Processing, September 2018

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this variable should be anticipated Variables over which the engineer has no control introduce risk into the validation and release process is risk can be mitigated by use of more robust materials The more conditions that a material has been evaluated to e ectively handle the more con dent an engineer can be in knowing that the sealing product will function in the system Materials must be robust enough to perform beyond ideal circumstances beyond even the speci cation in some cases Early consideration about how the seal must function in what environment it must function what uids it must contain and seal against are critical Only when the engineer and material supplier have such a dialogue can a sealing solution be collaboratively developed to do what it was intended to do Con dence it will do what you want it to do Often manufacturers of food and beverage equipment have few or no product testing capabilities available to validate the effectiveness and performance of components and materials they specify in the building of their products is situation makes the selection of a supplier partner even more critical as this partner often not only provides a material solution but also the validation that says that the solution will perform reliably as needed Manufacturers frequently conduct simple immersion testing of sealing material measuring weight change and swelling over time This is not an effective way to test seal performance however because it doesnt test any of the meaningful properties of a sealing solution It doesnt answer important questions like What is the sealing force Does it maintain the seal Does it leak Such methodologies do not provide data relating to performance under various environmental conditions nor do they o er analysis of performance during repeated dispensing cycles or cleanings Heres another example to consider A commercial oven installed and in use at a fast food chain exhibited inconsistent sealing Despite thorough material testing for temperature cycle performance and grease there was an unanticipated variable in the restaurant environment Sodium hydroxide cleaner hot water and cooking grease were creating a mixture during cleaning cycles that attacked the seals causing cracks and leaks Despite a relatively short exposure to this mixture during cleaning this unanticipated variable accelerated the degradation of the seal Once the seal was re engineered using a di erent material the issue was resolved But once again time and cost were introduced into the process Risk from such unforeseen factors can be mitigated through early dialogue that explores what a material will likely be exposed to during the use and even short time cleaning of the equipment Material testing is time consuming and expensive Mapping material properties during compressionstress relaxation testing offers the best analysis of how a material will perform over a long period of time A limited number of sealing material suppliers have the necessary laboratory equipment and analysis capabilities to conduct such complex studies But those that do are able to maintain a database of proven sealing solutions from which valuable advance information can be identi ed Critical data like this can help anticipate and prevent sealing challenges during the engineering phase of a project With this data materials can be evaluated against a database of CIP SIP compatibility avor transfer characteristics and international regulations and certi cations is kind of proactive research results in sealing material solutions that function as needed in various regulatory and operating environments The selection decision Your sealing material solution decision needs to begin with a conversation with your supplier This conversation should include your engineering specs of course but also careful consideration of the environment the variables including those unforeseen and the regulatory landscape in which your product must perform and your suppliers insight into materials that appropriately perform and comply based upon their experience Time devoted at the start of the seal material solution selection process saves time in the production process and will optimize the life cycle of the product for your customer when its in service While seal solutions may not be high pro le components they are critical to meeting todays demands in the food and beverage industry With the industry focusing on longer and more variable operating cycles custom designs and a shift to smaller volumes and specialized products to meet consumer demands sealing materials solutions will continually become more critical David Clark P E is operations manager in the Materials Center Americas of Freudenberg NOK Sealing Technologies He oversees the operation of Freudenberg NOKs physical testing and prototype compounding laboratories Clark is an expert in the development of prototype elastomer materials for diverse industries including automotive aerospace food and beverage and energy He holds a masters degree in materials science engineering from the University of Michigan and a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Michigan State University Clark is a member of the American Chemical Society ACS Rubber Division of ACS chairman of the Detroit Rubber Group DRG and a member of the International Society of Beverage Technologists ISBT and American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM Christian Geubert is global manager of application engineering for Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Process Seals Division After studying chemical engineering and producing his thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz Germany he launched his career in the material development department at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Later Geubert took responsibility for elastomeric form parts and diaphragms for the process industry as a product manager in the Process Seals Division Geubert supports customers and engineers as a sealing technology expert in the food and beverage industry He serves on committees within DIN VDMA ASME BPE and others Geubert manages Freudenberg Sealing Technologies Application Engineering Process Industries global team with colleagues in Brazil and China Freudenberg Sealing Technologies www fst com 18 Processing SEPTEMBER 2018