Clean crates is a mandatory requirement as part of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), especially in food & dairy industries

Over the last few years, the manufacturing sector in India has witnessed tremendous growth, which is fuelled by the entry of Multi National Companies (MNCs). This growth has brought in vast opportunities for the manufacturing units, particularly in food, agro, automotive and engineering industries. As the Indian economy continues to grow, with an increasing export market and growth in manufacturing, the transport of perishable goods as a raw material or as part of the export market will continue to expand.

The increasing demand for quality and hygienic products is challenging Indian companies to stock their shelves with the right products in a hygienic way. Considering this vital requirement, Indian companies are adopting Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) through huge investments in process handling and cleaning systems.

Cleaning of crates used for the transportation of food products in warehouses decreases contamination. This could also lead to improvements in product quality, its transportation and storage; and hence a number of companies in India are investing on hygienic logistics facilities.

SS Engineers & Consultants offers the latest in technology from crates, tubs, bins, pallets, buckets, trays, drums, and engineered products cleaning to the state-of-the-art hygiene material handling systems. The company has grown dramatically since 1999 to emerge as a multi-faceted manufacturing conglomerate. With state-of-the-art manufacturing plants at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh and offices spread across the country, SS Engineers and Consultants manufactures high-tech cleaning machines for mass cleaning requirements in food, automotive, and agri product factories.

The company has been at the forefront of delivering international quality products suited to custom product cleaning conditions with improved cleaning technique through continuous R&D. It has also launched a slew of new high efficient cleaning, drying and handling systems.

Technology Benefits

Application of new technologies has decreased the cost of many components, e.g., manpower, space, turnaround time for processing the material, loading and unloading, etc. With the help of technology, processing of materials has become safer and faster and the ultimate benefit is that the reduction in cost is being passed on to the customer.

Washing machines and equipment manufactured by SS Engineers fulfill the most demanding requirements for capacity, efficiency, hygiene, energy consumption and environmental protection. This applies to all sectors of the food industry - whether it concerns plastic crates for fruit and vegetables, bakery products, fresh fish and meat, dairy products or beverages - and also the pharmaceutical industry. Wherever necessary and called for, the company works closely with its customers to incorporate its washing plants into a HACCP system that the client may be operating as part of its overall food hygiene management system.

Operational Sequence of Industrial Crate Cleaning

Soak: Soaking in an aqueous or solvent is the simplest, least aggressive cleaning action. It is more effective with longer immersion time applicable where soils are readily removed, cleaning time and throughput are secondary concerns and the cost of equipment is very low.

Directed Stream: A flushing stream of low pressure solvent or heated aqueous cleaning fluid is applied directly at the soiled part via a flexible hose. The cleaning action is particularly effective for flushing parts when brushing. For enhanced results, the directed stream can be used in combination with other cleaning actions. While effective, throughput is limited in a system like this.

Brush: Manual brushing is used in conjunction with soaking as a supplement to other cleaning actions.

This method is helpful in removing stubborn soils in small batches but involves manual labor. SS Engineers offer "flow-through" brushes that work with a directed stream unit to deliver cleaning solution right to the brush to flush away the removed contaminant.

High Pressure Spray: A quicker and more effective cleaning is accomplished by powerful spray, typically of water-based detergents. A high pressure directed stream of up to 600 psi could be focused on different areas of the parts, allowing the user to tailor the cleaning approach to the individual part.

Configuration types include front- and top-loading systems with rotating platforms for semi-automatic cleaning; enclosed manual cabinet systems for precision cleaning applications; and conveyorised "tunnel" systems for high throughput, automated cleaning.

Washing Result: The use of detergent or soaps with hot water will of course produce a better washing result. The high pressure pumps, with high impact water jetting spray nozzles will attain efficient cleaning result at the final rinse stage.

Highlights

??Great capacity
??Economical in use of water and electricity
??Stainless steel chain conveyance
??High pressure pump for good washing results
??Many options possible - variable sizes cleaning
??High spray nozzles orientation at 360 degrees
??Robust construction in stainless steel AISI 304
??Great capacity in regard to length of machine: 400-1200 crates/hour
??Self-cleaning filter, zero maintenance, and
??Single operator to run the machine.

The company's experience in design and manufacture of different washers has developed superior designs in industrial washers. SS Engineers & Consultants is an established leading manufacturer of high quality washing equipment suppliers in India.

Technical Highlights - Industrial Washing Machines

Experts at SS Engineers & Consultants study the parts cleaning process and design well optimised machines, which perform economically, and often there is no large investment required for many applications. The machine building starts with component design and the individual steps of the manufacturing process, the main purpose of the clean ability, are determined at this time. Clean ability, though, often is overlooked during the design stage, which creates issues during the subsequent production process. The parts have corners, edges where particles and processing residues can only be removed with considerable effort, if at all.

The company assures its customers about the quality of its products - all industrial washing equipment is manufactured of the highest standard possible. From the initial enquiry to after sales and service, the company ensures there is no cause for disappointment.

It has so far executed more than 250 installations of washing machines all over India. Customer base includes corporate companies, midsize contractors and all other segments. The company also offers buy back system for all its standard equipment meant for specific segment industries, and can also supply the machines on monthly rental basis.

(Contact: SS Engineers & Consultants, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. Tel: 0883-2426845/6/7. Fax: 91-883-2430819. Email: info.ssengrindia@gmail.com)