Hygienic design: consistent down to the smallest connector
When constructing plants for industrial food production, every single detail needs to be considered when it comes to hygiene, and connection technology is no exception. Turck provides two product lines for this sensitive sector that have been specially developed for the food industry.
The strict regulatory requirements governing industrial food production do not allow any room for compromise. In order to be compliant, every component of a plant must satisfy not only functional but also hygiene requirements. Key hygiene-critical factors are the construction method, the surface design and the choice of materials.
Cleaning: the moment of truth
Whether or not a component meets a sufficient standard of hygiene is especially apparent when it comes to cleaning it: it must be able to withstand high pressures, high temperatures, and, depending on the production area, aggressive cleaning agents. The automation specialist Turck has spent a great deal of time grappling with these factors, and with its TFG and TFE connection technology series, it provides products that are able to cope with this harsh and demanding production environment.
Clean product concept
The hygiene-compliant connectors from Turck are constructed in such a way that they contain no spaces in which bacteria or dirt deposits can settle. The smooth surfaces repel dirt particles and can be easily cleaned. The coupling nuts are manufactured from V4A steel, and prevent the ingress of moisture when tightened.
Ecolab-tested and FDA-approved
The connectors in the TFG and TFE series meet the standards of the FDA for certification in the food sector. They have also been tested and certified by the independent testing centre Ecolab for resistance to cleaning processes. Other tests have confirmed resistance of the materials used to harsh cleaning agents and disinfectants. The connection components also successfully withstood temperature-shock tests using ice-cold and boiling water, which represent typical conditions in practice. In addition to its hygiene-optimised TFG and TFE series, Turck offers other connector variants in the TFW line, which are suitable for the peripheral areas of food production.
The ‘just-enough’ principle is applied in clean production, since economic criteria must always be taken into account alongside hygiene. Bachofen has the specialised expertise in hygiene to advise you regarding the specific choice of connectors tailored to different hygiene zones.
