technical insight
Stainless Steel the healthiest choice for clean machines
Basic guidelines for fabricating stainless steel equipment for hygienic industries
Stainless steel fabrication is a crucial industrial process that has a significant impact on various industries. It involves the transformation of stainless steel into various products and components used in construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure development. In this article, we will explore the importance of stainless steel fabrication and its relevance in today’s world. Stainless steel’s versatility makes it a preferred choice across various industries as its unique combination of properties, such as corrosion resistance, durability, and aesthetic appeal, allows it to excel in numerous applications. Unlike other materials, stainless steel is well-suited for both structural and aesthetic purposes, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of projects. The hygienic properties of stainless steel make it a cornerstone in both the food and pharmaceutical sectors, and it is the material of choice for equipment such as tanks, piping, and storage units due to its resistance to contamination and ease of cleaning. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, stainless steel is crucial for maintaining the integrity of products by preventing contamination. Similarly, in food processing plants, stainless steel surfaces are easy to sanitize, ensuring food safety. In this article, a few important fabrication guidelines and practices are listed that can assist fabricators. However, the true requirement for the fabrication of world-class products is much more involved as there is no local standard or official
guideline or code that exists in the South African stainless steel sector. Sassda has therefore started the process of compiling such a code but has used the information contained in the Australian Food Code of Practice as a framework for this article. Start with a strong foundation and a paper trail It is the fabricator’s expertise that ensures that the stainless steel used in these industries meets stringent requirements. As such, a successful stainless steel fabrication of food, beverage, and pharmaceutical equipment will have the following crucial elements in place when starting a project: • Supplier accreditation systems to ensure the integrity of the process from concept to the final commissioned equipment and even beyond. This entails an efficient means of ensuring that materials, products, and services from suppliers meet the required standards. There should be traceability of supplier accreditation with a good track record inthe industry. • Quality systems to ensure traceable adherence to customer specifications and regulatory requirements of the industry. While an internationally accredited system such as ISO 9001 is preferred to demonstrate
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Issue 2 – 2024
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