The Engineered Materials Group of Parker Hannifin Corporation will focus its presentation at the 2017 Hanover Fair on new developments and evolutions in the diverse range of pure to ultra-pure Parker Prädifa materials for sensitive production processes. Besides food and pharmaceutical production, this includes drinking water applications and uses in biotechnology and medical device technology. In addition, the products to be showcased will include XXL-size elastomer, PTFE and metal seals, multi-component composite parts for diverse industrial applications and an extensive range of fluid power sealing systems.
Purity and stability of the materials used for the sealing elements and sealing systems in food and pharmaceutical production processes are prerequisites for the safety of the final products intended for human consumption. As well as industrial production systems, this includes appliances for catering and food service operations, and for domestic use, such as food processors and coffee machines.
To protect the health of consumers the materials must comply with specific legal requirements and standards, depending on their application. The harmlessness of the materials for the intended uses, such as applications involving contact with foodstuffs and drinking water, must have been certified by relevant approvals and conformities. Equally important to consumer safety is that the materials are free of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), phthalates, mineral oil based plasticisers and animal-derived ingredients (ADI).
In addition, qualitative aspects such as neutrality with respect to taste and odour generally have to be ensured whenever materials are utilised in food and beverage production. In the production process, the sealing compounds must not release any components which - even if not harmful to human health - would affect the quality of the final product in any way that could be perceived by the senses or otherwise.
As particularly the processes in the food and beverage sector are as wide and varied as the products themselves, they make special demands on the seals and sealing compounds used in them as well - be it in terms of resistance against chemical substances and various process media, temperatures, pressures and mechanical loads or special sanitary requirements. Of particular relevance here are CIP/SIP processes for cleaning and sterilisation involving disinfectants, superheated steam and acids. The reliable functionality and durability of the seals has to be ensured even in harsh application conditions.
This broad spectrum of requirements can only be covered by a wide range of materials and material groups. The appropriate selection from Parker Prädifa's extensive portfolio of sealing compounds is made based on the required properties profile in combination with the necessary approvals and conformities existing for the respective material. With pure to ultra-pure materials optimised for the respective applications in the material groups of EPDM, NBR, FKM, FFKM, TPU, PK, PTFE and metal Parker Prädifa offers precisely this diversity of possible choices and combinations to be showcased in Hanover this year, for example:
Parker Prädifa's portfolio of sealing systems for the chemical process, food and pharma industries ranges from conventional O-rings to highly complex multi-component options. Learn more at www.parker.com.