Servomotors see action in food and beverage manufacturing

The stainless-steel housing and smooth surface of the Kinetix VPH hygienic servomotors from Rockwell ensure they meet strict hygienic standards.

Servomotors are used on machine axes that need to make complex moves orposition loads with really high precision. Servomotors can also run at zero rpm whileholding torque to keep a load at a set position.

For these reasons and more, servomotors are a common choice in a diverse array of applications including those involving conveying and material handling. But for equipment used in food and beverage manufacturing, they must also be able to withstand washdown and cleansing conditions and meet certain hygienic standards.

Case in point: In food and beverage manufacturing, demand for more product varieties is creating a need for smaller, more flexible machines with the HMI located in close proximity to the process. But such products must also stand up to the rigors of contamination and cleaning.

Food and pharmaceutical makers can protect their products (and meet regulatory requirements) with hygienic industrial control hardware. The Allen-Bradley Kinetix VPH hygienic servomotors and a new stainless-steel version of the Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus 7 graphic terminal help minimize contamination during production and ease compliance.

The stainless-steel PanelView terminal can be used on a machine in a splash or contaminant zone without the need to be covered or isolated. This helps protect product quality and simplifies the cleaning processes, while removing obstructions to the HMI, so operators can better monitor production.

The general-purpose HMI terminal is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). It has an ingress-protection rating of IP69K to support high-pressure, hightemperature chemical wash downs and also uses a food-grade silicone gasket with a distinct blue color to help production workers notice if it’s been damaged and needs to be replaced.

The Kinetix VPH hygienic servomotors can improve machine reliability while enhancing consumer safety by meeting stringent hygienic standards. The hygienic design – including high-grade stainless-steel housing and a smooth surface – can withstand washdowns and reduce the risk of contamination.

The servomotors are designed per the EHEDG and 3-A sanitary standards and are IP69K rated and NSF certified. They also seamlessly integrate with the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 5500 and 5700 servo drive platform, using single-cable technology to help optimize a machine’s speed and accuracy. And they’re available in a range of sizes and options to help meet a variety of application needs in food and pharmaceutical production.