TECNADIS METALCOAT “EASY-TO-CLEAN” IN FOOD-PROCESSING AND AGRICULTURE SECTOR
One application of the coating TECNADIS METALCOAT “Easy-To-Clean” is focused on the food-processing industry in order to facilitate fluids’ transport and to reduce cleaning frequencies, as well as to protect the pipes, tubes and canals from corrosion, increasing their lifespan. Concretely, the coating can be directed to both end users of the food-processing industry and also to producers of those kind of equipment.
TECNADIS METALCOAT “Easy-To-Clean” presents numerous advantages for the food-processing industry such as simplifying the cleaning processes, in which can be reduced significantly the resources used, staff hours, water, cleaners, indeed it can be avoided the use of abrasive agents and descaling products, as well as reducing the cleaning frequencies. On the other hand, due to its sliding properties, the coating facilitates the conduction of liquids in pipelines, which means a saving in pumping energy consumption and a reduction in the percentage of reject due to adhesions, which is very useful, for example, for confectionery companies. Finally, TECNADIS METALCOAT “Easy-To-Clean” increases the lifespan of these equipment thanks to its anti-scratching properties and good resistance to impacts and corrosion, delaying its appearance.
Within the agri-food sector, and given the advantages described above, the Tecnadis METALCOAT “Easy To Clean” coating is directly applied in companies producing fried tomato and sauces, milk and cheese, pastries and pre-cooked meals, among others, to prevent the accumulation of waste and facilitate cleaning. Additionally, it can be implemented in companies producing tinned food, wineries and desalting industries to protect their lines and facilities against corrosion.
REAL APPLICATIONS ON FOOD-PROCESSING MACHINES
TRANSPORT AND PACKAGING EQUIPMENT
Problem: Products such as legumes, cereals, raisin and sugar leave dirt remains on transport and packaging machines, requiring a thorough cleaning between production and production to avoid contamination between them. These cleanings are usually laborious and intensive activities because the food leftovers use to be extremely adhered to the surfaces of these machines..
Application: Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” has been applied on different packaging machines for products like cereals, raw cane sugar, cocoa and coffee, among others. Specifically in an automatic multihead packaging machine with 12 hoppers in a nut and cereal production line. On the other hand, this coating has also been applied in cocoa, coffee and raw cane sugar packaging equipment of a fair trade ecological products company.
Results: First of all, after applying the coating on parts of the multihead automatic packaging machine, cleaning could be carried out with a simple compressed air blow, while previously it was done by washing with detergents and scraping operations using spatulas for some products. After 6 months and more than 900 hours of production, it is still observed the ease of cleaning offered by TECNADIS METALCOAT “Easy-to-clean” on the packaging equipment
On the other hand, after the application of Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” in a packaging equipment of raw cane sugar, the ecological products manufacturing company has saved 20% in the cleaning of this equipment. Previously this company carried out 3 superficial cleanings a day and one deep cleaning every two days. After a month in operation, it has been able to reduce at least one of the superficial cleanings and one of the deep ones thanks to the non-stick properties of this coating that avoids the adhesion of the molasses of brown sugar to the metallic surfaces of the equipment.
TUBULAR EXCHANGERS
Problem: When sauces like fried tomato go through the tubes of a sterilizer or heat exchanger, the charred sauce is adhered to the tube walls, and it decreases the effective diameter of the tubes. As a consequence, an extra energy is needed to pump the sauce and to reach the necessary temperature inside the tubes, this happens because the layer of the charred material acts as an insulator.
Application: Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” has been applied on the inside tube of one of the 7 sections that form an sterilizer or heat exchanger of a fried tomato processing company. This tube is 6 m in length and each section has 3 concentric cavities.
Results: After the implementation of the treated section in a real heat exchanger, it can be seen that after 24h of continuous use, the treated tube keeps completely clean, whereas in non-treated tubes the charred material is accumulated on the walls reducing the energy efficiency of the installation.
INDUSTRIAL CLEANING MACHINES
Problem: During the storage of containers such as bottles, dust and dirt are accumulated on them. Before marketing them, the bottles are subjected to a cleaning process in which the dirt is adhered to the machine walls. The cleaning of the bottle washing machines is an arduous work because scratching and scrubbing is usually required to clean the surfaces, and moreover this work means to stop all the production line for the maintenance activities.
Application: Tecnan has applied Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” product on a twinturbo washing machine from a wine cellar which has this problem.
Results: The treated machine was tested with Gran Reversa wine bottles, which are those that are stored for longer time and therefore those that accumulate more dirt. Immediately, after the complete cleaning process, it was evident that the walls of the treated machine were cleaner than the not treated machines, and the dirt was removed with the own water of the process.
Moreover, the dirt remains were eliminated with a simple water hose, leaving the washing machine spotless for the next use. After some time, concretely 9 months after the application of Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean”, the frequency of stops for maintenance activities was reduced, as well as time and recourses for the cleaning processes, improving company productivity.
VIBRATING EQUIPMENT
Problem: In canning companies and, more specifically, in companies that manufacture candied fruit, syrup or jams, they use Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) as a preservative for storage before being processed as candied fruit, which avoids colour changes of the products, maintaining the juiciness, shape and natural texture of each fruit (apricot, plum, peach, pear and apple, among others) and inhibits the proliferation of microorganisms. But this chemical additive has the disadvantage of creating very aggressive environments that cause corrosion damage on the outside of the equipment in these companies, besides the risk of contamination if these oxidized parts come into contact with food. To remove the oxide layer generated by the sulphurous environment, these companies carry out maintenance work through arduous polishing and grinding techniques. These mechanical maintenance processes are aggressive for both the metallic material and the workers who perform them at least once a year.
Application: Tecnan has applied Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” on the outside of a vibrating equipment in the candied fruits production line of a company that manufactures canned fruit (jams, candied fruit, fruit in syrup, fruit in alcohol and fruit in SO2).
After more than 5 and a half months since the application of Tecnadis Metalcoat “Easy-To-Clean” on the vibrator equipment within the fruit production line in SO2 , the treated area with the coating shows no signs of corrosion compared to non treated areas of the same equipment, where corrosion is evident.