How fast are realistic product changeovers including cleaning in a hygienic design?
A realistic product change including cleaning in a hygienic design typically lies in the range of 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the process and hygiene class. In more complex cases, for instance with an allergen change, sterilisation or elaborate dismantling, it can however also take 3 to 4 hours.
Definition of the product change
In the process industry, the changeover time is generally defined as the period between the last good product of the old batch and the first good product of the new batch. It comprises both the cleaning and the mechanical set-up or a format and component change.
Typical time guide values by cleaning method and process
The duration is substantially determined by the cleaning method, the product type and the hygiene class:
Dry cleaning with similar products
With changes of variety without a formulation change and with a low contamination risk, typical changeover times lie at 15 to 45 minutes.
Wet cleaning with an allergen, colour or product class change
With open plants involving dismantling, cleaning, disinfecting, rinsing and drying, the typical duration lies at 1 to 3 hours.
CIP cleaning in closed systems
Standard CIP sequences with pre-rinsing, alkali, intermediate rinsing, acid and final rinsing generally require 30 to 90 minutes per cycle in modern plants. With highly viscous or allergen-critical products, 2 to 4 hours can be necessary.
COP cleaning with extensive dismantling
Complete dismantling of assemblies and external cleaning frequently leads to changeover times of 2 to 4 hours, and with complex systems even longer.
Aseptic or sterile processes
Additional sterilisation phases typically extend the turnaround by 45 to 90 minutes.
Influence of hygienic design on the speed of changeover
Consistently implemented hygienic design is the central lever for shortening product changeover times. Through the avoidance of dead spaces, smooth product contact surfaces, radius-optimised geometries and sufficient inclinations for self-drainage, the effective cleaning time is typically shortened markedly.
Construction and accessibility also play a major role. Readily accessible designs, tool-free dismantling of product contact parts and quick-change systems reduce dismantling and assembly times.
Technical factors influencing the realistic changeover time
Whether a product change lies at the lower or upper end of the time scale depends on several factors.
Product matrix and risk
A change between similar products can take place quickly, whereas products containing allergens, strongly adhering or microbiologically critical products require deeper cleaning and often an additional release step.
Mechanical set-up times
Standardised changeover parts, clear interfaces and cleaning processes that can be prepared in advance shorten the downtime.
Drying phases
With powder processes, drying after wet cleaning is frequently the bottleneck in time terms. Self-draining geometries and good ventilation shorten this phase.
Hygiene class
Higher hygiene classes require stricter release criteria, for instance microbiological samples or additional checks, which can extend the overall duration.
Strategies for optimising product changeover times
To achieve short and stable changeover times, operations typically rely on SMED methodology, sensor-supported and validated cleaning as well as automated CIP and SIP controls with documentation. Downtimes can thereby be reduced and release processes reliably secured.
A practical guide value for planning
For a well-conceived modern plant in a hygienic design, the guide value for a complete product change including cleaning and mechanical set-up is generally 45 to 90 minutes. With complex changes involving an allergen change, sterilisation, dismantling and drying, approximately 3 hours, and in elaborate cases up to 4 hours, are realistic.
How amixon® shortens product changes and cleaning times in a hygienic design
The fastest cleaning step is the discharge
At amixon®, the product change begins with almost residue-free discharge. Free-flowing goods discharge from cone mixers and from the KoneSlid® mixer to 99.997 per cent and better; in vertical mixers, ComDisc® elements discharge the last remnants free of segregation, and in the HM context up to 99.997 per cent has been achieved. What has already left the mixer does not have to be cleaned, and precisely that reduces cleaning time, water consumption and detergent use directly.
A dry changeover and good accessibility
The large Clever-Cut® inspection doors with an OmgaSeal® seal make all product-contact surfaces ergonomically accessible. The mixing chamber, welded free of crevices and ground smooth, without dead spaces and without a lower shaft passage, can thereby be dry-cleaned quickly and reliably. With the KoneSlid®, all parts are expressly accessible for manual dry cleaning.
A wet changeover with programmable cleaning
For validated wet changeovers, for instance with allergens or when changing between savoury and sweet, washing lances are integrated; on request, amixon® supplies fully automatic wet cleaning. The target-jet cleaning nozzles are programmable, which saves water and shortens the cleaning process. The mixers meet the EHEDG guidelines for dry and wet cleaning regimes.
Rapid drying without a cooling period
A further important advantage is the amixon® drying system, which leaves the mixing chamber cold and nevertheless dries it excellently quickly and thoroughly. An additional cooling period is then not required, which shortens the entire changeover process further.
Realistic changeover times
Reliable time figures depend on the product, the cleaning regime and the drying requirement. amixon® determines the actual changeover times with the original product in the pilot plant as a robust basis for OEE planning and capacity calculation, before investment.
Manufacture and qualification
amixon® develops and manufactures exclusively at the Paderborn works with a high depth of manufacture and all components from Germany. As a certified welding company with European, Japanese, Korean and American qualifications, amixon® designs every apparatus as a one-off on the basis of the operator's URS, and quality control remains entirely in-house without gaps.
For regulated environments, amixon® supplies the plant in qualifiable form and assists on request with DQ, IQ and OQ. On request, the mixers meet relevant standards such as EHEDG, the FDA hygiene guidelines, the 3-A Sanitary Standards, USDA, GMP, ATEX and ASME.