In the pharmaceutical industry, all materials used throughout the production and packaging processes must meet strict industry quality standards and sanitation requirements.
Stainless steel is most commonly used throughout the production process, due to it’s hygienic properties, corrosion-resistance and easily-cleaned surfaces, whether processing dry powders or liquids.
As a part of our Value Engineering services, our staff of engineers will review your drawings and make recommendations to the fabrication plan, to ensure your designs can be manufactured at a competitive cost - producing components able to withstand the rigors of full-scale pharmaceutical production, including exposure to caustic substances and high temperatures.
Our team of engineers, welders, finishers and polishers are experts at fabricating a variety of stainless steel alloys to meet your specific application.
Some of our examples for process equipment components used in pharmaceutical production include:
EXAMPLE OF STAINLESS STEEL FINISHES
| 2B | Commercial #4 | #4 Sanitary (32 RA or better) | Bead Blast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APPLICATIONS | Material handling and processing, direct food contact | Cosmetic #4, for guarding food processing and shrouding | Hygenic clean room pharmaceutical processing and packaging industries where 32 RA or better is required |
Provides a uniform finish for structural, material handling and food handling applications |
| SANITATION | Suitable for use in caustic, sanitary wash down procedures | Suitable for use in caustic, sanitary wash down procedures | Suitable for use in caustic, sanitary wash down procedures | Bead blasting on some stainless steel alloys is suitable for use in caustic, sanitary wash down procedures |
| NOTES | A 2B finish may be preferable - and more economical - for your application depending upon the specific alloys and compliance requirements of your application | Commerical #4 60 RA or better No. 4 finish is NOT compliant with 3A Dairy Sanitation standards |
All surfaces and welds are ground and polished to 32 RA or better | Bead blasting does not always produce a 'smooth' finish. The RA, or measure of smoothness, depends entirely upon the stainless base metal used, the blasting media and process. Alloys such as 304 and 316 stainless accommodate this finishing process |