Hygienic Design for Standard Parts

Maximum hygiene is one of the absolutely basic prerequisites wherever food is produced. However, hygiene also plays a major role in other sectors — from medical technology and the pharmaceutical industry to manufacturers of dispersion paints. Today, it is all about producing products without preservative additives — and this is only possible in production environments which have high purity levels. Since even the tiniest weak points can cause entire production lines to be contaminated, Ganter decided to develop a special series of standard parts that meet the very high EHEDG requirements and the 3-A Sanitary Standard.

Ganter offers a variety of knobs, handles, clamping levers, leveling feet and screws under the label "Hygienic Design", all of which are optimized for minimal contamination and easy cleaning. Stainless steel — with either ground or polished surfaces — is the material used in all of these cases. The maximum surface roughness is kept below Ra 0.8 μm, so that dirt particles cannot adhere and can be reliably removed during cleaning.

Another key feature of the Ganter standard parts is their freedom from "dead space". There are no interior areas in which substances can accumulate. A hygienically safe sealing concept, verified by software simulation, guarantees that the FDA-compliant elastomer seals are all installed flush with the surface and fulfill their function in the long term. This prevents problems from developing without being noticed. At first glance, most standard parts appear to be located far away from the actual work areas, but airborne spores from microorganisms can spread rapidly and widely.

To prevent damage to the surfaces during assembly, tools with special protective inserts must be used. Ganter provides information regarding suitable cleaning procedures in the enclosed instructions. Standard parts in the "Hygienic Design" line of products reduce cleaning effort; they are easier, and most of all, faster to clean due to the "clean inplace" concept, which allows a system to be operated more cost-effectively in the long term.