Shorter cleaning times, higher product quality: Which branches and applications profit from the new hygienic and aseptic load cells
The requirements for automatic weighing and packaging systems, filling and dosing machines are growing - and the highest of standards regarding their hygienic and/or aseptic properties must be complied with for components and elements of these systems by ever increasing numbers of industry branches.
Fig. 1: Sig-Combibloc filling system for aseptic filling of liquids such as milk, fruit juices and other foodstuffs
Fig. 2: Multihead Weigher
Fig. 3: HBM’s easy-to-clean load cell PW 25
Fig. 4: HBM’s hygienic load cell PW 27
This applies for example in the:
- Food industry
- Animal feed industry
- Cosmetics industry
- Biotechnology
- Chemical industry
- Paint industry
Hygienic design of systems - above all the easy cleaning of all components - has numerous advantages. The main advantage is the greater product quality and purity. Current laws, guidelines and quality specifications are also continuously tightening up standards with regards to hygiene and aseptic features. And, not least: Hygiene has become a competitive factor. "Clever" developments, combined with hygienic systems, means that businesses can gain in productivity due to the reduced cleaning times required.
It is precisely this point that HBM is targeting with the load cells PW25 and PW27 which have been specially developed for aseptic and hygienic applications.
Load cells are the key to successful weighing, dosing and filling processes. With the hygienic and aseptic load cells PW25 and PW27, exclusively available only from HBM, it is now possible to simply integrate the advantages of modern weighing technology in aseptic or hygienic production processes – e.g. in multihead combination weighers, weigh fillers and other filling, dosing and packaging systems.
As worldwide innovations in the weighing ranges of 10 and 20 kg, both types have a high protection degree (IP68/IP69K) in common, as well as integrated, encapsulated overload protection in the measuring body.
The materials used are approved, with respect to surfaces and quality, for use in sensitive areas. No edges, corners or holes provide any surfaces that can be attacked by contamination, deposits or bacteria. The hermetic encapsulation of the load cells permits cleaning with high-pressure steam jet cleaners or chemical media, as well as use in CIP systems.
The PW25 offers the dimensions and attachment dimensions required by general industrial standards and is therefore easy to integrate in existing systems without constructive outlay. The PW27, which is additionally tested and certified to EHEDG, is impressive with its highest of hygienic and aseptic properties. Even the cable and the screwed connection permit utilization in the aseptic section of a system.
With these properties, the PW25 and PW27 load cells also contribute to significant increases in productivity: Through significant reduction of system cleaning times and therefore real production efficiency increase and less downtimes.
This is why mechanical engineering and design offices should take into consideration the use of PW25 and PW27 – these hygienic and/or aseptic HBM load cells offer a significant competitive advantage and help to comply with ever more demanding target specifications.
