Quality and hygiene are decisive competitive features in the production of food and beverages. In addition, higher volumes have to be produced in shorter times and with rising quality demands.

Objects and equipment that come into contact with food and beverages must be

• such that they are clean and can be maintained and, if necessary, disinfected, and have no adverse effect on the food and beverages
• installed in such a way that the immediate environment can be cleaned appropriately.

Objects and equipment must be clean and well maintained (extract from the German food and beverages hygiene legislation). This requires not only the innovative know-how of engineering offices, mechanical equipment manufacturers and plant builders, but also modern, powerful human machine interface systems whose hardware and software are adapted to the special requirements.

The SIMATIC Panels and Panel PCs with touch screens and stainless steel fronts have been designed for use in the food, beverages and tobacco industry and for operator control and monitoring close to food processing machines. For this reason, the devices with stainless steel front have been developed in compliance with EN 1672-2 "Food processing machinery – Safety and Hygiene Requirements".

Simpler cleaning and disinfecting

The high quality requirements in the food and beverages industry require a high standard of the food processing machinery. There are many relevant regulations, directives, ordinances, standards and laws. Essential here is that all equipment and components must be easy to clean and disinfect so that cross-contamination of the foodstuffs can be avoided.

The Panels with stainless steel front have a 240 grit hairline finish, so they are suitably smooth. The membrane covering the display cutout is tested with regard to its resistance to chemicals, has minimal grooves and gaps in which micro-organisms could settle, and also provides shatter protection for the display.