Bacteria is something that can build up anywhere in the piping of a conveying system where there is a crevice. Obviously this causes hygiene issues for manufacturers in many industries (the pharmaceutical and food industries to name a few).Minimizing the number of crevices within piping is a way to obtain and ensure an overall more hygienic system. At AZO, we have found that the combination of two factors specifically promotes an environment where bacteria is unlikely to collect or become trapped within piping. These are:
- High-quality finishes
- Execution of sanitary ferruled piping connections
In this blog post, we’ll explain how surface finishes and ferruled piping both ensure sanitary connections in a conveying system.
High-quality weld finishes stop material build-up within pipes
Weld finishes on piping that are ground-smooth and brush-cleaned essentially create a seamless transition which prevents material from building up in key areas. Other finishes will allow for material to rest on connections.
When everything is continuously welded and the surface is virtually seamless, there are no exposed areas in the pipe. (These higher finishes fall into the category of standard requirements for the pharmaceutical industry.)
Sanitary ferruled executions lead to industry compliance
Beyond the type of stainless steel that is used in a convey system or the type of weld treatments that are polished, the execution of sanitary ferruled piping connections promotes an overall sanitary convey system. A sanitary ferrule-fitting can be taken apart with no hollowed bodies to be found. These surfaces are easy to clean and do not contain crevices where bacteria are likely to grow.
Design features that promote proper sanitary executions include:
- Sealed and enclosed brackets (example: mounting lugs for a receiver)
- Quick clamps for easy extraction
- Easy dismounting
In the pharmaceutical industry, these features are particularly helpful when tasked with meeting GMP requirements. The ISPE offers further information to help maintain specific compliance of critical utility systems, which are often overlooked by manufacturers due to their hidden nature.
CIP requirements for some customers dictate that we design outlets that are angled downward to ensure that all liquids from cleaning will dry out and not sit in the process piping. Essentially, there are many unique situations in which ferruled connections and/or high-quality piping finishes may be necessary for your operation.
As far as other surface finishes for conveying equipment and not piping, every piece of equipment AZO produces will be made to a specific execution with specific features that relate to each machine. If you’d like to hear more about AZO finishes or how to reduce or even eliminate the tedious manual weighing that often leads to inaccuracies or product inconsistencies, feel free to contact our sales team. We also offer free guides explaining the benefits of our COMPONENTER systems or the various industry ins and outs of pneumatic conveying.
