Food Safe motors withstand over 1100 washdown cycles
Fourth Quarter 2020
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Rigorous testing at a state-of-the-art hygiene laboratory verifies that ABB’s Food Safe stainless steel motors can withstand frequent sanitisation. The motors emerged in full working order after being subjected to tests simulating years of operation in harsh washdown environments. Maintaining product safety in food and beverage plants requires strict hygiene standards. Frequent washdowns are required to avoid contamination. The challenge is that electric motors used in these facilities can be damaged by aggressive cleaning. Motors specifically designed for these applications can help ensure food safety, improve reliability and reduce the risk of unscheduled plant downtime.
ABB Food Safe motors address the washdown challenge. They feature a stainless steel housing to resist corrosion and IP69 ingress protection to ensure that high-temperature, high-pressure spraying will not cause damage. They are also easy to clean, with a smooth, self-draining outer surface that has no angles where contaminants could gather. “Our Food Safe motors are already in use at a number of customer plants,” says global product manager, Tero Helpio, from IEC Food Safe motors, ABB Motion. “In order to prove their long-term performance under realistic washdown conditions, we worked with a state-of-the-art hygiene laboratory in Västerås, Sweden, to devise a set of tests replicating industrial-type sanitising procedures.”
The test regime reproduced typical cleaning practices in the food and beverage industry with a seven-stage cycle representing a full week of daily washdown procedures. Detergent and sanitiser were applied during every stage, with acid applied once per cycle. This reflects the common industrial practice of washing down with acid once each week. Temperatures up to 55oC and pressures up to 25 bar were used. In all, a total of 158 cycles were performed, corresponding to 1106 daily washdowns or 418 total hours of testing.
Two IEC stainless steel Food Safe motors were subjected to the tests and were largely unaffected and still in full working order at the end of the test programme. In particular, no water, condensation or indication of corrosion was found inside the motors. All the three main O-rings and drain plugs remained tight.
For comparison purposes, a standard painted aluminum motor was also tested. It started to deteriorate very quickly and failed well before the end of the test. The paint on the housing blistered and flaked off and the shaft and other steel components suffered severe corrosion. Washdown chemicals penetrated both the terminal box and main housing, causing short circuits between the phases and ground. The aluminium rating plate became detached from the motor. “Paint flakes, rust and particles could contaminate food products, leading to an expensive recall,” Helpio explains. “Some plants try to get around these problems by protecting their standard motors with shrouds, but these shrouds actually cause new issues. Food particles can collect inside the shroud, hidden from view, providing the potential for bacteria to grow.”
Food Safe stainless steel motors eliminate the need for motor shrouds, providing 360° access for inspection and sanitisation. The easy-to-clean surfaces also mean that less water and chemicals are needed. The tests prove that Food Safe motors successfully withstand washdown conditions, giving plant operators confidence that they will help to reduce unscheduled downtime.
Further reading:
New generation low power frequency inverters
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
New to BMG’s electromechanical range are energy-efficient Synergy PI150 series frequency inverters, which have been designed for efficient use in many applications.
Read more...
Planar motor system for quality assurance
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Achieving the shortest possible inspection times, even when working with different components, is paramount when it comes to series production. This is precisely what special machine builder, stoba Sondermaschinen set out to achieve with its InspectorONE optical inspection system, which is based on deep learning and features the Beckhoff XPlanar planar motor system at the conveyor system core.
Read more...
Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation
Siemens South Africa
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.
Read more...
Turbomachinery controls: the call of duty
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
There’s a lot to be said about the unsung heroes of this world; those men, women and machines that deliver such important functions, often overlooked and recognised. One such machine is turbomachinery, and while the name does sound quite obvious to the layman, its rich history and daily functions are not.
Read more...
More movement in the market
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Aerotech aims to revolutionise the market for precision motion and machine controls with an intuitive control platform.
Read more...
Motion technology for all types of automation
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG
News & events Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.
Read more...
Servo motor series for explosive environments with expanded certification
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Parker Hannifin’s ongoing commitment to safety and performance in hazardous environments is evident in the new certifications and product improvements for its EY and EX servo motor series.
Read more...
The world’s most powerful worm
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Geothermal energy from the natural heat of the Earth is an inexhaustible resource, yet the growth of the global geothermal power sector lags behind other renewable energies. Now Swiss startup, Borobotics is hoping to speed this up with its innovative new electric-powered geothermal drilling robot, which can be used to fast-track and lower the cost of heat pump installations in confined spaces.
Read more...
The impact of gearless mill drive technology on CO2 emissions
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
ABB has released an in-depth white paper detailing the vital role that gearless grinding technologies can play in driving productivity in mining while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint.
Read more...
Revolutionising TIG welding for aerospace manufacturing
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Yaskawa Southern Africa has partnered with Aerosud Aviation, a leading aerospace manufacturer, to implement a cutting-edge robotic TIG welding solution tailored to the exacting demands of aerospace production.
Read more...
printer friendly version