Maintaining high hygienic standards in a working food and beverage plant is as essential as temperature control in the production process—without it, the entire operation is compromised. To safeguard consumer health and brand integrity, a strong sanitation protocol upholds a plant’s reputation and compliance with industry regulations.
Clean-in-place (CIP) systems are the heart of this process, thoroughly cleaning equipment between each processing cycle without manually disassembling, cleaning, and rebuilding process equipment and piping systems. Automating these CIP operations can improve efficiency, consistency, product quality, and safety. Here’s a closer look at what automating CIP can do for your plant.
What Is CIP?
CIP is a method to clean pipes, vessels, equipment, and fittings without disassembly. It’s an important process for industries where hygiene is paramount, like pharmaceuticals and food and beverage manufacturing.
Typical CIP operations may involve several cleaning steps: pre-rinse with water, chemical wash(es), water and chemical reclaim, and a final rinse with water or sanitizer. This is often a manual process that requires an operator to connect hoses and adjust valves to align the correct flow pathway for the CIP solution.
However, this process can be automated. Automated CIP functions in a similar way, but instead of an operator making the connections, automated valves open or close based on what circuit is getting cleaned with no manual intervention.
Benefits of Automating CIP
- Consistency and Reliability: Automated CIP systems make sure that cleaning processes perform consistently every time. This reduces the risk of operator error such as making incorrect connections when setting up for a cycle. Automated processes also track and log CIP events to confirm cleaning.
- Efficiency: Automation can significantly reduce cleaning cycle time. Operators don’t need to manually break down the system, clean each component, and then rebuild the system before turning it back over to production. Automation can also reduce the time to set up a cycle before cleaning. This limits the amount of time that the facility is out of production. Additionally, maintenance requirements for an automated system are less extensive and mostly preventative, which can save time and money.
- Resource Optimization: Automated CIP systems can reduce water and chemical use. By controlling the amount and timing of each cleaning agent and eliminating loss from breaking the lines, these systems reduce waste. Additionally, automated systems may have a smaller footprint in your facility, providing more room for personnel and manufacturing space.
- Improved Safety: Automation reduces the need for manual intervention, lowering the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals and high temperatures. This enhances the safety of plant personnel as well as people just moving through the space.
Key Considerations for Implementing Automated CIP
When switching to an automated CIP system, there are some things to keep in mind. You may need to update standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the impacted cycles and retrain personnel to work with the automated system. Also, depending on the current system configuration, a planned shutdown may be needed to install the new equipment and cutover the existing piping system. The control systems and HMI interfaces will need to be implemented or modified; therefore, it is important to make a downtime plan for the required installation, start-up, and commissioning.
Conclusion: Implementing Automation
Automating CIP processes in a food plant offers numerous benefits, including improved efficiency, consistency, and safety. By implementing automation, you can streamline your operations by cutting down on cleaning times and improving facility and personnel safety by reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals. As technology continues to advance, automated CIP systems are likely to become increasingly prevalent, driving further improvements in the food and beverage industry.
