The Financial Impact of Corrosion on Food Processing Facilities – Let SONARAY help you avoid downtime and keep the lights on!
If you are in Food Processing, you cannot afford to have expensive plant shutdowns due to corrosion. It is a huge issue for equipment, most notably for what we will talk about – lighting.
To start let us look at just how big the growing food industry is as it relates to our overall economy. According to www.foodindustry.com in a January 2023 article, the U.S. food industry is worth $1.5 trillion annually in the U.S.
And, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture this accounts for roughly 4% of the United States Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
With the growing population and the reality that people will now and always need to eat, food processing is one of the most important industries in the U.S. and our world. And food, and food processing touches us all. We need only turn on our television, log in to social media, or visit our local grocery store to see and feel all the things that affect food, including inflation, shortages, potential harmful outbreaks, and more. Ours is a country, world, and society tied directly to food and food processing.
Consider that the same article mentioned previously states that some 15 million people work in the industry, and this accounts for some $400 billion in wages and salaries.
With the huge demands on the food supply chain, so many people employed in the industry, and so many people intimately involved with food, it is no wonder that we have so many food regulations designed for our own good. And the impact of not conforming to those regulations is stark, expensive, and affects millions of people.
Lighting is not unaffected by these regulations. We see the strict regulations that require food processing facilities to adhere to these policies or face fines, experience being shut down, or both. That is why NSF lighting is a big industry all to itself.
The topic for this blog, however, is not about NSF regulations, but rather about a breakdown that affects lighting in a lot of different industries. That breakdown is corrosion and today we will talk about the effects of corrosion on food processing facilities.
In another article, this one specific to corrosion, and appearing in a citation from the American Coatings Association we learn that NACE International, the world’s leading corrosion control organization estimates the annual cost of corrosion in the U.S. food processing industry to come in at $2.1 billion.
Why is that number so high? In part because of the extensive requirements for food safety and sanitation within the food processing industry. After all corrosion prevention in the manufacturing environment is already a challenging issue because of the harsh conditions under which much of the production processes take place. Add in the additional strict requirements for food processing that take the complexity level up and it becomes extremely difficult to adhere to the regulations, keep the processes running, and avoid corrosion.
Corrosion in food processing environments can lead to equipment failures and downtime, costing the company significant amounts of money while also potentially affecting the quality and safety that is being, or has already been produced in the facility. Indeed, the need for cleanliness itself can be a contributing factor to corrosion in a food processing environment.
That’s because one of the leading causes of corrosion in food processing facilities is the extensive use of high-pressure water and steam. Many times water and steam are combined in use with various corrosive agents that may be alkaline, oxidizing, acidic, or otherwise have properties that directly impact the ability of equipment to maintain a non-corrosive status.
As it relates to lighting, and specifically SONARAY OBI light bars that are NSF/ANSI 2-rated, and are PSI tested to 3000 PSI, the process for having a food-safe option is accomplished, but so are the corrosive risk factors somewhat mitigated by the manufacturing process.
OBI light bars have the exceptional NSF standards and an IP69K rating that helps to deter ingress into the fixture, but the manufacturing process also lends itself well to minimize the risks for corrosion.
By utilizing oxidation technology in the manufacturing process specific lighting companies such as SONARAY design their lighting to meet not only lighting and food safety standards, but also to address the issues often found with corrosion. These manufacturing methods utilized by various companies revolve around what is known in lighting circles as anodization. This is really a key in oxidation technology, which is more fully explained below in information found from Robotic Paint Group
Oxidation technology, specifically anodization, is essential in lighting manufacturing. Anodization involves controlled metal oxidation, typically aluminum, to create a protective oxide coating. It improves corrosion resistance, durability, and aesthetics:
Aluminum Extrusion: Aluminum is extruded into desired shapes like heat sinks or frames due to its lightweight, durable, and heat-dissipating properties.
Surface Preparation: Aluminum surfaces are cleaned to remove impurities, ensuring proper coating adhesion and appearance.
Anodization Process: Aluminum parts are immersed in an acid solution, and controlled oxidation occurs when an electric current is applied. This forms an oxide coating, with thickness and quality controlled by voltage, current density, and time.
Dyeing (Optional): Anodized aluminum can be dyed by immersing it in a dye solution, allowing absorption for decorative finishes and colors.
Sealing: Pores in the oxide coating are sealed by expanding and closing them using hot water or steam. This enhances corrosion resistance and durability.
Finishing and Assembly: Anodized aluminum components are cut, drilled, and machined for desired shape and functionality. They are then assembled with other lighting parts.
Anodization benefits include increased corrosion resistance, durability, and diverse decorative finishes, meeting lighting design requirements.
In talking with SONARAY engineers they describe the oxidation process treatment used at SONARAY in the way explained below along with some commentary on what the treatment means as it relates to corrosive prevention.
“The oxidation treatment of aluminum profiles generates AL2O3 (aluminum oxide), which forms a dense and uniform oxide film on the surface of the aluminum profile, preventing the substrate from coming into contact with water or air (oxygen, acid, alkali), so that the substrate will not continue to oxidize.
Additionally, AL2O3 (aluminum oxide) is difficult to react chemically with weak acids and bases, resulting in better corrosion resistance.
For example, doors and windows for home use, and aluminum for industrial use, all use this process to prevent corrosion.”
For lighting professionals and food production experts and companies around the globe, food processing and the potential impacts of corrosion pose an extremely prominent area of both concern and opportunity.
Working together with lighting companies such as SONARAY can help to minimize the extreme negative financial implications that may impact facilities who make their living in food processing.
Downtime is never your friend in production environments and things we often can take for granted can turn out to have far reaching implications that affect real lives, shareholders, and even the health of an area that may have one large employer who is affected and specific to food processing.
To learn more about the products that SONARAY has to offer in the food safety realm, please visit www.sonarayled.com.
SONARAY utilizes anti-corrosive treatment on many of its fixtures both designed for food processing and in other areas for lighting. The company’s unique fixtures and manufacturing processes make it a leader for safe lighting across a range of industries.
So, if you manage a food processing environment, do not allow lighting to become part of this $2.1 billion corrosion problem in the U.S. Keep your lighting safe, clear, cost-efficient, effective, and anti-corrosive with fixtures such as those manufactured by SONARAY. You will have less of a chance of shutdown and a better opportunity for efficient, long-lasting operation along with safer food for consumers and better returns for all your stakeholders.
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