8 Benefits of Pigging Systems for the Food Industry
Product recovery, or “pigging,” is one of the most effective ways to improve product yields, reduce waste, speed up production time, and save resources. Here are 8 benefits of pigging systems for the food industry and similar sanitary processors:
1. Minimize Product Loss
Sanitary pigging systems recapture significant savings in the form of usable product from process piping. This allows processors to:
- Keep pace with production demands.
- Reduce waste.
- Generate more end product to sell for consumer consumption.
- Add to the bottom line through process streamlining, leading to boosted efficiency and greater uptime.
2. Achieve Safe Separation of Product with High Capture Rate
LIAG offers a uniquely designed pigging system that ensures a high capture rate. The 2-seal lip pig and homogeneous hygienic design:
- Recovers more product than competitors’ pigs.
- Further reduces the risk of cross-contamination from product left in the pipe.
3. Reduce Cleaning Time
When you start a cleaning process with pipes that have been pigged you are already one step ahead in the cleaning procedure. There is less product to remove, reducing the effort and resources needed to clean process piping. Pigging procedures allow for:
- Quicker, less intensive cleaning that decreases labor costs and downtime.
4. Increase Uptime
- Less time cleaning means greater production time!
- Pigging systems for the food industry add to uptime through decreased cleaning times, process streamlining, and flexibility.
5. Speed Up Changeovers
- Manufacturing flexibility is critical to keep up with today’s customer demands. Designating a single line to each product isn’t realistic for most producers, so they are left with the pain points of high waste costs and production downtime during product changeovers.
- The use of all types of pigging speeds up changeovers due to the reduced time allotment for the wash cycle.
6. Maximize Product Quality & Yield
- Greater product yields are the most obvious benefit of all types of pigging systems. Even the best designed sanitary process systems will have leftover residual. Pigging recaptures the residue and makes it useable product instead of waste.
- Pigging systems are particularly beneficial to producers that run any sticky, thick, or viscous products regularly. The higher the product viscosity the greater the amount of leftover residue.
7. Reduce Water Waste & Use
- With a high capture rate of product left in the pipe the CIP processes require a reduced amount of cleaning chemicals and water. The results are decreased waste processing charges and reduction of utilities cost and use.
8. Decrease Negative Impact on the Environment
- Pigging systems save water, eliminate waste, and reduce the number of hazardous chemicals associated with cleaning. Utilities, chemicals, and waste processing are not only costly, but they negatively impact the environment. Pigging systems for the food industry offer significant benefits for environmentally conscious producers.
Types of Pigging Systems
Although rather straightforward, hygienic pigging systems for the food industry are not one-size-fit all solutions. Deployment of a pigging system in an existing food process or new build requires evaluation and specifications based on the particulars of the process. LIAG, our pigging partner, offers DMV Product Recovery Systems that can be broken down to five main types of pigging systems, including:
- One-way system
- Single-loop system
- Two-way with turning station
- Double-loop system
- Ring system
To learn more about hygienic pigging systems and where to get started, check out Rodem’s Guide to Hygienic Pigging Systems and What You Need to Build a Hygienic Pigging System.
For a full analysis and recommendations based on your needs, consult a pigging system expert. Sanitary pigging systems offer a high return on investment and can typically offer a one-year payback on initial investment. Ask a Rodem representative to help determine which type of pigging system is best for your application and calculate your potential savings from a sanitary pigging system installation.