Food
Machine-parts in the food industry
The food industry stands for quality and hygiene. Both Europe and the US got high demands when it comes to the industry. For example, consider what the USDA demands before they approve, or what the EU demands with EC 1935/2004 and EU 10/2011 laws. To meet these high requirements, qualitative components are important. On this page we describe which certifications or hall-marks are important and how we provide these high quality parts.
Food industry, Stainless steel 304 and 316
The two most common types of stainless steel are stainless steel 304 and stainless steel 316. Both variants have a different composition and therefore, their own applications. The main components of stainless steel 304 are chromium (18%) and nickel (85%). This type of stainless steel is slightly magnetic and is resistant to most forms of corrosion. Stainless steel 316 is more expensive, but also more resistant to corrosion. This type consists of chromium (16%), nickel (10%) and molybdenum (2%). The latter substance has the characteristic of being able to withstand temperature changes. Stainless steel 316 is more resistant to salt corrosion compared to stainless steel 304, and therefore desirable for many industries, including the food industry.
Food industry and the correct IP-codes (IP67 and IP68K)
There are a number of IP codes (Ingress Protection Rating) that are important in the food industry. Mainly IP67 and IP69k are common.
The IP codes are two-digit averages. The first number indicates what the part file can withstand. The number 6 indicates that it is resistant to dust and is the strongest standard. The second number indicates to what extent it is moisture-free.
With IP67, the part is dust-free and immersion-tight. IP69 indicates that the part is dust-free and moisture-proof. IP69K is the highest rating. It remains moisture-tight at high pressure and high temperature. Because the food industry places high demands on hygiene, IP69K is widely used.
Washdown and CIP
With washdown, surfaces and machines in the food industry are cleaned with a pressure of 300 psi. Nowadays, cleaning is almost always done automatically with CIP (Cleaning In Place) programs. In advance of CIP, we take the hygiene risks that are present into account. In the food industry, these are product residues, microbiological contamination, cross-pollination or the build-up of minerals. Subsequently, automatic cleaning processes can be installed. These automatic processes place high demands on the quality of the machine parts. For this, it is necessary to use IP69K parts, because they can withstand the pressure of the water. To counteract the aforementioned damage caused by the build-up of minerals (salt corrosion), stainless steel 304 may be sufficient, but in some cases we will recommend stainless steel 304.
Machine-parts in the food industry
Astro Controls supplies high quality parts to the food industry. For example, our electrical stainless steel cylinders and actuators are especially suitable for the food industry, as they are IP69K certified. All connections we supply, such as industrial hoses, are designed to seal completly. We often supply sub-assemblies, thus we can guarantee that all parts fit together. Want to know more how we can help? Make an appointment via mail or call us via (+31) (0)172424247
