Cleaning and Sanitation Procedures

Problem

Product debris accumulates around the sealing and forming areas, film residue builds on rollers and guides, and hygiene-critical applications add their own compliance expectations. Left in place, contamination surfaces as seal faults, film tracking drift and failed hygiene inspections.

Possible Causes

1. Cleaning is occasional and reactive rather than a fixed end-of-shift routine.
2. Unapproved cleaning agents or methods attack components or leave residues.
3. Cleaning happens with the machine powered, risking injury and skipping locked-out areas.
4. Electrical components and cabinets are exposed to liquids during washdown.
5. Hygiene requirements specific to the application (food, pharma, cosmetic) are not reflected in the routine.

What to Check

• STEP 1Stop and isolate the machine.Cleaning is performed per the lockout procedure in your machine manual — never on a running machine.
• STEP 2Use only approved materials.Cleaning agents, cloths and tools must be those approved in the machine manual and compatible with your application's hygiene rules.
• STEP 3Clean the product-contact zones.Infeed, guides and transfer points: remove product debris first, then wipe surfaces.
• STEP 4Clean the film path and sealing area.Rollers, guides and jaw faces free of film residue and product buildup — the two areas where contamination becomes quality faults fastest.
• STEP 5Protect electrical components.No direct liquid spray on cabinets, sensors or drives; wipe, do not wash, electrical areas.

Corrective Actions

• Make the product-contact and sealing-area cleans a fixed end-of-shift routine, signed per shift.
• Match the depth of the routine to your application — hygiene-regulated productions follow their site sanitation program on top of the machine manual.
• Stock only approved cleaning materials at the machine so substitution never becomes routine.
• Log any residue or buildup that returns abnormally fast — it points to a process or wear issue worth a support case.