With extensive experience in the food processing industry, Durban-based automation specialists, Hutchings Hydraulics was tasked with a unique challenge by one of KZN’s largest food manufacturers.

Exposed to daily chemical washdowns, pneumatic valve banks operate in harsh environments and any damages to these can result in expensive repairs and downtime. According to Paul Newman of Hutchings, while the valve banks in this particular plant were covered, these were not IP rated enclosures. “These valve banks are subjected to harsh washdowns to ensure that no bacteria is present”.

With machine manufacturers moving from conventional solenoid valves to bus and cat systems as a means of control, these valve banks are now more susceptible to damage during the washdown process. “If they aren’t protected, it can prove costly” Paul continues.

Ingenuity

“Based on this we looked to a better solution to protect these valve banks and came up with a unique idea that had not been considered before. As a proud Rittal distributor, we selected the Rittal Hygienic Design enclosure to protect these valve banks. Complying to stringent hygiene standards, these enclosures are easy to clean, reduces the risk of contamination and ensures food safety,”.

“For this particular application we fitted the enclosure with HD wall spacers to ensure easy access behind the enclosure and fitted HD glands. These glands were matched the closest possible entry gland size to that of the pneumatic tube currently used to ensure a hygienic seal”.

Challenges

In terms of potential issues that could occur, the team at Hutchings kept condensation, high humidity and gland restrictions to the air flow top-of-mind. “Thanks to the precise modifications made by our team, we managed to avoid any potential issues” says Paul.

Testing phase

For the testing phase of this project, a filter regulator was installed along with two regulators and a manifold. The team at Hutchings ensured that all pneumatic tubing entries and exits ran through HD glands, which included running an auto drain on the filter through a gland to exhaust moisture outside of the enclosure. The enclosure was installed on the 12th May 2019 and was put in use straight away”.

Success

After 10 days, the first inspection was carried out to check for any moisture inside the enclosure. “There was none. The quality control department took swabs inside the enclosure and had these tested by their internal laboratory for bacteria - the tests came back negative. The enclosure was tested again on 10 June 2019 and this time the tests were sent to an independent laboratory for testing - the results came back negative for bacteria” explains Paul.

The reason why this enclosure has proved to be so effective in this application is down to the IP rating and the HD accessories that Rittal have available. “With an IP rating of 69, the enclosure doesn’t need to be opened and cleaned as no moisture gets into the enclosure. This also means that there is no bacteria growth and thus no need to open the enclosure and clean it”.

Unlike other collaborations that Rittal has done overseas, the approach that Hutchings took is not limited in terms of pneumatic brands, valve configurations or application, and is very flexible.  

Thanks to the early success of this project, the company is now looking at the Rittal enclosures for their electrical applications too. “I personally have never seen a comparative product like this in a food processing plant and I was so pleased at how well our pilot project worked” says Paul.

In a closing statement Adrian Buddingh, Rittal’s Managing Director concludes saying that the company is pleased with the success of this project. “We look forward to future collaborations with this food giant and this particular project once again affirms our commitment to Hutchings as a valued partner”.