A worrying trend among Australia's major resource companies is the increasing amount of engineering, detailing and fabrication work being sent offshore - a move that has had significant impact on local fabrication. But there are some positive signs in the food and beverage sector that local fabricators are more than capable of meeting design and fabrication expectations.

When ASSDA member and Accredited Fabricator, A&G Engineering, put in a bid to build 10 x 100 hectolitre beer fermenters for Casella Estate - a company best known for their Yellowtail wine label - they had to compete against companies as far

Stainless steel forms a significant part of a beef abattoir, including the conveyors, fixed and elevated platforms, sterilisers, chutes, hand wash basins and, of late, water supply and wastewater piping. The stainless component may now expand even further in new abattoirs with the recent development of cast stainless steel skids and forged hooks for use on dressing conveyors.

Dressing conveyors in beef abattoirs traditionally use rollers rather than a skid system or, in some cases, extruded aluminium skids and hooks are used. Both of these systems have limited service lives due to the weight of the beasts. They also result

15 million dollars worth of stainless steel has been used to construct the largest rotary fermentation area in Australia.

The facility at Southcorp's Karadoc Winery in Victoria comprises 88 stainless steel red grade processing tanks, pipes and tubes, brine jackets and rotary fermenters.

Southcorp Wines Engineering Manager (Eastern Region) Geoff Leighton said stainless steel was preferred by the wine industry because it is "corrosion resistant, provides a stable environment for the wine, is easy to clean and maintain and has a long service life."

Grade 304 stainless steel was used for the tanks, with a thickness range of 2mm -

Stainless steels are widely used in the food industries, including wine production, because of their corrosion resistance and ease of cleaning which result in negligible product contamination.

Long life can be expected from stainless steel equipment provided care is taken with:

> Vessel design
> Grade selection
> Fabrication procedures
> Maintenance practices.

The precautions to be taken are not complicated but are most important - neglecting to follow them can lead to rapid failure.

VESSEL DESIGN
Much can be done in the detailed design to improve corrosion resistance. The two cardinal rules are:

1. Design for complete and free

A stainless steel stackable wine storage and fermentation system has been adapted to carry water for use in hospitals. 

STAKVATs feature internal temperature control tubes and a sloped design for complete drainage and radius corners for protection against crevice corrosion and bacteria collection.

Each vat has a storage capacity of 900 litres, can be stacked five high and easily transported on a tray truck. They are also fork-liftable four ways.

The vats are made from grade 316 stainless steel sheet and grade 304 tube. Standard BSM grade 316 fittings are used for the outlets, with door handles and locking pins

Nearly four tonnes of stainless steel has been used to extend and upgrade facilities at Cape Clairault Winery in Western Australia's Margaret River region.

The project involved the installation of four 5 000 litre red wine hopper fermenters, four 12 000 litre and one 4 500 litre white wine storage tanks and the upgrade of 15 existing tanks of 1 000 -12 000 litre capacities.

Each hopper has a 20 degree sloping bottom to allow complete drainage after service. The design reduces the need for manual cleaning, a potentially dangerous practice due to the build-up of carbon dioxide in the

A combination of grades 304 and 316L stainless steel has been utilised for all contact surfaces in Murray Goulburn's milk processing plant in Rochester, Victoria, which was upgraded in 2000.

The plant comprises an evaporator to concentrate cow's milk and spray dryer to produce various milk powders. Approximately 100 000 litres of milk is processed per hour, with the majority of product for export to over 100 countries. The evaporator and dryer represent more than half of the total project, a capital investment of around A$50 million.

The stainless surfaces and components carry milk feed, evaporated vapour, milk concentrate, milk

A contaminant-free surface is a critical requirement of the food processing sector and electropolishing is a highly effective way to achieve the level of surface smoothness required for keeping stainless steel components scrupulously clean. 

Pillsbury Australia in Melbourne's outer east is one of a growing number of food processors who have opted for electropolishing for hygienic and durable stainless steel components. Pillsbury produces the fresh pasta brand Latina Fresh. The range consists of filled pasta types like ravioli and tortellini for which the fillings are cooked during manufacture, but the consumer completes the cooking process at home. For some years

A new technique for manufacturing high pressure cavity plate for heat exchange applications developed by the Australian stainless steel industry increases the options available to the food processing and manufacturing sectors. 

'Laser welded cavity plate' has been developed by ASSDA member J Furphy & Sons, a Shepparton fabricator of stainless steel tanks and processing equipment, as an alternative to resistance or plug welded dimple plate used for the heating or cooling jackets on stainless steel tanks, vessels and silos.

A wide range of industries stands to benefit from the new cavity plate, from dairy, brewing, food, wine, pulp and

The Australian construction and food processing sectors can specify stainless steel tube in large sizes with confidence in its quality and timely delivery, now that local production has commenced at a Victorian plant.

Manufacturing by an Australian firm will also make it easier for specificiers to communicate their special requirements.

Stainless Tube Mills' special purpose factory in Melbourne’s outer east is producing longitudinally welded tube in diameters up to 300mm and wall thicknesses up to 8mm – the largest seamwelded stainless steel tube available in Australia. Tube in this size range has always been imported.

The recently commissioned draw mill,

 A major new development project at the Jindalee Winery at Moorabool near Geelong utilises over 100 tonnes of grade 304 2B finish stainless steel.

Shepparton’s J Furphy & Sons fabricated 95 wine storage and fermentation tanks, ranging in size from 75,000 to 1,200 litres.

The new tanks provide almost three million litres of temperature-controlled storage capacity for grapes processed from the adjoining vineyard and a much larger vineyard which Jindalee’s owners, Vince and David Littore, operate in the Murray Darling region near Mildura.

Three years ago the Littore Brothers acquired the former Idyll Vineyard and winery at Geelong which they

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Posted 1 July 2003

John Hodgkinson is mad about hams! The managing director of ASSDA member Smo-King Ovens really loves his products and is passionate about helping butchers generate more business through their use.

You may not have noticed these stainless steel ovens that are an important element of nearly every quality butcher shop in Australia. Just as you can tell a good patisserie by their éclairs, you can tell a good butcher by their smoked hams!

Of 304 stainless steel construction, Smo-King ovens are used extensively for smoking and cooking hams, bacon, roast meats, poultry, fish and a wide

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Posted 1 July 2003

Consumers expect processed foods to be tasty and nutritious, affordable and safe. To meet these expectations, food contact equipment has to be hygienic and productive.

A manufacturer’s wish list for its food processing components might read like this:

>    durable, with easy release and easy-to-clean surface
>    inert, non-toxic and non-contaminating
>    corrosion-resistant and non-degrading
>    suited to continuous, in-line sanitation and cleaning
>    impervious and non-absorbent to food products, odours, stains and colourings
>    economical, reliable and safe over its entire working life
>    temperature versatile and highly conductive, eg from cooking to cryogenic temperatures

Lightweight stainless steel construction has allowed the proprietor of a Tasmanian cafe to expand operations without building new brick and mortar premises.

Page’s of the Mall is a stainless steel satellite to an existing cafe located in the busy Launceston Mall. Custom built for the site, it has proved popular and profitable since opening shortly before Christmas 2002.

The client, Mark Page, approached Launceston fabricator FAME Foley Industries with a particular brief: to construct a portable cafe catering to both take-away and sit-down trade which met standard refrigeration, food preparation and hygiene requirements. The unit had to conform to local

PDT Architects, Brisbane in association with HOK Sport, Venue and Event designed and documented the $280m Suncorp Stadium for the Queensland Government.

"It is the top grade material and that's what we wanted for the stadium...

When you take that the client is the people of Queensland, they expect the best to go into the stadium.

If they're paying $280 million for a stadium they want the thing to last and stainless will give you that longevity."

 

Director, John Brown of PDT Architects described the pros and cons of specifying stainless steel for the redevelopment of Lang Park (Suncorp

Brewed for Efficiency

When Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) announced plans last year to expand production capacity at the Yatala site in Queensland, the company considered both purchase of new stainless tankage as well as transfer of tanks from its Sydney brewery and re-use of second hand tanks in its inventory.

 Six such vessels had been stored by CUB on leased land in the City of Redcliffe, unsealed and exposed to the weather.

Constructed in 321 stainless, the 3 x 12 metre tanks were out of service for the last ten years and placed in the yard for future use.

Built on Reputation

Alistair Patterson has a flair for the food and beverage industry that borders on obsession. As the sole proprietor for ASSDA Accredited Fabricator, Australian Stainless Products, Patterson's reputation within the industry means when projects are on, he is onto it!

Australian Stainless Products are custom manufacturers of quality stainless steel food, beverage and pharmaceutical process products and equipment.

Established more than 20 years ago, Australian Stainless Products started out building basic dairy machinery, primarily small repairs and maintenance of equipment for a few of the local food processing equipment plants.

“Back then the business was basically building

As a general rule, the waste management method adopted for disposing of radioactive substances is critical. The main method of disposal is the dilution and dispersion of radioactive wastes using stainless steel equipment such as isotope flushing sinks

 

Last year, the University of Western Australia's School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences moved into the new $65M Molecular and Chemical Sciences building with state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment.

Generally, the materials used in biological sciences research work contain low radiotoxicity substances, however, full precautions are taken to ensure safe handling.

As part of the School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical

Australians really enjoy a good beer - at home barbeques, parties, music concerts, sporting events - in fact, everywhere!

World beer consumption is increasing by more than two per cent a year, a trend that is set to continue. There is an important relationship with beer consumption and demand for its main and critical ingredient - malt.

Malting is the partial germination and kilning of a grain, usually barley. Malt gives varying colour, flavour and body to beer depending on the style of malt being used.

Australia is a key player in the world market representing about 32 per cent

Hygiene and the 'cleanability' of equipment used in the production of food are paramount. The widespread use of stainless steel equipment in the food industry goes some way towards ensuring these criteria are met - but the assurances provided by stainless steel are only as good as the fabrication quality of the equipment.

Following a presentation at ASSDA’s annual conference in 2003 on the quality of food fabrications, particularly in the dairy industry, it became apparent that fabrication specifications, if they existed, were often inadequate and inconsistent.

As a result, ASSDA launched a co-operative venture, working closely with many fabricators