Hygiene is an absolute must in the food industry. But so, too, is the smooth running of production systems. This is especially true for a major slaughterhouse such as Compaxo in the Netherlands, which processes around 35,000 pigs every week. The company sources its housings and enclosures exclusively from Rittal. These offer robust protection for electronic components and boast a hygienic design suitable for all areas of production.
Hygienic design (HD) is essential for products deployed in the food industry. HD is based on very specific principles. For instance, all surfaces and parts must be easy to clean. They are therefore shaped to avoid the accumulation of dirt and dust. Moreover, there are other features that safeguard cleanliness in manufacturing: For example, Rittal’s HD enclosures have an all-round seamless silicon seal that can be easily replaced – and is coloured blue. This ensures that if any part of the seal should break off, potentially contaminating the food, it can be easily detected and removed. The enclosure hinges are located underneath the seal, simplifying exterior cleaning. Specially designed stainless-steel closures further aid efficient, reliable hygiene. The upper sides of the enclosures are inclined at 30°, helping liquids to drain away easily and discouraging employees from depositing unwanted items.
Rittal gives us enhanced workplace hygiene.
Trusted quality
The HD enclosures comply with all European standards and regulations that apply to the food industry. Compaxo is a great believer in the quality of Rittal’s HD products, as Marco Neijenhuis from the Technology Department confirms: “Everything is easy to clean. And the IP X9 protection rating effectively prevents the ingress of moisture – meaning our systems operate more reliably.” Tightness tests are performed in the accredited Rittal laboratory, where the enclosures are subjected to 80 °C water under high pressure. The intelligently engineered surfaces not only mean that cleaning is extremely quick to perform, there is also less need for cleaning agents. “What’s more, we save time and energy, helping to minimise our carbon footprint,” concludes Neijenhuis.