations, automation is everywhere in modern food plants and plays a key role in meeting the requirements of control movement quality, production speed, labor savings and overall profitability. Especially for food processing and washing areas, where there are numerous national and international standards to consider and frequent cleaning and sanitizing cycles to support, pneumatics offer an economical choice. Applications in food production generally require specific certification for air motors, pneumatic cylinders and other associated equipment and special design features that minimize bacteria trapping points.
Environmental challenges
Food production environments require frequent washing of the work area, which can cause damage to static and dynamic seals and elastomeric seals. Constant exposure to moisture and corrosive sprays of hydrogen peroxide and other cleaning products used in washing cycles can wear away unprotected materials. These environmental challenges have made stainless steel the most commonly used material for all food processing applications. Although stainless steel is more expensive than aluminum, it can withstand steam, high-pressure water and the corrosive detergents often used in food and beverage production. Parker’s P1VAS air motor and planetary reduction gear, for example, are mounted in a polished stainless steel housing sealed by a fluorocarbon rubber O-ring seal. The output shaft, made of polished stainless steel, is also sealed by a fluorocarbon rubber seal. In addition, due to the cylindrical shape, there are no voids that can accumulate dirt or bacteria.
Regardless of the component specified, it is critical to understand the details of the food processing application and what is required, such as pressure, temperature, flow, attachment size, configurations, and locations. Too often, filters or valves are chosen solely on the basis of cost or size, forcing staff to spend more time on maintenance because of suboptimal choice of system designer. Durability and repeatability are fundamental requirements for any viable pneumatic solution. The choice should fall on products that have been thoroughly tested and designed to withstand the harshest conditions of operation, vibration and impact.
Beware of water
Accessories and options for pneumatic components are often overlooked. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the entire product is able to withstand the environment in which it will operate, to prevent maintenance personnel from wasting time replacing components. For example, the control knob or T-handle of a typical controller is made of composite material. Chemicals used in washing can corrode many types of plastics. Therefore, in addition to the regulator, the knob should also be made of stainless steel or other compatible material.
Various filter regulators such as manual tapped drains or automatic stainless steel drains are widely used to eliminate excess liquid and prevent water from dripping onto the floor. Use exhaust-free regulators that do not release gases or liquids into the atmosphere. Whenever possible, choose pre-lubricated or lubrication-free mechanisms that use food-grade grease and do not require periodic lubrication.
Although some pneumatic valves meet NEMA protection standards or IEC/IP grades, most are designed to be mounted inside an enclosure to protect them during flushing. Check the design of this enclosure by looking for any gaps between the valves and the subplate or Manifold bases and other non-smooth surfaces that may harbor bacteria. For those using serial communications with their valves: these electronic components also require protection.
In food processing, components requiring lubricated compressed air or periodic manual lubrication should be avoided to minimize the risk of product contamination. Lubricant in compressed air can accumulate near the exhaust ports, while manually applied lubricant can leak or accumulate on multiple components.
The use of dry air in nonlubricated applications is critical; condensate can corrode system components, increasing maintenance costs and reducing system efficiency. In addition, unless overhead distribution piping is made of stainless steel, aluminum, or high-strength plastic, water can generate fouling that could penetrate components and cause malfunction. Water is a bad lubricant; when emulsified together with residual compressor oils, it becomes a milky substance that must be disposed of. In addition, no contact with emulsions of synthetic substances should ever occur in food processing. Dry, filtered, unlubricated air usually eliminates these problems.
More information
Learn more about P1VAS air motors in this video.
Franck Roussillon, product manager, Pneumatic Division Europe, Parker Hannifin Corporation, contributed to this article.
Related content:
Know Your Pneumatics: Selecting a Pneumatic Cylinder | Operating Environments
Know Your Pneumatics: Hints & Tips For Specifying Linear Actuators
All You Need to Know About Air Motor Selection
Starting from agriculture and food processing to packaging operations, automation is everywhere in modern food plants and plays a key role in meeting the requirements of control movement quality, production speed, labor savings and overall profitability. Especially for food processing and washing areas, where there are numerous national and international standards to consider and frequent cleaning and sanitizing cycles to support, pneumatics offer an economical choice. Applications in food production generally require specific certification for air motors, pneumatic cylinders and other associated equipment and special design features that minimize bacteria trapping points.
Environmental challenges
Food production environments require frequent washing of the work area, which can cause damage to static and dynamic seals and elastomeric seals. Constant exposure to moisture and corrosive sprays of hydrogen peroxide and other cleaning products used in washing cycles can wear away unprotected materials. These environmental challenges have made stainless steel the most commonly used material for all food processing applications. Although stainless steel is more expensive than aluminum, it can withstand steam, high-pressure water and the corrosive detergents often used in food and beverage production. Parker’s P1VAS air motor and planetary reduction gear, for example, are mounted in a polished stainless steel housing sealed by a fluorocarbon rubber O-ring seal. The output shaft, made of polished stainless steel, is also sealed by a fluorocarbon rubber seal. In addition, due to the cylindrical shape, there are no voids that can accumulate dirt or bacteria.
Regardless of the component specified, it is critical to understand the details of the food processing application and what is required, such as pressure, temperature, flow, attachment size, configurations, and locations. Too often, filters or valves are chosen solely on the basis of cost or size, forcing staff to spend more time on maintenance because of the suboptimal choice of system designer. Durability and repeatability are fundamental requirements for any viable pneumatic solution. The choice should fall on products that have been thoroughly tested and designed to withstand the harshest conditions of operation, vibration and impact.
Beware of water
Accessories and options for pneumatic components are often overlooked. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the entire product is able to withstand the environment in which it will operate, to prevent maintenance personnel from wasting time replacing components. For example, the control knob or T-handle of a typical controller is made of composite material. Chemicals used in washing can corrode many types of plastics. Therefore, in addition to the regulator, the knob should also be made of stainless steel or other compatible material.
Various filter regulators such as manual tapped drains or automatic stainless steel drains are widely used to eliminate excess liquid and prevent water from dripping onto the floor. Use exhaust-free regulators that do not release gases or liquids into the atmosphere. Whenever possible, choose pre-lubricated or lubrication-free mechanisms that use food-grade grease and do not require periodic lubrication.
Although some pneumatic valves meet NEMA protection standards or IEC/IP grades, most are designed to be mounted inside an enclosure to protect them during flushing. Check the design of this enclosure by looking for any gaps between the valves and the subplate or Manifold bases and other non-smooth surfaces that may harbor bacteria. For those using serial communications with their valves: these electronic components also require protection.
In food processing, components requiring lubricated compressed air or periodic manual lubrication should be avoided to minimize the risk of product contamination. Lubricant in compressed air can accumulate near the exhaust ports, while manually applied lubricant can leak or accumulate on multiple components.
The use of dry air in nonlubricated applications is critical; condensate can corrode system components, increasing maintenance costs and reducing system efficiency. In addition, unless overhead distribution piping is made of stainless steel, aluminum, or high-strength plastic, water can generate fouling that could penetrate components and cause malfunction. Water is a bad lubricant; when emulsified together with residual compressor oils, it becomes a milky substance that must be disposed of. In addition, no contact with emulsions of synthetic substances should ever occur in food processing. Dry, filtered, unlubricated air usually eliminates these problems.
More information
Learn more about P1VAS air motors in this video.
Franck Roussillon, product manager, Pneumatic Division Europe, Parker Hannifin Corporation, contributed to this article.
Related content:
Know Your Pneumatics: Selecting a Pneumatic Cylinder | Operating Environments
Know Your Pneumatics: Hints & Tips For Specifying Linear Actuators
All You Need to Know About Air Motor Selection
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