#Product Trends
Hygienic Design for Standard Parts
Ganter develops sealed standard stainless steel elements that meet stringent hygiene requirements.
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.