Sanitary Bulk Material Handling Equipment Accessibility: Bringing Speed, Safety, and Confidence to Cleaning
Processing and packaging operations are becoming acutely aware of the significant cleanability and product safety advantages that result from the use of sanitary, application-specific material handling equipment versus force-fit, general industrial units. With the increased awareness and importance given to cleanability, plant operations, supervisory staff, and management are, now, looking for methods to improve equipment cleaning effectiveness and efficiency without compromising outcome. A priority method these professionals have identified for improving equipment cleaning effectiveness and efficiency is: accessibility. "If equipment manufacturers can figure out how to do open areas with CIP, that would save time and money," says Lee G. Johnson, Ph. D., vice president of technical services, West Liberty Foods. This post, the fourth in a series regarding sanitary bulk material handling equipment, will address how equipment accessibility must be included as an original equipment and operating environment design criteria to ensure the highest level of cleaning effectiveness and efficiency.
Regardless of clean-in-place (CIP) or open plant cleaning (OPC) applications, enabling quick and safe access by personnel to enclosed areas of the equipment, and aiding simple and safe access to components for disassembly prior to cleaning will: [i] shorten the duration of cleaning events, [ii] reduce the number of staff required for equipment cleaning, [iii] improve the outcome of cleaning and validation, and [iv] contribute to greater product safety.
The sanitary-specific construction of this bulk material tote dumper exemplifies OCC design.
This bulk material tote dumper, designed and built by National Bulk Equipment, Inc. (NBE) specifically for sanitary application, exemplifies a proactive equipment design focused toward improving accessibility. To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the design, NBE, first, performed a pre-production HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) assessment. The HACCP assessment guided the framework and component designs, the materials of construction, and the protections for personnel. Two examples of this sanitary tote dumper's designed-in accessibility to enclosed areas of the system are:
Enclosed hydraulics system enables easy viewing; simple access for cleaning and service.
• Easy Access to Enclosed Hydraulics Systems: A 9.525mm-thick, shatterproof viewing shield enables quick visual inspection. When access is required, simple tools can remove the shield. And, a tool-free clamp provides quick, and safe access to the reservoir. The hydraulic systems on this sanitary tote dumper are positioned below a seven-foot height and are, therefore, fully guarded on all six sides to protect personnel from moving parts. Though located well below, and separate from, the product contact area, this fully enclosed cabinet design also protects the product and the operating environment from fluid contaminants.
Discharge hood gate design enables easy and safe accessibility for disassembly and cleaning.
• Simple and Safe Component Disassembly: To speed cleaning, validation, and inspection of the internal surfaces of the sealed discharge hood, the hatch gate can be removed by one person, without tools, in less than 20 seconds. Easy reach to the discharge hood and quick removal of the hatch gate enables safe, visual validation and inspection; and, if necessary, obstruction-free, physical access to internal surfaces.
The sanitary processing and packaging marketplace has recognized that equipment cleanability, while a critical factor in the attainment of product safety and personnel safety, must be achieved with maximum equipment accessibility effectiveness and efficiency in order to provide optimal compliance contribution (OCC).
Additional posts in this series on sanitary bulk material handling equipment design include topics of: Equipment Cleanability, Structural Design and Contaminant Removal, Materials of Construction, and Product Safety Guidelines.
Related posts:
- Sanitary Bulk Material Handling Equipment: Materials of Construction In Process-specific Applications
- Sanitary Process Equipment: Product Safety Guidelines and Standards
- Sanitary Bulk Material Handling Equipment Cleanability: Value, Risk & Outcome
- Bulk Filling and Discharging Equipment Guide Book Presents In-use Advantages of Application-specific Sanitary Equipment Versus Force-fit General Equipment
- Sanitary Bulk Material Handling Equipment: Structural Design and Contaminant Removal