IP69K instead of compromises: MSF-VATHAUER develops drive technology for demanding washdown applications

Frequency Converter VECTOR Hygienics (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Hygienic worm gear (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Hygienic Worm Gear "Round" (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Hygienic Kegel Gearbox (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Hygienic motor in a customer-specific design (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Vector frequency converter Hygienics in cheese production (Copyright: MSF-Vathauer Drive Technology)

Where daily high-pressure cleaning is performed, special requirements apply to drive technology. In the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries, machines and systems must not only produce reliably but also be cleaned reliably and hygienically. Water, cleaning agents, high temperatures, and recurring high-pressure cleaning place high demands on motors, gearboxes, frequency inverters, and their mechanical interfaces.

With its Hygienics line, MSF-VATHAUER offers drive technology solutions specifically designed for these demanding operating conditions. The portfolio includes stainless steel gear motors made from AISI 304 and AISI 316L, as well as Hygienics frequency inverters in stainless steel with protection class up to IP69K.

The goal: drive technology that remains reliable even when a system is regularly cleaned and disinfected intensively.

Hygiene begins with the drive

In hygiene-critical production areas, it is not enough to equip individual components with a high protection class. The entire drive concept must be tailored to the application's requirements.

Design, material selection, surfaces, geometries, seals, and electrical components must be designed to minimize dirt and moisture accumulation and ensure that regular cleaning does not become a weak point of the system.

This is precisely where MSF-VATHAUER's Hygienics concept comes into play.

“In a hygiene-critical system, the drive is not a component that can simply be excluded when considering hygiene. It is part of the overall system and must meet the same requirements as the rest of the machine,” explains Dr. Marc Vathauer, Managing Director of MSF-VATHAUER Drive Technology.

Stainless steel where it matters

A central component of the Hygienics line is stainless steel gear motors.

Depending on the application, versions made from AISI 304 or AISI 316L are available. The materials used are particularly interesting for applications where corrosion resistance, cleanability, and robust construction are required.

It is not only about the material itself but also the interplay of material, design, and system environment.

In developing hygienic drive solutions, care is taken to avoid unnecessary edges, hard-to-access areas, and potential dirt collection points.

This reduces potential hygiene risks and facilitates cleaning of the system.

Applications with regular high-pressure and hot water cleaning are particularly demanding.

The Hygienics solutions from MSF-VATHAUER can be implemented with IP69K protection according to the respective application. This provides a drive solution for areas where components are exposed to high water and pressure loads during cleaning processes.

For operators of hygienic production systems, this is an important factor: regular cleaning should not unnecessarily impair the lifespan and availability of drive technology.

“Cleaning is part of the normal production process for many of our customers. Therefore, a drive must not only operate reliably during production but also withstand recurring cleaning cycles over the long term,” says Dr. Marc Vathauer.

Hygienic frequency inverters in stainless steel

Not only must the motor withstand environmental conditions. The frequency inverter is also an important part of the overall system.

MSF-VATHAUER therefore offers Hygienic frequency inverters that can be tailored for use in hygiene-critical areas. The frequency inverters can be preconfigured according to customer wishes or delivered with pre-assembled cables.

This allows the Hygienics line approach to be consistently continued: motor, gear, and frequency inverter are not viewed in isolation but as components of a continuous drive solution.

This particularly enables interesting solutions in decentralized machine concepts, where drive electronics are to be installed as close as possible to the machine.

Less dirt traps – more cleanability

A key goal of hygienic design is to avoid areas where dirt, product residues, or moisture can accumulate permanently.

Because it is not only the question “Is a component waterproof?” that matters. Equally important is how well a component can be cleaned and whether it can dry quickly after cleaning.

The Hygienics line from MSF-VATHAUER considers not only the protection class but also the requirements for a hygienic design.

This can already benefit system builders during the design phase: drive components can be specifically integrated into the hygienic overall design of a machine.

For conveyor technology, filling, and packaging

Typical areas of application are everywhere products are hygienically processed, transported, filled, or packaged. For example, in the meat processing and fish processing industries, in dairy production, bakeries, confectioneries, the pharmaceutical industry, or in the medical sector.

Individually configurable instead of off-the-shelf solutions

Despite standardized product platforms, requirements in hygienic production environments are often very diverse.

A conveyor belt requires different drive characteristics than a filling system. Different speeds, torques, installation situations, communication interfaces, and motor powers require accordingly tailored solutions.

MSF-VATHAUER therefore relies on individually configurable drive systems.

This allows the drive solution to be tailored to the specific application without the need for a complete new development for each task.

This combination of standardized technical platforms and individual configuration enables cost-effective implementation even for special requirements.

Replacing and modernizing existing drives

The Hygienics line is not only aimed at new build projects.

An additional application is the replacement of existing drive solutions. Especially with older production systems, operators often ask whether an existing gear motor or frequency inverter can be replaced with a modern, hygienic alternative.

MSF-VATHAUER supports customers in technically assessing existing drive situations and calculating suitable alternatives.

Factors such as performance, speed, torque, installation situation, and electrical interfaces can be considered.

“Many customers come to us with a very specific question: We have this drive in use – is there a modern stainless steel alternative? We can evaluate such requests technically and develop a suitable solution together with the customer,” says Dr. Marc Vathauer.

This makes the Hygienics line suitable for both new machine concepts and retrofit and modernization projects.