BFM® fitting helps pet food manufacturer streamline maintenance and improve hygiene
Downtime minimised by 90% and product loss eliminated after BFM® installation
A British pet food manufacturer faced issues with a 1.5m corrugated hose connecting the extruder to the dryer. The hose was prone to leaks and required extensive maintenance. To address these challenges, the ProSpare BFM® team suggested installing BFM® fitting with modular pipework.
This solution reduced maintenance time from 2 hours to 15 minutes per month, cutting downtime by nearly 90%. BFM® fitting provided a dust-tight seal, preventing product loss and risk of contamination, and improved transport efficiency, leading to smoother operations.
The challenge
A British pet food manufacturer has specialised in delivering consistent, high-quality dry food for 40 years. Their operations comply with British Retail Consortium Global Standards (BRCGS) and European Pet Food Federation Code of Practice (FEDIAF) certification, ensuring high levels of hygiene and safety.
During production, dry pet food is pneumatically conveyed from the extruder to the dryer. Due to a dogleg configuration in the pipework, a 1.5m flexible sleeve was required to connect the two pieces of equipment, as using a solid run of pipework was impractical.
The team tested multiple flexible connectors, but they failed to perform because of the negative pressure encountered. Instead, the team settled on using a heavy-duty corrugated hose.
Though functional, the hose presented many challenges, it was:
• Difficult to handle
• Ill-fitting
• Prone to leaks
The hose was secured to the pipework with jubilee clips; however, the corrugated nature and inflexible media of the hose made it difficult to achieve an effective seal, resulting in frequent leaks. Product residue then accumulated in crevices between the clamps, increasing risk of contamination.
Consequently, the hose required monthly maintenance and housekeeping, taking up to two hours. The cumbersome connector was difficult to handle, especially since it was around 3m above ground-level and inaccessible without a mobile elevating work platform.
Additionally, a combination of the faulty hose and misaligned pipework caused product to sometimes hit internal edges of the pipe, leading to deformation which may cause quality failures.
The solution and improvement
A member of the ProSpare BFM® team visited the site and recommended installing two BFM® fittings at each end of a new section of modular pipework. For each BFM® flexible connector, one BFM® spigot was welded to the existing pipework and a lipped spigot was attached via quick release clamp to the modular pipework. 300mm x 100mm Seeflex connectors were then snapped in place.
After installing BFM® fitting, the benefits were immediate, and the Engineering Manager provided us with an update.
Previously, the site spent up to two hours every month removing, maintaining and reconnecting the hose. With BFM® fitting, the time has been reduced to just 15 minutes, effectively cutting downtime by almost 90%. The Engineering Manager told us BFM® fitting “is easier to remove and reinstall, streamlining maintenance tasks and reducing downtime.”
Moreover, the previous connector frequently leaked. Now BFM® fitting is in place, they said it “provides a tight, consistent seal, preventing product loss and ensuring a cleaner work environment. The new fitting eliminates crevices where product could accumulate, reducing the risk of contamination.”
The product deformation previously experienced has now been resolved. The cuff on a BFM® connector snaps securely into corresponding ridges on the BFM® spigots, creating a smooth internal surface for product to flow over. It was noted that “with a better-fitting, leak-free design, the new system optimises airflow and transport efficiency, leading to smoother operations and improved throughput.”
Their final comments were:
“With BFM® on the extract hood, it’s the best it has ever been.
The investment in a new system has significantly improved cleanliness, operational efficiency, and overall hygiene on site. By eliminating leakage points, accommodating the dogleg configuration, and reducing maintenance demands, the upgrade supports a safer and more efficient production environment, ensuring consistent product quality for pet food manufacturing.”
For more information, contact ProSpare Ltd – UK distributor for BFM® fitting:
Visit – www.prospare.co.uk
e-mail – sales@prospare.co.uk
call – 01773 814008
