Custom solution for the highest purity

In food production, plant planners are repeatedly faced with challenging tasks when it comes to hygienically packaging still "open" finished goods in the final phase and subsequently handing them over to the logistics area. No contamination may be caused in the filling or packaging area. The Hofmeister Cheese Factory in Moosburg has secured this critical area, which is connected to the new milk powder filling system, with the help of a sluice consisting of two high-speed industrial doors, EFA SRT-EC from EFAFLEX, in a hygienic manner.

"Milk powder is a food product. This means that the filling area must be very tightly and cleanly separated from the logistics area," explains Roland Zimmert, who is responsible for the technical management of the production sites in Moosburg and Pfeffenhausen at the Hofmeister Cheese Factory. He describes how the big bags, after being filled with milk powder, are first transported via a roller conveyor into a sluice from the packaging system. The system control triggers the "Up-Impulse" for the inner door, and the big bag moves in. After the door closes quickly and the "Door Closed" signal is sent from the door control to the system control, the outer door to the logistics area can be opened. Due to the maximum opening and closing speeds and the very short door cycles, the two EFA-SRT-EC doors meet the hygiene requirements of this specific area. Only outside the sluice room is the oversized milk powder packaging placed on Euro pallets. "Under no circumstances may foreign objects, such as tiny splinters from wooden pallets, enter the filling area! EFAFLEX is a long-standing partner for us when it comes to doors," continues Roland Zimmert. "In addition, this door manufacturer offers the special 'Easy-Clean-Design' that precisely provides the hygiene concept we need for our production."

Thanks to its space-saving design, the EFA-SRT®-EC can also be used in spatially limited installation situations. The installation of the doors was not entirely straightforward, as both doors had to be integrated into roller frames. Due to the cramped installation situation and the millimeter-precise integration of the doors between and onto the new roller frames, coordination of the trades for steel substructure and wall cladding of the sluice had to be carried out in advance using specially made templates. The two doors are controlled fully automatically by the overarching system control. "This solution is truly tailor-made for us," says Roland Zimmert.

The EFA-SRT®-EC roller door is the optimized solution for all passages in interior areas with the highest hygienic requirements, for example in the food industry. EC stands for "Easy Clean." It opens at speeds of up to 2.0 m/s and closes at up to 0.75 m/s. The construction is designed for up to 150,000 load cycles per year. EFAFLEX engineers developed the roller door in close collaboration with the food industry. EFAFLEX roller doors are used worldwide wherever hygienic safety is required. The EFAFLEX SRT-EC® is the only hygienic roller door recommended for the food sector by the Federal Association of Food Inspectors (BVLK). The entire roller door construction is standard-made in stainless steel. The locking of the frame covers can be easily released, and the frames can be folded open for cleaning. The BVLK particularly emphasizes the possibility of foam cleaning and cleaning with a steam jet. The elastic curtain complies with HACCP and FDA requirements. The cover of the roller door winding shaft is slanted and equipped with side forced drains for controlled drainage of liquids, preventing contamination of the track or even the food. With simple hand movements, this roller door cover can be swung up, allowing easy access to the underside and the winding shaft for cleaning.

The basic design of the EFA-SRT®-EC roller door is thought through in every detail. For example, even the counterweights of the balancing system are protected against corrosion by a special KTL coating as standard. All electrical and electronic components of the microprocessor control, including the frequency converter, are housed in a stainless steel control cabinet made of V2A with protection class IP 65.

Reliable operational equipment, such as the fast roller doors for the hygienic area, is indispensable for the management at Hofmeister Cheese Factory. The company's customers place the highest trust in the quality of the products. The company produces processed cheese and milk powder for the food industry. Its customers are the most successful companies in their sector worldwide. The Hofmeister Cheese Factory was founded in 1908. Today, 60 employees work at the Moosburg site. Worldwide, approximately 1,000 employees work for the Hofmeister-Champignon Group.