Page 11 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 22nd February 2021

resulting in production disruption and Firstly, connectors need to be able to
mounting repair costs. What’s more, transmit power in areas requiring cleaning
recurrent damage to the electrical machine with jet water streams and acidic chemicals.
components put the factory at risk of fire. This means the hoods and housings must be
Unfortunately it isn’t a case of adjusting cleaning water-tight, so power transmission is maintained
protocols, as they must be thorough to comply with despite rigorous cleaning threatening the electrical
the Food Standards Agency’s Hazardous Analysis of interfaces. When choosing a connector, you can
Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. However, look out for IP69K protection, housing approved by
even the most rigorous processes struggle to remove the Food and Drug Administration and an ECOLAB
all contaminants. According to tests conducted at certification. For example, the Harting Han F+B
the Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering range offers all three. With power connections
in Sweden, even after hygienic cleaning, levels of protected, high production rates can be maintained,
bacteria can remain high on food processing preventing disruption to the supply chain.
machinery. Connectors for food and beverage processing
For example, residue can get stuck in dirt must also be easy to handle. Ideally, operators
pockets on the hoods of electrical connectors and as shouldn’t need to open control cabinets to decouple
a result, bacteria can spread onto the machine machinery or call in for an expert to replace parts
areas in direct contact with the food. If bacterial when the solution is relatively simple — service
contamination were to occur and product recalls teams are already under pressure to rectify
were necessary, not only would it be costly and problems efficiently. Best practice for food
disruptive, but the health of the consumer would be manufacturers is therefore to choose a plug and
at risk. play device, designed for easy and quick
changeovers.
Contaminant-free connection Regularly replacing and repairing connectors will
Specialist engineers are now waking up to the eat into production times and costs. By specifying a
demands of the industry and, as a result, have product that is easy to use, can withstand cleaning
tailored connector design to address the common processes and has the relevant certifications,
issues. So, what design features make a connector manufacturers can reduce machine downtime.
suitable for this challenging environment? www.peigenesis.com

February 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p11