Once the preserve of pharmaceutical and medical device injection moulding, cleanroom production facilities are now cropping up in the automotive, micro-electronics and bio-technology sectors too. Yet, cumbersome planning and smaller factory footprints means many moulders seeking to eliminate contamination from plastic parts are shifting their thinking from large, fixed cleanrooms and seeking more compact, mobile systems, observes Nigel Flowers, Managing Director at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK

"Freezing bread is the best way to preserve that crusty loaf for the longest time possible. Wrap tightly in a freezer bag, either whole or sliced. I like to put wax paper between slices when I freeze, as this makes it easier to take out just what I need. Defrosting a whole frozen loaf in the refrigerator overnight is the best way; out on the counter it can get soggy, and while it will toast just fine, it makes for a better loaf in the fridge. Also, don't forget to unwrap from the freezer bag when defrosting. This keeps any water from pooling while it defrosts. And if defrosting seems daunting, not to worry: You can always reheat bread straight from the freezer. For a whole loaf, try baking at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, while slices can be popped right in the toaster."

“Over and above its primary purpose, the six-axis robot offers secondary operations including assembly and palletising - giving added value for manufacturers seeking expansion options and faster pay back,” adds Nigel. The final element of the turnkey system is an AVT fully integrated packing system, which bags multiple products in the controlled conditions before they exit the machine.

"Bread boxes are a great way to keep bread, and a fun way to add style to your kitchen. They have small holes in them, which allow just a little air to circulate, keeping bread from molding. If you have pest concerns and prefer to keep bread in an airtight container, try tossing in a slice of bread with your loaf. The slice with more surface area will attract water and help control the moisture content in your container."

He continues: “A self-contained unit like this offers a lower-investment entry into cleanroom manufacturing in what may otherwise be cost prohibitive. What’s more, it can actually maintain a higher output, as people don’t need to enter or leave the cleanroom, resulting in continuous, uninterrupted production.”

Paper over plastic, freeze over refrigerate, and bread boxes galore. Madelyn Osten, former head baker at Sullivan Street Bakery's Miami outpost, reveals the biggest tips for successfully storing bread, so you can get the most out of your favorite loaf while avoiding unwanted mold, crust, and moisture.

"A fresh loaf of bread is best eaten within two to three days. If you plan on devouring it right away, then keeping it in a paper bag on the counter is the move. While storing in plastic seems like the right idea, this actually encourages mold growth, resulting in the bread going bad much faster. I also save the heels of my bread and use them as covers for the cut side of my loaf. Keeping the cut side of your loaf as unexposed as possible will also help retain its freshness."

New York-based Sullivan Street Bakery, founded in 1994 by James Beard Award-winning baker Jim Lahey, brought its highly acclaimed bread down south in 2017. Today, it operates a production facility in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood, baking and distributing its rustic bread to a number of restaurants, hotels, country clubs, and venues in the South Florida region. The bakery's retail partnerships with shops like Milam's Market make bread storage even more important to its operation.

"If you're looking for a more versatile or eco-friendly way to preserve your bread, try a reusable bread bag. There are more on the market these days and many are machine washable and work great in the freezer. Take them with you to the store and toss that fresh loaf right in. These can be a nice alternative to a paper bag that can get torn and always seems to let crumbs escape onto the counter. Reusable bags are made of breathable materials, so they behave like paper bags without the waste. Ranging from $7 to $20, they're a great investment for a bread (and environment) lover at any level."

It unites all the technology in one unit and by automating the entire process from moulding to packing, it helps to eliminate human contamination risks.”

The company’s activeCell system - a self-contained injection moulding cleanroom - achieves ISO Class 7 manufacturing performance, yet only requires approximately 13 square metres of floor space for the 160 version. “The space occupied by a fixed injection moulding cleanroom with air filtration system could measure anything from 32 to 50 square metres,” notes Nigel. “What’s more, they can be expensive to build and costly to operate and maintain.”

"Where you store your loaf can be just as important as how you store it. Bread goes on top of the refrigerator, right? Try again! Keeping bread on the fridge will cause paper-bagged bread to dry out, and plastic-bagged bread to mold faster. This comes from all the heat your fridge is putting out. Same for storing near a dishwasher; the excess heat and moisture these appliances give off is not bread-friendly. Try to store bread in a cool and dry area of your kitchen. If not out on the counter, then in a cabinet or a deep drawer."

Cleanroom Technology keeps decision-makers worldwide updated on contamination control via digital, live, and print platforms. Our articles span the cleanroom lifecycle, from design to maintenance, including monitoring and compliance. Editors deliver breaking news, product launches, and innovations, and also commission exclusives on technical trends from industry experts

Store and/or access information on a device. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners (vendors)

Operating as a system integrator, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag oversees the entire project and installation, in addition to providing rapid response, post-sales service, customer support and spares from a single source. “The machine is built to specification and tested off site, with final certification completed on site as the results are unique to each manufacturing environment. This means a clean room system can be installed and certified in several days rather than weeks,” ends Nigel.

To achieve a clean production environment, the main focus must be on the end product, i.e. the formed parts must be protected from contamination, Nigel explains. “In practice, this means that the path of the formed parts out of the mould for packaging or further processing is critically reviewed. The moulder should have a clean-room zone which, with a minimum of expenditure for technical equipment, offers maximum protection from contamination in relation to the application.”

“activeCell not only takes up less production space, it challenges the traditional approach to cleanroom production,” says Nigel.

Available in 100, 160, 220 and 280 tonne formats, the compact fully guarded cell is only 500mm wider than a standard machine. Yet it incorporates all the required ancillaries. The cell features laminar air flow systems sourced from Max Petek. These flood the mould surface and part handling areas with HEPA filtered air. Once parts are moulded, a Motoman six-axis robot quickly and accurately transfers product to the conveyor system, chute or packaging system as required.

The all-electric compact turnkey system is equipped with a platen mounted six-axis robot, laminar airflow cabinets for particle free air in the mould-space area and integral packaging equipment. Nigel puts this into context: “In effect, it means the parts produced never have to leave the cleanroom environment until they have been packed.”

As a solution, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag engineered a fully configured injection moulding machine, which in itself is a full clean room cell, enclosing all the exposed points where a plastic component may come into contact with the environment. Designed to manufacture single or multi-components, activeCell is readily certified to ISO Class 7 (10,0000) requirements to comply with GAMP and FDA standards as well as DQ, IQ and OQ documentation.