Sartorius PR 6202: the first EHEDG-compliant Load Cell to Meet the High Demands of the Food Industry
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Goettingen, Germany, July, 2006: - With the Hygienic Load Cell, the weighing specialist Sartorius is presenting the first weigh cell strictly designed to meet the high requirements of EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group).
In the development of load cells, mounting kits and the associated electronics, work until now been very clearly focused on meeting the technical specifications. However, when load cells began to be used in environments demanding a high level of hygiene, developers faced a new challenge. Although load cells do not come into contact with products in automatic mixing and batching equipment, it is essential to counter creeping contamination and the resultant spreading of germs.
Three years of intensive research and development and 50 years' experience in industrial weighing have been invested in the new load cell. In order to meet the requirements of the EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group), it was necessary to consider cleanability in the physical design of the equipment and its component parts. This has been achieved in the new product family, which not only complies with contemporary standards and regulations, but also considers current trends and future developments with regard to hygienic design. The PR 6202 Hygienic Load Cell is hermetically sealed and - as the first product for tank and hopper scales - meets the most stringent demands for hygiene, due both to its physical design features and the selection of particularly high quality materials. It is made of stainless steel, hermetically welded and available in the following load ranges: 1t, 2t, 4t, 6t, 10t, 25t and 50t.
There are hardly any horizontal surfaces and no gaps. It is watertight to IP68 (10,000 hours, 1.5m) and water-jet proof to IP69K, and can be used over a wide temperature range. A high degree of reliability and extremely long -term stability can be taken for granted in Sartorius products - including the new Hygienic Load Cell.
The entire development process of the PR 6202 was carried out and documented in accordance with the strict requirements of the pharmaceutical industry (GMP). This has considerably simplified subsequent installation and the qualification and validation necessary in biotechnology and pharmaceutical plants.
The Sartorius Hygienic Load Cell, type PR 6202, received the iF Product Design Award for 2006 from the International Forum Design in Hanover, Germany. The criteria for the conferment of the iF Award, alongside excellent design, also include processing, material selection, ergonomics, environmental compatibility, durability, functionality and the degree of innovation of the products presented.
