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Lately, we’ve focused on refrigeration compressor packages, blogging about everything from mistakes you may be making with your daily logs to which factors you need to check regularly. This week, we provide an infographic to help you identify red flags that may signal compressor health issues.
Continue Reading “[Infographic] Refrigeration Compressor Red Flags”Are you failing to tend to what’s right underneath your feet? Though concrete freezer floors can last up to more than half a century, the underfloor heating system beneath still requires regular preventive maintenance. If you don’t take the proper precautions, frost can form in the sub-grade soils resulting in raised, cracked floors and a host of potential problems, including: safety concerns, operational issues and significant structural damage. Continue Reading “How to Prevent and Repair Frost Heave Under Your Freezer Floor”
Automation has gained plenty of traction in the food and beverage processing industry thanks to benefits including cost savings, labor reduction and increased food safety. However, a slew of national and international guidelines and requirements has made owning automation equipment more complex than ever before—with risk assessments an especially gray area. The good news? Clearer risk assessment requirements have arrived from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), offering more consistent expectations.
Refrigeration screw compressors use axial thrust load bearings—and they have a life expectancy that will begin to fail over time. At one time or another, all food processors and beverage manufacturers will be in the market for a refrigeration compressor rebuild or replacement. Because the compressor and its bearings will deteriorate over time, staying on top of its performance is crucial to avoiding a catastrophic failure. Here are three methods that can help gauge your compressor’s fitness.
Continue Reading “3 Ways to Determine the Fitness of Your Refrigeration Compressor”
When cooling loads change gradually, your refrigeration equipment and controls undergo gradual changes and your system remains stable and efficient. However, if rapid load fluctuations occur as a result of production or sanitation activities, many systems experience pressure or temperature fluctuations, which can cause sanitation and quality issues as well as increased energy usage. There are several strategies food manufacturers can employ to deal with these challenges. Continue Reading “How Production Loads in Your Food Processing Plant Affect Refrigeration Efficiency and Stability”
What if I told you that your facility could shorten its process safety management (PSM) audit from four days to four hours? This was a reality for a plant I audited recently—all thanks to its digital PSM program. Digital PSM programs are becoming more widely viewed as a best practice for facility owners, requiring less time and resources for auditing and documentation. In an era where we’re all short on time and resources, I’ve outlined below how a digital PSM program can save you both. Continue Reading “How a Digital PSM Program Can Save You Time”
Does your management team actually understand what’s involved in process safety management (PSM)? For many organizations, the answer is “no.” Management often doesn’t realize how much goes into completing each of the 14 PSM elements, telling their teams to simply “get it done.” However, there are ways to increase management’s PSM involvement. Continue Reading “How to Get Management More Involved in Your PSM Program”
A process hazard analysis (PHA) is just one of the 14 essential process safety management (PSM) elements, but it’s also one of the most important. A PHA is extremely detailed, designed to examine and address potential hazards associated with handling highly hazardous chemicals. Do you have all of your bases covered? Continue Reading “7 Items Your Process Hazard Analysis Must Address”
Don’t let your food processing plant’s process safety management (PSM) audit take you by surprise. Preparation is paramount, and self-auditing is key. Here are some tips for performing a self audit in your facility.
Continue Reading “Are You Self-Auditing for PSM Compliance? You Should Be”
Preventive maintenance should be one of your key strategies to keeping your plant’s assets healthy. While equipment upkeep and parts replacements are necessary, there are ways you can reduce your preventive maintenance costs without decreasing your food processing facility’s operational efficiencies.
Continue Reading “5 Ways to Reduce Preventive Maintenance Costs for Your Food Processing Plant”
![[Infographic] Refrigeration Compressor Red Flags](https://stellarfoodforthought.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/REP-stellar-infographic.jpg)
