Optical sensors gain EHEDG certification

Wherever food, beverages, pharmaceutical products or even cosmetics are manufactured, processed or packaged, 53 and 55 series 'hygiene' or 'wash-down' sensors help machine builders to ensure equipment complies with strict plant hygiene standards. Leuze electronic developed these sensors as the equivalent to its standard 3B series sensors for dry applications, featuring scalable housing technology. Their V4 stainless steel housings make them suitable for areas in which intensive cleaning and disinfection cycles take place.

The new sensors comply with the requirements set out by ECOLAB, IP67, IP69K and also Leuze's own self-imposed CleanProof+ standards. In contrast to the 55 series, the series 53 sensors omit the customary fastening holes in a bid to eliminate any last foothold for the accumulation of dirt deposits. Instead they feature a fitting at the cable terminal acting as a gas-tight adapter. The hygienic design of the series 53 optosensors has also been certified by the Weihenstephan Research Centre for Brewery and Food Quality at the Technical University of Munich in accordance with EHEDG recommendation number 8 (Hygienic Equipment Design Criteria). In principle, this qualification includes the requirements imposed by standards DIN EN 1672-2: 2005, DIN EN ISO 14159:2004 and the Machine Directive 98/37/EEC, as well as the new machinery Directive 2006/42/EEC.

In all three versions (the standard, 'wash-down' and 'hygiene' designs), these Leuze electronic sensors provide identical functional scope with similar device dimensions, making available a standardised, easy-to-integrate sensor to the plant and machine engineering sector. The choice of designs permits the optimum model to be picked in line with the anticipated cleaning requirements. The standardised functional capabilities of the different models also help cut down the amount of testing and documentation for users.