BS EN 12463:2021 - Food Processing Machinery: Filling Machines and Interchangeable Equipment

Standard Number: BS EN 12463:2021

Pages: 72

Released: January 22, 2021

ISBN: 978 0 539 00475 5

Status: Standard

Overview

The BS EN 12463:2021 is a comprehensive standard that addresses the safety and hygiene requirements for food processing machinery, specifically focusing on filling machines and interchangeable equipment. This standard is essential for manufacturers, engineers, and safety officers who are involved in the design, production, and maintenance of food processing machinery. It ensures that the equipment meets the highest safety and hygiene standards, which are crucial for protecting consumers and maintaining product quality.

Key Features

• Comprehensive Coverage: With 72 pages of detailed guidelines, this standard provides extensive coverage of safety and hygiene requirements for filling machines and interchangeable equipment used in food processing.
• Up-to-Date Information: Released on January 22, 2021, this standard reflects the latest advancements and regulatory requirements in the food processing industry.
• International Recognition: As a part of the EN standards, BS EN 12463:2021 is recognized across Europe and beyond, making it a valuable resource for companies operating in multiple countries.

Importance of Safety and Hygiene in Food Processing

In the food processing industry, safety and hygiene are of paramount importance. Contaminated food products can lead to severe health issues and damage a company's reputation. The BS EN 12463:2021 standard provides a framework to ensure that filling machines and interchangeable equipment are designed and maintained to prevent contamination and ensure the safety of food products.

Safety Requirements

The standard outlines specific safety requirements that must be met by filling machines and interchangeable equipment. These include:

• Mechanical Safety: Ensuring that machinery is designed to prevent accidents and injuries during operation and maintenance.
• Electrical Safety: Guidelines for electrical components to prevent hazards such as electric shocks and short circuits.
• Operational Safety: Procedures and controls to ensure safe operation under various conditions.

Hygiene Requirements

Maintaining hygiene in food processing is critical to prevent contamination and ensure product quality. The standard provides guidelines on:

• Material Selection: Using materials that are resistant to corrosion and easy to clean.
• Design Considerations: Designing equipment to minimize areas where food residues can accumulate.
• Cleaning Procedures: Establishing effective cleaning protocols to maintain hygiene standards.

Who Should Use This Standard?

The BS EN 12463:2021 standard is an invaluable resource for a wide range of professionals in the food processing industry, including:

• Manufacturers: To ensure that their products meet the required safety and hygiene standards.
• Engineers: To design and develop machinery that complies with the latest regulations.
• Quality Assurance Teams: To implement and monitor safety and hygiene practices.
• Regulatory Bodies: To assess compliance with industry standards.

Benefits of Compliance

Adhering to the BS EN 12463:2021 standard offers numerous benefits, including:

• Enhanced Safety: Reducing the risk of accidents and injuries in the workplace.
• Improved Hygiene: Ensuring that food products are safe for consumption and free from contamination.
• Regulatory Compliance: Meeting legal requirements and avoiding potential fines and penalties.
• Increased Consumer Confidence: Building trust with consumers by demonstrating a commitment to safety and quality.

Conclusion

The BS EN 12463:2021 standard is an essential tool for anyone involved in the food processing industry. By providing clear guidelines on safety and hygiene requirements for filling machines and interchangeable equipment, it helps ensure that food products are produced safely and hygienically. Compliance with this standard not only protects consumers but also enhances a company's reputation and competitiveness in the market.

BS EN 12463:2021

This standard BS EN 12463:2021 Food processing machinery. Filling machines and interchangeable equipment. Safety and hygiene requirements is classified in these ICS categories:

• 67.260 Plants and equipment for the food industry

1.1 General

This document applies to:

• filling machines with cylinder and piston;

• filling machines with feed intake hopper;

• filling machines with vacuum hopper;

hereafter referred to as filling machines which process, e.g. meat, cheese and other pasty substances, excluding dry or frozen materials. They pump foodstuff into casings or bring it to a subsequent process.

This document applies also to the interchangeable equipment for filling machines with which a wide range of additional functions can be implemented. For example: portioning, depositing, mincing, co-extruding, dividing and forming.

This document deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to filling machines and interchangeable equipment, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer and also the reasonably foreseeable misuse (see Clause 4).

These significant hazards, hazardous situations and events can arise during all the life phases including transportation, assembly, dismantling, disabling and scrapping of filling machines and interchangeable equipment.

This document is not applicable to filling machines and interchangeable equipment which were manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN.

The following filling machines and interchangeable equipment are not covered by this document:

• Filling and sealing machines as described in EN 415‑3:1999+A1:2009;

• Clipping machines as described in EN 13885:2005+A1:2010.

1.2 Types of filling machines and interchangeable equipment covered by this standard

1.2.1 Filling machines with cylinder and piston

Filling machines with cylinder and piston (see Figure 1) consist of the following main parts:

• cylinder;

• piston;

• closing cover;

• filling horn;

• dividing device.

• The material being processed will be fed by hand into the cylinder.

Filling machines with cylinder and piston can be fitted with a dividing device.

Figure 1 Example of a filling machine with cylinder and piston

Key

1	cylinder	4	filling horn
2	piston	5	dividing device
3	closing cover	6	knee lever

1.2.2 Filling machines with feed intake hopper

Filling machines with feed intake hopper (see Figure 2) consist of the following main parts:

• feed intake hopper;

• feeder;

• filling horn.

The material being processed will be fed by hand (or optionally a loading device) into the feeding hopper of the filling machine.

Filling machines with feed intake hopper can be equipped with:

• dividing device (see Figure 7a));

• closing cover or photoelectric guard at the mouth of the feed intake hopper (see Figure 10);

• pressure-sensitive protective device at the hopper edge (see Figure 10);

• divided hopper (see Figure 11);

• infeed auger (see Figure 12);

• counter auger (see Figure 12);

• step or ladder (see Figure 8 and Figure 9);

• two-hand control device at the mouth of the feed intake hopper (see Figure 9).

Figure 2 Example of a filling machine with feed intake hopper

Key

1	feed intake hopper	3	filling horn
2	feeder	4	knee lever

1.2.3 Filling machines with vacuum hopper

Filling machines with vacuum hopper (see Figure 3) consist of the following main parts:

• vacuum hopper;

• feeder;

• outlet;

• closing cover;

• inlet valve;

• suction pipe;

• storage container;

• pipe connection inlet.

The material being processed will be fed by hand (or optionally a loading device) into the storage container.

Filling machines with vacuum hoppers can be equipped with:

• dividing device;

• infeed auger (see Figure 12);

• counter auger (see Figure 12);

• step or ladder (see Figure 8 and Figure 9).

Figure 3 Example of a filling machine with vacuum hopper

Key

1	vacuum hopper	5	inlet valve
2	feeder	6	suction pipe
3	outlet	7	storage container
4	closing cover	8	pipe connection inlet

1.2.4 Interchangeable equipment for filling machines

Interchangeable equipment are devices which can be assembled to filling machinery by the operator in order to attribute one or more new functions such as: portioning, twisting, voiding, forming, mincing. Interchangeable equipment does not operate independently. The interchangeable equipment will be actuated directly or by filling machines.

Interchangeable equipment dealt with in this document (see 5.3.5) are:

• cutting device (see Figure 14);

• forming device (see Figure 15);

• twisting device (see Figure 16);

• linking gear box (see Figure 17);

• portioning device (see Figure 18);

• holding device (see Figure 19);

• mincing device (see Figure 20);

• sausage production device (see Figure 21);

• filling stream divider device (see Figure 22);

• casing spooling device (see Figure 23);

• co-extrusion device (see Figure 24).

1.1 General

This document applies to:

• filling machines with cylinder and piston;

• filling machines with feed intake hopper;

• filling machines with vacuum hopper;

hereafter referred to as filling machines which process, e.g. meat, cheese and other pasty substances, excluding dry or frozen materials. They pump foodstuff into casings or bring it to a subsequent process.

This document applies also to the interchangeable equipment for filling machines with which a wide range of additional functions can be implemented. For example: portioning, depositing, mincing, co-extruding, dividing and forming.

This document deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to filling machines and interchangeable equipment, when they are used as intended and under the conditions foreseen by the manufacturer and also the reasonably foreseeable misuse (see Clause 4).

These significant hazards, hazardous situations and events can arise during all the life phases including transportation, assembly, dismantling, disabling and scrapping of filling machines and interchangeable equipment.

This document is not applicable to filling machines and interchangeable equipment which were manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN.

The following filling machines and interchangeable equipment are not covered by this document:

• Filling and sealing machines as described in EN 415‑3:1999+A1:2009;

• Clipping machines as described in EN 13885:2005+A1:2010.

1.2 Types of filling machines and interchangeable equipment covered by this standard

1.2.1 Filling machines with cylinder and piston

Filling machines with cylinder and piston (see Figure 1) consist of the following main parts:

• cylinder;

• piston;

• closing cover;

• filling horn;

• dividing device.

• The material being processed will be fed by hand into the cylinder.

Filling machines with cylinder and piston can be fitted with a dividing device.

Figure 1 Example of a filling machine with cylinder and piston

Key

1	cylinder	4	filling horn
2	piston	5	dividing device
3	closing cover	6	knee lever

1.2.2 Filling machines with feed intake hopper

Filling machines with feed intake hopper (see Figure 2) consist of the following main parts:

• feed intake hopper;

• feeder;

• filling horn.

The material being processed will be fed by hand (or optionally a loading device) into the feeding hopper of the filling machine.

Filling machines with feed intake hopper can be equipped with:

• dividing device (see Figure 7a));

• closing cover or photoelectric guard at the mouth of the feed intake hopper (see Figure 10);

• pressure-sensitive protective device at the hopper edge (see Figure 10);

• divided hopper (see Figure 11);

• infeed auger (see Figure 12);

• counter auger (see Figure 12);

• step or ladder (see Figure 8 and Figure 9);

• two-hand control device at the mouth of the feed intake hopper (see Figure 9).

Figure 2 Example of a filling machine with feed intake hopper

Key

1	feed intake hopper	3	filling horn
2	feeder	4	knee lever

1.2.3 Filling machines with vacuum hopper

Filling machines with vacuum hopper (see Figure 3) consist of the following main parts:

• vacuum hopper;

• feeder;

• outlet;

• closing cover;

• inlet valve;

• suction pipe;

• storage container;

• pipe connection inlet.

The material being processed will be fed by hand (or optionally a loading device) into the storage container.

Filling machines with vacuum hoppers can be equipped with:

• dividing device;

• infeed auger (see Figure 12);

• counter auger (see Figure 12);

• step or ladder (see Figure 8 and Figure 9).

Figure 3 Example of a filling machine with vacuum hopper

Key

1	vacuum hopper	5	inlet valve
2	feeder	6	suction pipe
3	outlet	7	storage container
4	closing cover	8	pipe connection inlet

1.2.4 Interchangeable equipment for filling machines

Interchangeable equipment are devices which can be assembled to filling machinery by the operator in order to attribute one or more new functions such as: portioning, twisting, voiding, forming, mincing. Interchangeable equipment does not operate independently. The interchangeable equipment will be actuated directly or by filling machines.

Interchangeable equipment dealt with in this document (see 5.3.5) are:

• cutting device (see Figure 14);

• forming device (see Figure 15);

• twisting device (see Figure 16);

• linking gear box (see Figure 17);

• portioning device (see Figure 18);

• holding device (see Figure 19);

• mincing device (see Figure 20);

• sausage production device (see Figure 21);

• filling stream divider device (see Figure 22);

• casing spooling device (see Figure 23);

• co-extrusion device (see Figure 24).