Pneumatics provider, SMC Corporation, has added a rod-type electric actuator to its range, specifically designed for use in the food industry, one of the largest manufacturing sectors in both Australia and New Zealand.
According to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the food industry accounts for around 20 per cent of domestic manufacturing sales and service income, an area that SMC is looking to further contribute to. The company announced in July that it is constructing a new technical centre in Japan to produce its smart automation solutions for the Asia Pacific region.
The HF2A-LEY series aims to meet the rigorous requirements of food manufacturing – complete with a IP69K protection from dust and water jets, stainless steel external parts and an NSF-H1 food grade rating, it is also capable of handling temperatures up to 85°C and high-pressure water jets of up to 10 Mpa.
SMC Corporation Australia New Zealand product marketing manager, Ming Liu, said the company’s R&D team keeps its finger on the pulse, and believes this is one of its greatest introductions in recent years.
“The new series embodies the precision and flexibility of an electric actuator with the hygiene requirements to operate in a stringent food factory,” said Liu.
“This opens up a world of opportunities for customers in food manufacturing. While it’s ideal for use across a wide array of applications with various load demands, it’s designed with food grade standards top-of-mind.”
“It’s an exciting time for SMC and our customers as we continue to develop new solutions to cover a broader range of applications. While we have always had a staggering 700,000 products in our range, there is always a need to listen to our customers and develop solutions for the modern manufacturing era,” he said.
The HF2A-LEY series joins SMC's extensive range of actuators, which includes the EQ electric actuator series that was introduced in May.
The range can be found online through Pirtek, the endorsed supplier of SMC products in Australia, at pirtek.com.au, or at SMC's website, smcworld.com.
Note: IP69K is the degree of protection against dust and high temperature/ high-pressure water washdown specified in DIN 40050-9 and currently specified in ISO 20653 and JIS D 5020.
