Enclosures for pharma
& food production

Hygiene determines the material

In production areas with wet cleaning, CIP media and disinfectants, enclosures have to pass two tests: the daily onslaught of chemicals and steam — and the auditor’s hygiene inspection. Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304) is the standard here, with AISI 316/316L for chloride-containing media. Smooth surfaces with few joints, welded bodies and foamed-in seals prevent dirt traps; IP 65 reliably keeps out water jets from cleaning.

At the core of the range is the SWN Inox wall-mounted enclosure (300×200 to 1000×800×300 mm); in addition there are stainless steel operator desks and custom designs to drawing — such as cleanroom distribution boards or special depths for process equipment.

Typical applications

Requirements — clearly classified

Standards in hygienic environments

The materials are clearly defined at European level: EN 10088 describes stainless steels — 1.4301 (AISI 304) as the standard for hygienic environments, AISI 316 when chloride-containing cleaning agents or aggressive media are involved. The degree of protection of the SWN Inox enclosures is IP 65 to EN 60529: dust-tight and protected against water jets — the basis for wet cleaning processes; the detailed cleaning regime is agreed for each project.

In terms of design, what counts is whatever makes cleaning easier: smooth, inclined surfaces instead of dirt-trapping edges, continuous seals, concealed hinges — principles of hygienic design, applied in standard and special versions.

Which enclosure for which production zone?

Typical project: filling line with daily wet cleaning

Starting point: a dairy is expanding its filling line. The line is cleaned every day with foam and chloride-containing agents — everything mounted there has to withstand this for years. At the same time, the controls and process IT must stay dry and accessible.

The solution by zone: SWN Inox enclosures in AISI 316 directly on the line, a stainless steel PSL operator desk at the operator station — both with smooth surfaces and no dirt-trapping edges. The main control system moves into SZE enclosures in the adjacent technical room, the process IT into the SZB IT. Special sizes fit the enclosures into the line layout; on request they are delivered wired with documentation.

304 or 316: the material question in practice

AISI 304 (1.4301) covers most food and pharmaceutical environments — resistant to common cleaning agents, easy to work, economical. AISI 316 justifies its extra cost where chlorides occur: chlorine-based disinfection, brines, certain process media. The honest answer lies in the plant’s cleaning plan — whoever puts it on the table early orders the right material rather than the most expensive one. More on this in the materials guide.

In the pharmaceutical environment, depth of documentation comes on top: audits ask not only what an enclosure is made of, but whether this can be proven. Material certificates, drawing revisions and change history for each enclosure are therefore part of the delivery — and special versions for cleanrooms are specified in advance rather than justified afterwards. This makes the enclosures a plannable part of qualification instead of a weak spot. As always, you receive the quotation including a technical drawing within 2 working days at most.

Planning checklist: enclosures for pharma & food

These points should be clarified before ordering:

• Cleaning regime: agents, temperature, frequency — chloride-containing cleaners point to AISI 316.
• Separate the zones: wet area, dry area, technical room — define material and degree of protection for each zone.
• Hygienic design: inclined surfaces, continuous seals, no open gaps — specify early for custom builds.
• Degree of protection: IP 65 for the line; clarify higher requirements of the cleaning process for each project.
• Special sizes: the enclosures follow the process line — agree dimensions, cable routes and mounting before design.
• Documentation: material certificates and drawings for each enclosure — for audits and maintenance.

Why ZPAS

Because audits accept no excuses: ZPAS supplies the stainless steel version from the catalogue rather than as a special case — with short lead times, special sizes to drawing and, on request, fully equipped and wired.