technical insight
during operation or cleaning. At least a three-degree slope is required. - A dead leg length shall be no longer than 1.5 times the pipe diameter. - Corners shall be radiused to facilitate drainage. - Design features that create a crevice, open to the product, or a hollow body adjacent to the product, shall be avoided. In addition, threads must not contact the product. - The design of the plant or equipment shall ensure that all surfaces in contact with the product are readily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and maintenance. - CIP equipment must be designed to ensure that all surfaces can be adequately cleaned. - All lids or access covers should be designed so that when opened; contaminants on the exterior of the equipment or lids/covers are prevented from entering the plant or equipment. Non-product surfaces: - Crevices and residue collection points shall be avoided. - The design shall ensure that all non-product contact surfaces can be readily cleaned. - All non-product contact surfaces and supporting structures should be designed to shed water. - Horizontal surfaces are undesirable. - To control the “stickability” of organic materials, surface roughness parameters such as Raz or Ramax may be specified. - Equipment not flush to a wall shall be set at least 0.6m away from any wall. - Tanks, vessels, or equipment not mounted flush to the floor or plinth shall have a minimum of 300mm clearance between the base of the item and the floor to allow the floor beneath and the underside of the equipment for cleaning and inspection. Other requirements: • The design should avoid creating areas where pooling and subsequent evaporative drying of moisture can occur, leading to a concentration of undesirable residues. • Due consideration should be given to possible galvanic corrosion effects arising from contact between dissimilar metals and alloys or metals and conductive non-metals such as graphite seals. - Suitable allowances should be made for thermal expansion and contraction between various grades of stainless steels and other materials, for example, in stiffeners supporting plant or equipment.
commitement and an ability to continuously produce quality products, it is not always a stringent requirement in the South African industry. Fabricators that can illustrate a working quality management system, built on the principles of the ISO 9001 standard, and a willingness to comply with the quality system of the customer, would not be excluded from work in the industries requiring hygienic processes and equipment in the South African context. • Compliance with the applicable health, safety, and environmental laws and regulations remains important. The fabricator should have the knowledge and a good understanding of the relevant standards and legal requirements of the industry they intend to work with. The fabricator should be confident enough to be subjected to third-party quality inspections. • A thorough paper trail. Documentation that demonstrates experience, technical capacity and capability, staff training records, standards and codes used by the fabricator, as well as referrals from past customers, shows a sound and traceable industry track record. This can be instrumental in securing good work. Design to succeed Solid fabrication starts in the design phase, and a superior design will consider customer needs, the design requirements for hygienic applications according to the relevant standards, and the practical implications of this within the final manufacturing design and production processes. Some of these general design considerations will speak to material grade selection and surface finishes. For instance: General requirements: - The design shall avoid creating areas where pooling and subsequent evaporation can lead to a concentration of contaminant residues. - Consideration should be given to possible galvanic corrosion effects from contact between dissimilar metals. - Suitable allowances shall be made for thermal expansion and contraction between various grades of stainless steel and other materials. - Stairways, handrails, platforms, and walkways shall be designed, fabricated, and installed by the applicable South African regulations. - Insulation required for vessels or pipes operating at non- ambient temperatures shall be chloride-free and protected by outer cladding. Product contact surfaces: - All interior surfaces of plant and equipment shall be self-draining to avoid the creation of pockets of product
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Issue 2 – 2024
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