Unique hygiene fitting conquers the market

Nut_HU

The NovoNox KG, based in Markgröningen, offers, together with the sealing and washer from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, a uniquely innovative product worldwide. The beneficiaries of this newly developed screw and sealing system are all industries with hygiene-sensitive manufacturing areas.

The system consists of a sealing and washer as well as a screw (cap nut). Both parts are optimally configured to each other. When tightening the screw, the sealing lip uniformly contacts the screw head and the part to be attached. This ensures that the screw connection is hermetically sealed all around and prevents any gap formation.

Preventing germs and contaminants

The background of this development was the challenge to prevent germ formation and contamination during production processes right from the start. Normal screw connections do not guarantee this. Even at the maximum possible torque, gap formation cannot be prevented. As a result, capillary action causes product residues or cleaning fluids to be drawn under the screw head. In the shortest possible time, this can lead to contamination of the thread and foreign substances eventually entering the product-carrying area.

With the use of the NovoNox hygienic screw, this risk is a thing of the past. The sealing with an integrated washer used here seals all around and is pressure-stable up to 150 bar. Tightening the screw ensures that it can be screwed onto a block. The innovative hygienic screw connections allow the maximum tightening torque to be applied without overstraining the seal. This removes any guesswork about how much a separate seal is deformed when tightened. This is particularly relevant because an undefined deformation of a compression corresponds to a failure and can lead to the destruction of a simple seal design.

Product safety and plant availability

The preload force of the screw connection also plays an important role. Only by tightening the screw onto a block with the maximum possible torque does the maximum preload force occur. Components are securely connected. Since a maximum preload force also creates self-locking, the risk of the screw connection loosening due to vibration is minimized.

As a result, the use of these innovative screw connections offers plant manufacturers and operators a high level of hygiene prophylaxis. Current hygiene regulations and CE markings are precisely adhered to, ensuring product safety and plant availability. At the same time, the effort for hygienically secure cleaning is reduced, resulting in a significant reduction in daily cleaning costs.