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NEW ALTERNATIVE FOR CIP PROCESS USERS
28 May 2006 - Greene Tweed & Co Benelux BV
| Pharmaceutical companies who employ CIP processes have had to make tough decisions-such as choosing the proper elastomer-for some of their most demanding cleaning programs. Recent tests in a CIP system at Pfizer's Littitz, Pa., facility point to Greene, Tweed's Fluoraz, a TFE/P fluoroelastomer, as the ideal elastomer for withstanding the extreme conditions found in CIP processes. |
Pharmaceutical companies who employ CIP processes have had to make tough decisions-such as choosing the proper elastomer-for some of their most demanding cleaning programs. Recent tests in a CIP system at Pfizer's Littitz, Pa., facility point to Greene, Tweed's Fluoraz, a TFE/P fluoroelastomer, as the ideal elastomer for withstanding the extreme conditions found in CIP processes. Unlike EPDMs that have a limited temperature range, FKMs that can't survive the harshness of potassium hydroxide, or PTFEs that leak, Fluoraz is a true base-resistant elastomer. Testing at the Pfizer site showed FKM gaskets virtually destroyed by Steris's CIP 100 in just 30 minutes at 120ºC (248ºF). Additionally, concerns about potential extractables entering creams and ointments troubled Pfizer. Test results showed that 94 percent of the Viton seals (16 out of 17) used by Pfizer were damaged at operating temperatures and normal cleaning flow rates while Greene, Tweed's Fluoraz gaskets showed no signs of damage. Fluoraz allows pharmaceutical companies to increase the level of cleanliness without having to be concerned about degrading their elastomer seals, or the possible contamination resulting from such seal degradation. CIP systems typically include a caustic wash and acid flush (usually phosphoric acid) followed by a buffer rinse. Not one of these solutions affects Fluoraz's performance. Tim Duzick, Greene, Tweed's pharmaceutical product manager, remarked, "Many end users, such as Pfizer, are unaware that there is a safe, reliable elastomer that won't degrade in harsh environments common in CIP applications. Fluoraz gives users a true CIP-resistant elastomer-something they never had before." Fluoraz combines the steam and caustic resistance of EPDM with the heat resistance of a fluoroelastomer, providing the ideal sealing solution for steam-in-place and clean-in-place applications. Fluoraz is well suited for pharmaceutical companies who are looking to use higher temperature steam and stronger caustic cleaning agents but have been struggling to find an elastomer able to outlast these harsh conditions.
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About: Greene Tweed & Co Benelux BV
Greene, Tweed specialises in the development, manufacture and supply of rings, seals and profiles for industrial applications in which extremely high specifications are set for the material; brand names include Chemraz, WR and AR. An early product in the portfolio, the G-T Ring, was introduced and approved for use in the landing gear of the F-4 Phantom in 1964. The G-T Ring remains a core product in Aerospace landing gear today. As the business developed, strategy warranted the establishment of corporate headquarters in Kulpsville, Pa., USA. in the 1970s. With this foothold, the company expanded around the globe. In the early 1980s it introduced several versatile elastomers, such as Fluoraz, and designed pioneering product geometries, such as the first "capped seal." Arlon, a tough, high-temperature, semi-crystalline engineering polymer, also joined the product line, followed shortly by one of Greene, Tweed's most innovative products, Chemraz, a chemical-resistant elastomer, effective in the most extreme temperatures. Recognizing the race toward a global economy, Greene, Tweed began geographic expansion by opening offices in Germany, England and France. By the mid 1980s, Greene, Tweed had established a presence in the Pacific with a Japanese office. The Asian market has maintained its pattern of growth with additional offices today in Singapore and Korea. The turn of the century ushered in a new product, Orthtek, a lightweight, thermoplastic composite with high-strength and radiolucent properties, that satisfies the demands of the Medical and Biotechnology industry. Worldwide expansion has continued with new offices in the Netherlands, Italy and Spain. A tradition of creative and innovative ideas has also grown with the development of new products, from new composite technologies and vision systems to fibre optic connectors and extreme electrical connectors. Greene Tweed’s WR and AR product ranges are distributed by Flowserve all over Europe. In Belgium the Greene Tweed & Co products are also distributed by Humitab BVBA in St.Job in ‘t Goor.
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