NEMA 4X Grade Enclosures for Food Production Equipment

The global food industry requires specific regulations for every stage of the production process. This includes the growing and harvesting, transportation, processing, packaging, storing, and distributing of all food products. The extreme regulations and standards required in the food industry are largely because of the potential food-borne illnesses that can be pervasive without proper handling and contaminant prevention.

 

However, other factors also demand the strict regulation of food processing such as food quality, nutrient preservation, and freshness. At Forpak, we work to provide solutions for safe, hygienic food production equipment with innovative designs that meet all global standards for quality and sanitation. We join forces with MultiSource Manufacturing LLC to design and fabricate high-quality, customizable packaging solutions for OEMs and other customers.

 

One of the most commonly used types of food production equipment in packing facilities are conveyors. Moving products safely without damage from one stage of production to the next is critical on any processing floor. Forpak builds continuous-use food-grade conveyors tailored to your facilities. Our conveyors are built to last longer than any lightweight products available in the industry, with complete washdown capabilities and stainless-steel construction.

 

Because conveyors run on electricity, it’s vital to protect the delicate circuitry controlling your equipment from food particles, liquids, dust, and other common contaminants in a factory setting. It is also equally important to prevent any contamination of food products from electronics. To keep both electrical systems and food products safe, we build all enclosures on conveyor systems to meet NEMA 4X standards.

 

NEMA Standards

NEMA was established as a small enclosure fabricator in 1987 and has since grown to be the industry-leading manufacturer and certifier of electrical enclosures. Today, there are six standard NEMA ratings for electrical enclosures (learn more about all twenty NEMA ratings). The lowest NEMA rating is NEMA 1. NEMA 1 enclosures are for indoor use only and protect workers from exposure to hazardous circuitry as well as preventing dust and other small particulates from falling into the electrical equipment. We build our food grade conveyors to meet NEMA 4X standards, which means our enclosures:

 

  • Protect personnel from hazardous circuitry both indoors and outdoors
  • Prevent contamination of circuitry from solid foreign objects including dust blown with strong winds
  • Protect circuitry from liquid contamination including rain, snow, ice, hose spray, and other sources of water
  • Protect enclosure components and all electronics inside from corrosion with treated steel and other additive measures
  • Maintain peak capacity of interior electrical components even when faced with freezing temperatures and ice formations

 

Because our conveyor enclosures meet NEMA 4X standards, they can be implemented in a wide range of food processing facilities, including freezer warehouses and other climate-controlled packaging settings. With additional protection against liquids, you can maintain high levels of sanitation with routine power washing and hose-downs of processing equipment.

 

If you’re looking to implement innovative systems with quality food production equipment, contact Forpak at (612) 419-1948 or forpaksupport@multisourcemfg.com. Request more information online today.

Microchip Reticle Handling for Semiconductor Components Fabrication

As a contract manufacturer, we work to provide components and full assemblies to OEMs and other customers in a broad range of industries. From aerospace and defense parts to medical devices, our expert technicians, skilled engineers, and overall staff are dedicated to supporting quality and precision in all of our products and services.

 

One of the primary industries we serve are the fabricators of semiconductor components and assemblies. The parts we make at MultiSource Manufacturing LLC for the semiconductor components industry play integral roles in key production processes including microchip reticle handling with state-of-the-art steppers.

 

“Stepper” is a broad term for a processing system that moves reticles and wafers through the photo-engineering treatment. Similar to the development of film photographs, the photo-engineering process uses light application and chemical exposure to generate a semiconductor microchip. General stepper components include:

 

  • Wafer loader and stage: These components are the initial stage of a stepper system. This stage loads a photoresist-coated silicon wafer into the lower front of the stepper. An automated system then moves the wafer into the alignment stage, readying it for exposure.
  • Reticle loader and stage: A quartz reticle with an etched chrome pattern is entered into the stepper via reticle loader. It is then staged in alignment for exposure to multiple wafers with periodic realignment.
  • Reticle alignment system: Precise automated alignment of the reticle is vital for effective wafer exposure in microchip processing. As the wafer is developed in alignment with the reticle it is moved on x and y axes. Multiple alignments are necessary for exact printing of circuitry onto the wafer.
  • Illumination system: Once the alignment and printing processes are complete, the wafer is exposed to the illumination system. The illumination system uses a reduction lens with a pre-programmed exposure time and stepping movement to generate grid pattern.
  • Chemical wash: When the illumination process is complete, the wafer is transferred to a chemical wash stage. This wash removes areas of the wafer that are not covered by photoresist, completing the microchip wafer development.

 

A wafer stepper system is a key tool in the development of semiconductor silicon wafers with high resolution and quality results in mass production. The fabrication of microchip reticle handling equipment like steppers is one of the many services the MultiSource network provides to the semiconductor industry. If you’re developing microchip wafers and fabricating other semiconductor components, contact MultiSource Manufacturing LLC at (952) 456-5500. Request more information or request a quote to get started with us today.