Simplifying complexity: How IMI solved a major clean industry production challenge

It’s an approach akin to Occam’s razor that dominates our thinking in product development. We’ll always start with a customer’s pressing production challenges, then consider how they can be solved with the simplest change.

Self-flushing ball valves are among the best examples of this principle in action. We first pioneered this technology in 2006, and it’s a relatively basic solution that has since proven indispensable to customers across a range of industries where hygiene is critical. In fact, the self-flushing feature is standard across all our ball valves and sets us apart from our competition.

Here’s how we reached that point.

Any effective product that prioritises hygiene will seek to eliminate so-called ‘dead zones’.

Dead zones pose a challenge for clean industries because they are stagnant areas. In these zones, the product can sometimes reach corners and crevices found in valves and pipework. It is also difficult to fully clear them during flushing or sterilisation cycles.

These conditions are ideal harbours for old products or media to remain undisturbed. If left unchecked for long enough, bacteria, moulds and other microorganisms are likely to thrive. This substantially increases the risk of contamination, requiring you to spend more time and resources properly cleaning the system before the next batch. Failure to do so can result in compliance violations and potentially costly product recalls. In short, it’s a risk that can also have a serious impact on your company’s bottom line.

Addressing dead zones is therefore essential for achieving lean production with high-quality product yields. And it’s where the development for our self-flushing ball valve design began.

https://vimeo.com/1168066334

Customers told us they were spending more time cleaning between production phases due to contamination. The culprit was often older, outdated technology, such as floating ball, diaphragm, and butterfly valves, which featured rough welds and awkward joints. All of these are ideal features that can stifle flow and create dead zones.

For many, the solution was to install filtration systems and condensation traps. These interventions are useful to some extent but ultimately fail to address the root cause of contamination. Over time, they are also more expensive and complex to maintain than a full valve replacement.

This is where the geometry of a ball valve comes into its own. Unlike competing designs, ball valves are inherently more effective for clean industries because they create internal turbulence, a ‘dishwashing’ effect that results from constant motion. They also offer a full-bore pathway, with internal diameters matching those of the adjoining pipework. The result of these two key features is a constant, uninterrupted flow that cleans and drains continuously.

Better, more comprehensive flow control is the greatest advantage offered by self-flushing ball valve technology, and it is worth reiterating that this standard feature is designed and manufactured solely by us at IMI. However, improved temperature control is another important change now prized by some of the world’s most recognisable names working across clean industries.

Those working in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, for instance, will often use low-pressure sterile steam between changeovers – i.e. sterilisation-in-place (SIP) cycles. This is essential for product purity and is a regulatory requirement. With a self-cleaning ball valve in place, internal temperatures remain constant, eliminating cold spots where condensation can begin to accumulate.

This is a relatively small change from a technical perspective, yet one that nevertheless provides some assurances for those at the sharp end of production.

Lean production principles also extend to purchasing, where the cheapest option is typically preferred. While understandable, this can often lead to the adoption of more affordable but ultimately less effective flow control technologies.

In some sectors, this decision will be more easily accommodated, and gradual inefficiencies can be overlooked until a process reaches total failure. However, for clean industries, where getting it right the first time is essential, it’s an approach that greatly increases your risk of batch errors.

This is why our self-cleaning ball valve technology has become an industry standard. Those working across production have recognised the competitive advantage of choosing a solution that guarantees a much greater degree of cleanability, drainability, and reliability.

Simple designs come with a short-term cost, but their value is soon recognised by those who use them long-term.

Visit our IMI PBM product page for more information on our clean-line valve products.