Hygienic Design for Standard Elements

Wherever food is produced, maximum hygiene is an absolute prerequisite. But hygiene also plays a major role in other industries, from medical technology and pharmaceutical industries to manufacturers of dispersion paints. Because today, it is almost always about producing products without preserving additives – which in turn can only be achieved in production environments with high purity. Since even the smallest weaknesses can lead to contamination of entire production lines, Ganter has decided to develop a special series of standard elements that meet the very high requirements of EHEDG and the 3-A Sanitary Standard.

Currently, Ganter offers various versions of knobs, handles, clamping levers, locking bolts, latches, cover sleeves, positioners, and screws under the label "Hygienic Design," all of which are designed to minimize contamination and facilitate easy cleaning. In all cases, non-rusting stainless steel is used as the material, with surfaces either glide-polished or polished. This keeps the maximum surface roughness below Ra 0.8 µm, preventing dirt particles from settling and ensuring they can be reliably removed during cleaning.

Another central feature of Ganter's standard elements is the "dead space-free" design. There are no internal component areas where substances can accumulate. A hygienically safe sealing concept, verified by software simulation, guarantees that FDA-compliant elastomer seals sit flush against surfaces everywhere and fulfill their function over the long term.

This prevents problems from developing unnoticed in the first place. At first glance, most standard elements may seem far removed from the actual work areas, but airborne spores of microorganisms can spread quickly and widely.

To prevent surface damage during assembly, tools with special protective inserts should be used. Ganter provides information about this and suitable cleaning procedures in the accompanying instructions. Hygienic Design standard elements reduce the cleaning effort – which can be carried out more easily and, above all, faster using "clean in place" methods – allowing a system to be operated more cost-effectively in the long run.