Many companies who manufacture liquid products face various challenges in their production operations. The challenges are varied and differ according to the individual industry and product.
A common problem that is shared by many manufacturers is that there is a considerable loss of product during the changeover and CIP processes that take place.
WHAT IS PIGGING?
The pigging process works by sending a specialist projectile (the pig) through pipelines using a propellant such as compressed air, CO2, water, or the next batch of product. The pig pushes the residual product through the pipeline to its destination.
HPS pigs are hygienic (sanitary) and high performance. The product that is recovered is in its original, useable state and can be sent on for further processing and packaging.
Most HPS pigging systems tend to be designed with semi or fully automatic pigging process control which reduces the risks of human error while substantially enhancing efficiency, productivity, and safety.
THE CHALLENGES MANUFACTURERS FACE
It’s already been mentioned that manufacturers of liquid products experience a wide variety of challenges. Some of the most common challenges that manufacturers from all different industries face include:
Large quantities of waste
Many manufacturers use flushing as part of their changeover and CIP procedures. The flush medium varies according to the product and industry, but can include water, butter, oil, and chemicals.
Flushing pipelines generates a large quantity of waste. Not only is product contaminated and rendered unusable but the flushing medium is also wasted. In addition, chemicals and cleaning agents are also used in large quantities.
Effluent costs
The creation of substantial amounts of waste can be a costly source of expenditure.
Companies must ensure that they have sufficient drainage capacity to dispose of the effluent or space to store the effluent and, if necessary, will need to expand their storage facilities. Additionally, the effluent will need to be transported to a treatment facility for disposal preparation.
Expensive product
Companies who manufacture products using expensive ingredients and raw materials probably have some idea of how much product and money they’re losing per changeover. Examples of expensive ingredients include vanilla, specialist chemicals, and precious metals.
Blocked lines
For companies that manufacture products such as non-Newtonian fluids, having the product block the line during processing can cause delays to operations whilst the line is cleared. Having production stop results in decreased yields and profits, lost “productive” labour wages, and, sometimes, loss of product.
Solidified product
Another common challenge faced by manufacturers is having the product solidify in the line. This can occur in industries such as confectionery and chocolate manufacturing. Having product solidify in the line causes slower changeovers and, in extreme cases, may require the dismantling of entire sections of pipeline.
HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR CHALLENGE
Having looked at the common challenges that manufacturers of liquid products face, its now time to ask, “How do I identify my problem?”
You need to ask questions like:
- Roughly how much product am I losing per changeover?
- How long does a single changeover take?
- Will we save money on effluent related costs?
- Are our ingredients expensive?
- In what ways can we improve our general operational efficiency?
It’s worth having the wider team involved when asking these questions. You’ll be able to develop an understanding of what issues your team are facing, be it long changeover times or concerns about excessive product loss.
If you think you have a problem but can’t quite figure it out, you can also contact HPS and we can guide you through the process of identifying the problem and provide you with a solution to that problem.
It’s also important to remember that different products and different lines will have different problems, so approach each product and line with a fresh pair of eyes.
HOW PIGGING ELIMINATES THAT CHALLENGE
Designed for use in the process and hygiene industries, HPS pigging technology is specialist equipment that aims to:
- Improve yields and profits.
- Make life easier for operators.
- Reduce waste and effluent.
- And much, much more.
Our unique pig is designed to enable high recovery rates of up to 99.5% of product from full pipelines. Cylindrically shaped and with a flexible magnetic core, HPS pipeline pigs maintain full-body contact (even around 1.5D bends) whilst pushing your product to its destination. Compared to standard process pigs available on the market, the HPS pig has a significantly decreased risk of causing damage, contaminating product, and breakage.
To find out how we’ve helped companies solve their challenges visit our pipeline pigging case studies.
In the past, HPS have had companies who are about to reach or exceed their effluent limits contact us about using pigging systems to avoid having to either build a new storage facility or pay a fine for breaching limits.
We’ve also had companies who experience blockages in the line work with us to commission systems that can be used as a preventative measure. Companies who manufacture products that solidify in the line work with HPS to recover product because our pigging systems are fully compatible with jacketed systems.
And companies who wanted to increase their yields now know that HPS are the leading experts in helping manufacturers improve product output and increase capacity.
CONTACT HPS ABOUT SOLVING YOUR PROBLEM
HPS pigging systems deliver a wide range of tangible benefits. In addition, the pigging system payback is extremely fast, delivering a high ROI.
With over 28 years of experience in process and hygienic pigging system design, we know how important it is to work closely with you to create custom-designed systems that address your needs and solve your problems.
We’ve worked with a variety of industries including food, beverage, chocolate, confectionery, personal care, homecare and household products, paints and coatings, lubricants and adhesives, chemicals, and pet food.
Contact the experts today in hygienic and sanitary pipeline product recovery systems to find out how we can help you identify your challenge and solve it.