December 1, 2021

Overview
A multinational food manufacturer approached Grantek for assistance at one of their American facilities. An internal review concluded that their current Freezer Clean-in-Place (CIP) system did not adequately meet the needs of their facility. With the addition of new process systems, it was determined the existing CIP system would be too wasteful and lack the capacity to simultaneously clean both the new and existing processes. Due to leveraged knowledge from earlier projects Grantek has done at this facility, Grantek was selected to integrate a CIP Skid for this facility.

Challenges
Grantek was familiar with the client’s design standards, having previously worked with their corporate teams to define requirements for electrical panels and networks within the facility. Working with the local process engineering outfit, Grantek leveraged its expertise to create a complimentary integration design that aligned with the site’s best practices. As part of this solution, Grantek delivered overall system integration, electrical design, and system commissioning, as well as working on deploying a new OT network for the facility.

Using decades of experience and a team of process programming experts, Grantek was able to expedite start-up of the CIP system as it went from simulation into real world deployment. Issues commonly encountered during start-up of systems as intricate as CIP processes were quickly resolved through thorough testing, templated designs, and using best practices when assembling the control system.

The system seamlessly integrated into existing and new processes. Meticulous programming allowed for a quick takeover and commissioning of processes already in production, while tight coordination with the project team ensured new process could be integrated and cleaned with minimal disruption to production.

Solutions
The solution delivered by Grantek allowed the client to simultaneously clean both the new and existing systems. This solution created cost and time savings, ultimately improving productivity at the client’s site. This efficient solution is a hallmark of Grantek’s offerings. By working with the client early in the process to identify and understand a versatile solution that can scale in the future.

The solution Grantek integrated helped reduce system cleaning time by 50% during scheduled sanitation windows. The risk of costly production delays due to incomplete sanitation tasks has been virtually eliminated, allowing for consistent production scheduling. This facility now consistently hits target system utilization metrics. Ancillary benefits of this highly automated system included better data tracking and reporting of the CIP cleanings. This allowed for detailed reports of each cycle, that could be used for internal and external audits.

This solution is a great example of an engaged client, working with Grantek to improve key aspects of their operation. Setting them up for success at the plant level, while preparing them to scale this solution across other facilities.