Page 10 - Industrial Technology EXTRA 22nd February 2021

CABLE MANAGEMENT...

Getting to grips with connectors

for food processing applications

Dawn Robinson, European product manager for PEI-Genesis, explores the

considerations when choosing a connector for a food processing environment.
igitalisation over the past decade has machine downtime. It is undoubtable then, that
meant food and beverage manufacturing every machine component should be carefully
and processing has become a highly considered – electrical connectors are no exception.
Dautomated business. The need for fast
and reliable electrical connections to prevent Industry challenges
machine downtime and disruption on the supply A case study by cable and connector supplier
chain is crucial to growing this £121 billion Harting found that food and beverage processes are
industry. subject to regular water ingress problems with their
According to a Oneserve survey of British glands and connectors. This often occurs when
manufacturers, three per cent of all working days connector seals are not able to withstand rigorous
are lost annually to machine downtime, equating to cleaning with high-pressure water
almost 50 hours of work and approximately streams, leading to corrosion from
£31,000 per facility. cleaning chemicals, like
In food and beverage processing, hydrochloric acid. As a result,
studies have identified water- the food manufacturer is
damage and corrosion as constantly having to
possible reasons for replace the electrical
components and seals,

February 2021 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p10