When it comes to food and beverage manufacturing, maintaining uninterrupted production and ensuring food safety are critical. However, common electrical design mistakes can lead to costly breakdowns, prolonged downtimes, and even compromise product safety. Here are five basic mistakes in electrical design that could be putting your plant's productivity and compliance at risk.
1. Improper Equipment Sizing and Load Distribution
Electrical equipment must be sized correctly to handle the loads required by different sections of a food processing plant. Overloading or under-sizing equipment can lead to overheating, premature failure, and frequent breakdowns. Here are a few examples:
Overloaded Motors on Production Lines: When motors are undersized, they are prone to overheating, leading to frequent maintenance and early replacement. An overloaded motor in a packaging line can stop the entire production, causing delays and increasing downtime costs.
Inadequate Sizing of Chillers: In beverage manufacturing, improperly sized chillers may not maintain the required temperatures, leading to product spoilage or compromised safety due to insufficient cooling.
Unbalanced Load Distribution Across Phases: In many plants, load imbalances due to improper equipment distribution can create phase disruptions and impact equipment efficiency.
Insufficient Power for Processing Equipment: Underpowered equipment often results in power drops and production lags, especially in high-demand areas like bottling or filling sections.
HVAC System Overload: In environments with strict temperature control, under-sized HVAC systems struggle to maintain required conditions, which affects product quality and food safety.
2. Lack of Proper Earthing and Bonding
Earthing and bonding are fundamental to safety and equipment longevity. Without it, equipment can accumulate static charge, which can be hazardous in food production environments. Here are key examples:
Static Discharge Near Powder Processing Areas: Improper grounding in powder-handling sections can cause sparks, leading to fire hazards or product contamination.
Unbonded Equipment Frames: Inadequate bonding on equipment frames can cause electrical shock hazards for maintenance personnel or operators, resulting in safety risks and potential liability.
Electric Shock Risks in Wet Areas: In high-moisture areas, lack of proper earthing increases the risk of electric shocks for workers, especially when working with metal machinery.
Damage to Sensitive Electronics: Without earthing, voltage spikes can damage sensitive electronics, such as control panels and sensors, leading to frequent replacements.
Non-Conforming Bonding in Stainless-Steel Zones: Bonding issues in stainless-steel equipment areas can lead to corrosion or faulty operation of key equipment.
3. Inadequate Protection Against Voltage Fluctuations
Voltage fluctuations can lead to significant disruptions in food processing. Consistent power quality is crucial to prevent frequent outages and maintain the safety of food products. Here are a few issues that arise due to poor voltage protection:
Failure of Temperature-Controlled Equipment: Voltage fluctuations can destabilize refrigeration units, leading to temperature rises that spoil perishable items and compromise food safety.
Inconsistent Performance in High-Power Equipment: In roller mills or grinders, voltage instability can cause equipment to operate erratically, risking damage to machinery and production inefficiencies.
Increased Downtime for Heat-Sensitive Processes: In processes like pasteurization, voltage dips can interrupt heating, leading to under-processed batches that are unsafe for consumption.
Wear and Tear on Motors: Voltage surges stress motor windings, shortening equipment lifespan and increasing maintenance costs.
Control Panel Malfunctions: Sensitive electronic controls are highly susceptible to voltage spikes, leading to errors in automated processes and higher repair costs.
4. Poor Cable Management and Protection
Effective cable management is often overlooked, yet it's essential for both hygienic safety and plant reliability. Cables left exposed or improperly managed can introduce safety hazards and cause operational issues. Here’s how:
Exposure to Cleaning Chemicals: Exposed cables in food processing zones are vulnerable to water and chemicals, leading to insulation breakdown and electrical hazards.
Physical Damage in High-Traffic Areas: In areas with heavy machinery or foot traffic, unprotected cables are prone to abrasion and cuts, increasing the risk of power loss or short circuits.
Difficulty in Routine Cleaning: Poorly managed cables accumulate dust and debris, posing hygiene risks in zones where cleanliness is paramount.
Unprotected Connections in Wet Areas: Cables and connectors left exposed to moisture can lead to short circuits, causing interruptions in production and posing safety risks.
Crossed or Tangled Power and Data Cables: Mixing power and data cables without proper separation can lead to electromagnetic interference, affecting equipment performance and data accuracy.
5. Failure to Use Food-Grade Electrical Components and Poor Panel Layout
Food-grade electrical components are critical for ensuring hygienic engineering in a plant setting. Similarly, proper layout and accessibility of control panels simplify maintenance, improve safety, and support compliance. Key issues that arise from neglecting this include:
Corrosion-Prone Electrical Parts: Standard components are prone to corrosion when exposed to the aggressive cleaning agents used in food plants, leading to frequent breakdowns and contamination risks.
Complex Panel Layouts Leading to Extended Downtime: Inaccessible or cramped control panels make troubleshooting difficult, prolonging downtimes during critical breakdowns.
Non-Sealed Components in Washdown Areas: Using non-waterproof components in washdown areas can lead to short circuits and unplanned halts.
Failure to Meet Regulatory Standards: Food-grade components are necessary for meeting food safety regulations. Failure to comply can result in costly fines or even plant shutdowns.
Risk of Cross-Contamination: Non-food-grade materials can deteriorate and contaminate food products, particularly in high-heat or acidic areas where electrical parts are vulnerable.
Final Thought
Avoiding these common electrical design mistakes in food and beverage manufacturing plants isn’t just about maintaining production efficiency. It’s about safeguarding food safety, protecting your plant from costly downtimes, and ensuring compliance with hygiene standards. Implementing a proactive approach to electrical design—such as proper equipment sizing, effective earthing, voltage protection, cable management, and the use of food-grade components—enhances operational stability and minimizes the risk of business loss. Investing in these foundational improvements can lead to long-term savings and peace of mind, ensuring your plant is safe, compliant, and productive.
PMG stands for Projects Management Group. We provide world-class Engineering Services to build great food processing factories. 
Engineering is the difference between Chaos and Excellence. If you are going to do it, do it right. 
Explore the diverse range of Products in the Food Processing Industry. 
Explore the technologies at the heart of the the Food Processing Industry. 
Filter
