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GEA GROUP News
RELIABLY REMOVING FOREIGN PARTICLES FROM PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES: GEA EXTENDS ASEPTOMAG® MAGNETIC SEPARATOR PORTFOLIO
Magnetic separators are a crucial component on the way to maximum plant availability and food quality. Striving for maximum protection of customers' manufacturing processes and therewith protection of product quality and safety, the systems supplier, machinery and plant manufacturer GEA is expanding its Aseptomag® magnetic separator portfolio. The manually switchable MAS H version, including a patented locking mechanism, and the pneumatically switchable MAS PA version for "Cleaning-in-Place (CIP)" processes are the latest achievements in this regard.
Three particularly good arguments for magnetic separators
With its Aseptomag® magnetic separator portfolio, GEA supports its customers in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries in achieving three goals: improving product quality, preventing plant from damage and increasing plant availability.
Magnetic separators improve product quality
Plant engineers and food producers from a wide range of applications are only too familiar with this problem: foreign magnetic particles in the production process. Typical sources of these are, for example, ferric products such as cocoa or debris in raw materials such as fruits and vegetables. For instance, the market offers chocolate with up to 3 milligrams of iron per 100 grams - especially dark chocolate. Metallic residues at fruits and vegetables are often caused by abrasions from steel tools used during harvest or by steel components on packaging, such as metallic retaining clips.
Magnetic separators protect processing plants
Magnetic separators prevent downstream production machines from damage by efficiently separating foreign particles. The magnetic separators remove metallic contaminants, thus preventequipment from damage and consequently reduce the risk of production downtimes.
GEA Aseptomag® magnetic separators increase plant availability through efficient cleaning
Similar to the basic version MAS B, also the new switchable type MAS H is cleaned "out-of-place". For this purpose the magnetic unit is removed from the housing for manual cleaning. In contrast to the type MAS B with a constant magnetic field, with the new type MAS H the magnetic field can be deactivated by a hand lever, so that the magnetic force on the rods is cancelled and the accumulated particles are released by themselves. A patented locking mechanism ensures that the magnetic force can only be released after the unit has been removed from the housing and that the magnetic bars are again positioned in the product area when reassembling the unit.
The new type MAS PA can be fully integrated into automated processes. The basic prerequisites for this are standardized CIP processes and a bypass valve for the removal of foreign particles. Via a pneumatic actuator the magnetic are removed from the product area without further manual intervention, whereby the accumulated particles are automatically released from the bars and discharged into the product area.
Upgrades made easy thanks to modular design
The new types MAS H and MAS PA use the same housing as the existing type MAS B. An upgrade to a different magnetic unit is therefore possible at all times with ease and minimum effort required.
Hygienic design and use of food grade materials
As a leading supplier of component solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries, GEA pays great attention to hygienic design requirements and strict compliance with relevant standards regarding the use of materials in contact with food, such as FDA 21 CFR § 177.2600 and EC 1935/2004.
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