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All-Fill packaging machines continue to stand as the one and only industry leader, with a focus on future designs and advancing technology.

CONCERNED ABOUT CLEANING YOUR MACHINERY? IF SO, WASH IT DOWN!

January 21st, 2016

All-Fill offers a very diverse product line.  Whether you own an All-Fill auger filler, vibratory net weigh filler, Alpha checkweigher, or Avatar VFFS bagging machine, a common question that has a very wide ranging response is… “How do I clean it?”

The answer is quite simple actually but it all depends on the cleaning process of the end user.  All-Fill puts machinery in the field that is solely dedicated to one product and one container only.  Sometimes these machines are filling industrial like powders where cross contamination and sanitization are never considered.  If so, these machines rarely ever are cleaned.  Conversely, All-Fill also provides machinery to dairy packagers, pharmaceutical companies and laboratories in which sanitization and cleanliness trumps accuracy and rate.  Whichever situation, All-Fill provides easy solutions.

It is the end users responsibility to clearly state the purpose of the machinery and define a standard cleaning procedure.  It is then All-Fill’s responsibility to inform end users of their options to sanitize and/or clean the machinery.  For those customers in need of a machine that they can spray down daily, we can offer a solution; it is called “washdown.”

Machine washdowns can happen in place (CIP-Clean In Place) out of place (COP- Clean Out of Place).  Fillers, checkweighing and vertical form fill seal machinery can be designed to take hose pressure to every aspect of the machinery.  All-Fill carefully reviews each machine design and takes into consideration all crevices, cracks and holes that may be susceptible to foreign growth.  These areas are then eliminated to the best of the applications ability as we try to incorporate easy to clean surfaces.  In addition, the highest quality stainless steel and clear anodized aluminum are used across the entire machine for durability and longevity.  All-Fill ensures that all bearings and bushings are double sealed to keep water out.  Besides complete washdown methods, wipe down methods are often incorporated.  In some situations, machines will be partially washdown and All-Fill will provide guardings or coverings to protect the components that are not washdown compatible.

When discussing the degree of protection needed during a cleaning of the machinery, two rating systems are typically mentioned.  One is IP (Ingress Protection) and the other is NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association).  These rating systems describe what level of protection can be expected.

An IP number contains two numbers (i.e. IP64) which relate to the level of protection provided by an enclosure or housing.

The first number describes how the machinery protects against solids…

0: No Special Protection
1: Protected against solid objects up to 50 mm in diameter
2: Protected against solid objects up to 12 mm in diameter
3: Protected against solid objects up to 2.5 mm in diameter
4: Protected against solid objects up to 1 mm in diameter
5: Dust protected
6: Dust tight

The second number describes how the machinery protects against liquids…

0: No special protection
1: Protected against dripping water
2: Protected against dripping water when tilted up to 15o from normal position
3: Protected against spraying water
4: Protected against splashing water
5: Protected against water jet spray
6: Protected against heavy jet spray
7: Protected against the effects of immersion
8: Protected against submersion

Example: IP64 = Dust tight and protected against splashing water (typically what All-Fill provides).

The list below describes NEMA ratings…

NEMA 1: General purpose. Protects against dust, light, and indirect splashing, but is not dust-tight; primarily prevents contact with live parts; used indoor and under normal atmospheric conditions.
NEMA 2: Drip-tight. Similar to type 1 but with addition of drip shields; used where condensation may be severe (as in cooling rooms and laundries)
NEMA 3 and 3S: Weather-resistant. Protects against weather hazards such as rain and sleet; used outdoors on ship docks, in construction and in tunnels and subways.
NEMA 3R: Intended for outdoor use. Provides a degree of protection against falling rain and ice formation. Meets rod entry, rain, external icing and rust-resistance design tests.
NEMA 4 and 4x: Weather tight (weatherproof). Must exclude at least 65 GPM of water from 1 inch nozzle delivered from a distance of not less than 10 feet for 5 minutes. Used outdoors on ship docks, in dairies and breweries.
NEMA 5: Dust-tight. Provided with gaskets or equivalent to exclude dust; used in steel mills and cement plants.
NEMA 6 and 6P: Submersible. Design depends on specific conditions of pressure and time; submersible in water; used in quarries, mines and manholes.
NEMA 7: Hazardous. For indoor use in Class I Groups A, B, C and D environments as defined in the National Electric Code (NEC).
NEMA 8: Hazardous. For indoor and outdoor use in locations classified as Class I Groups A, B, C and D as defined in the NEC.
NEMA 9: Hazardous. For indoor and outdoor use in locations classified as Class II Groups E, F or G as defined in the NEC.
NEMA 10: MSHA. Meets the requirements of the Mine Safety and health Administration, 30 CFR part 18 (1978).
NEMA 11: General-purpose. Protects against the corrosive effects of liquids and gasses. Meets drip and corrosion resistance tests.
NEMA 12 and 12 K: General-purpose. Intended for indoor use, provides some protection against dust, falling dirt and dripping non-corrosive liquids. Meets drip, dust and rust resistance tests.
NEMA 13: General-purpose. Provide protection against dust, spraying of water, oil and noncorrosive coolants. Meets oil exclusion and rust resistance design tests.

Given the definitions for each class amongst IP and NEMA, we can easily compare each rating system as described below…

NEMA 1 = IP10
NEMA 2 = IP11
NEMA 3 = IP54
NEMA 4 = IP56
NEMA 4X = IP66
NEMA 6 = IP67
NEMA 12 = IP52
NEMA 13 = IP54

If your application has a specific cleaning standard, we want to know about it as we can easily satisfy your needs.  For more information, please contact All-Fill at 610-524-7350 or contact your regional salesperson directly.  All-Fill can be emailed at info@all-fill.com for questions/comments.

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