Today, across the United States and beyond, factories and plants are hard at work creating food and drinks, and the food industry makes good use of industrial parts like any other manufacturing sector. There is more to modern food and drinks than a farmer’s wheat fields. Rather, many liquids such as milk and soft drinks are processed in industrial plants, along with many liquids used for food from chocolate syrup to maple syrup and ketchup, and beyond. This is where stainless steel sanitary tubing is used, and sanitary pipe valves, sanitary clamps, and sanitary welding are all used to ensure that all materials are fit for human consumption. Such stainless steel sanitary tubing should be kept in good shape to prevent leaks, but they must also be kept clean or else a public health hazard may arise. How can steel play a part in making stainless steel sanitary tubing, and what other materials may be used?

Steel Today

Steel is one of the most widely used metals in the modern world, and it also enjoys a high recycle rate close to 90% or so. The United States, Canada, Germany, and China are known for making a lot of steel, and a lot of steel goes toward constructing buildings and vehicles such as airplanes. Not all of it, however. Stainless steel 316, for example, is used to make lab equipment, boat fittings, pharmaceutical processing gear, and chemical containers as well. It may be noted that not only do a variety of steels exist, but sometimes, alloys are used. An alloy is a composite or two or more metals, with refined ratios and ingredient metals used to create the final product. Such alloys are used when ordinary metals would suffer during work, and alloys are meant to endure extremes of temperature, pressure, and corrosion. When it comes to storing pharmaceutical chemicals, for example, ordinary steel might get degraded, but a specialized steel alloy could handle it. This also means that stainless steel sanitary tubing is no ordinary set of metal pipes; the metal can endure repeated exposure to chemicals and organic compound without corrosion, leaks, or degradation over time.

Making Pipes Run

The valves, pumps, and pipes in a factory or plant will not only be the correct shape for the materials and their quantity, but also the right materials. Some liquids put more of a strain on their host pipes or valves than others, and a plant will be built accordingly. Water may be running through some pipes and pumps to make bottled water, for example, and water may only need plastic pipes and pumps in many cases. Such a plant may use plastic pumps that have rotating fan blades to move the liquids in an intended direction with safe pressure, and the same might be done for dairy products. However, some other liquids may be more demanding.

In the case of soft drinks or pharmaceutical chemicals, stainless steel sanitary tubing must be designed and installed not only to endure the chemicals and their pressure, but also ensure that no harmful bacteria or other contamination takes place. These pipes are not carrying sewage or plant fertilizer ingredients; they are carrying materials that people will eat and drink, so naturally, sanitation is a key factor. Such stainless steel sanitary tubing may be regularly inspected by professionals to ensure that there is no contamination or leak or any kind, or else the faulty material may be replaced or repaired and some commercially released products may have to be recalled. Dirty or leaking pipes may constitute a health hazard, so of course, they will be built and installed in the cleanest and most sanitary conditions to prevent unwanted organic compounds or microorganisms from getting into the system. Molds, bacteria, viruses, and more could contaminate the pipes’ contents if a sloppy job was done, and that could soon spell trouble. Pumps and valves may also be regularly checked for any contamination issues or leaks, even plastic ones that are used for bottled water or dairy products. If a plant passes its safety inspections like this, it will continue operations as normal with safe contents in all its stainless steel sanitary tubing.