Cleaning is a major issue in manufacturing operations.
Failure to clean and sanitize properly results in more than an ugly package. In
extreme cases, it can result in consumer illness or even death. In today’s
plant, two general methods of cleaning are typically used:
1. Clean Out of Place (COP) is a cleaning process where the
equipment is disassembled. The parts are transferred to a wash area where they
are cleaned and sanitized. They may then be stored or reinstalled. COP systems
may be manual or may be automated, using a washing machine.
2. Clean In Place (CIP) requires minimal or no disassembly.
CIP techniques include spray balls, pigs and valving systems. Ideally, at the
end of the process the operator will press a button and the entire cycle will
take place with no further intervention. In actuality, many systems require the
connection of piping, sprayballs, drain hoses and the like. Some systems
require the removal and manual cleaning of some components.
CIP systems have many attractions. Perhaps the greatest
attraction is that they remove the operator from the cleaning. This eliminates
variability and gives a process that is (or should be) identical, cycle after
cycle. CIP also acts as a barrier between the operator and potentially
hazardous chemicals in either the product or the cleaning process. Finally, CIP
eliminates the lost time as well as machine wear and tear caused by disassembly
and reassembly.
CIP is no magic panacea, though. CIP systems are complex and
require a higher level skill set to design and maintain. If the equipment
cannot be used during the CIP cycle, it may increase the amount of downtime.
COP with multiple sets of parts allows the equipment to run during off-line
cleaning. Validation of a CIP system needs to be more rigorous as there is less
opportunity for visual inspection of the results. Finally, CIP is not cheap; it
will normally incur a substantial capital cost which may or may not be offset
by improved operational efficiencies.
So,
CIP or COP? It cannot be an automatic decision. The pros and cons of both must
be carefully evaluated to determine what is best for each situation.F&BP
