STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE Mill, Microcut Grinder Model: MC-15 Manufacturer: Stephan Machinery, Inc. Location: Wet Processing Pilot Plant, 1091 Food Sciences Building Publication Date: 07/23/2014 Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 3350 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515 294-7612, email eooffice@iastate.edu.
Description and Uses The Stephan MC-15 Microcut Grinder is specifically designed for the fine emulsification of coarsely ground food slurries. All parts in contact with food slurries are made of stainless steel or other foodgrade material. The arrangement of the rotating cutting head, surrounded by a stationary slanted-tooth cutting ring (for which three different gap sizes of 0.05 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm are available), permits material to be finely cut in one single operation. The fineness of the product depends on the selection of the stationary cutting ring and the material to be processed. Power Specifications Motor: Stephan FD 132M36-2 Wattage: 11 kw Voltage/Amperage: 440V/35A Speed/Frequency: 3480 rpm @ 60 Hz. Maximum Output: 1200 Kg per hour Potential Hazards and Safety Precautions High Voltage (440V)/Possible Electric Shock Make certain to use the correct outlet that is specifically designed to fit the electrical cord plug. Make sure the area around the outlet, floor and your hands are completely dry when plugging or unplugging the electrical cord to/from the outlet. Sharp, Rotating Cutting Blades/Abrasions, Cuts, or Severed Body Parts Do not insert hands, fingers or other body parts into the inlet funnel or the product discharge chute while the mill is in operation. The blades are sharp! Use extra caution when cleaning, changing, or installing the cutting rings. Rotating Pinch Points/Possible Entanglement of Extremities, Hair, Jewelry or Clothing Never operate the mill if the inlet funnel is swung open. Make sure the funnel is in the upright position and firmly secured. Never swing open the inlet funnel or remove the discharge chute until the mill is shut OFF, unplugged, and the feeding spiral has come to a complete stop. Do not use any tool to assist product flow from the inlet funnel and through the cutting rings, as serious injury may result. Make sure to secure long hair and any loose clothing or jewelry before operating the mill. Nothing, except the material for which the mill is intended to cut, should ever be placed into the inlet funnel while the mill is running. 2
Flying Debris/Potential Eye Damage Do not operate the mill without wearing all required personal protective equipment, including safety goggles. It is recommended that you place a cover over the inlet funnel during operation to avoid flying debris and potential injury. Required Personal Protective Equipment Lab Coat Waterproof Boots and Gloves Safety Goggles Hair Net (Tie Back Long Hair) Ear Protection No Open-toed or Open-heeled Shoes Long Pants and Sleeves No Loose Fitting Clothing Training Required Training *Denotes courses offered online Machine & Site-Specific Training Fire Safety & Extinguisher Training* Laboratory Safety: Core Concepts* Recommended Training for Frequent Users *Denotes courses offered online Electrical Safety and Lockout/Tagout Laboratory Safety: Spill Procedures Shop Safety Fundamentals: Basic Procedures & Policies* 3
Operation Operation: Assembly 1. Be sure to acquire all required training from the pilot plant manager before operating the Stephan MC-15 Microcut Grinder. Operation requires site-specific training on this machine. 2. Thoroughly read the Stephan Operating Instructions manual (located in the pilot plant manager s office, 1955 Food Sciences Building) before operating the mill. Please refer to this manual during operation. 3. Be sure to wear all required personal protective equipment previously listed. 4. The following grinder accessories will need to be gathered and installed on the mill before operation: feeding disc, rotating cutting head, stationary slanted-tooth cutting ring (choose from 0.05 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm gap selections), feeding spiral with spindle bolt, and discharge chute with sealing gasket. Be sure that all these accessories are completely clean before installing them on the mill. 5. Begin installing the accessories by loosening the interlocking funnel-housing eye bolt and clamping nut (see Figure 1, Item #6 on the following page). Swing the eye bolt to the side and down. Then, lift the inlet funnel (see Figure 1, Item #5), swinging it upward along its hinge until it rests on its side. 6. Install the stainless-steel feeding disc (see Figure 2, Item #165 on the following page) onto the mill s base. The center of the feeding disc will have a keyed opening that fits snugly over the spindle shaft that arises out of the center of mill s base. Once lined up, be sure to fit the feeding disc firmly against the milling base. 7. Once the feeding disc is firmly in place, install the stainless-steel, rotating cutting head (see Figure 2, Item #166 on the previous page) directly over the feeding disc. The center of the cutting head will have a keyed opening that also fits snugly over the spindle shaft. Once lined up, be sure to fit the rotating cutting head firmly against the feeding disc already in place. 8. Once the rotating cutting head is firmly in place, install the stainless-steel, slanted-tooth cutting ring (see Figure 2, Item #167) with the desired gap settings (choose from 0.05 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm gap selections). The cutting ring with have a notch along its rim. This notch fits directly over a protrusion arising from the inner wall of the cutter housing (see Figure 1, Item #8). Handle and install the slanted-tooth cutting ring with extreme care, as the teeth are sharp and may cause injury! Any damage to the cutting ring, such as a chipped tooth, will result in costly repairs. 9. Once the desired cutting ring is in place, secure the ring s position by tightening the cutting-ring safety screw (see Figure 1, Item #7). This ring will remain stationary while the mill is in operation. 10. Secure the stainless-steel feeding spiral (see Figure 2, Item #168) onto the spindle shaft. Note the feeding spiral is notched at the bottom for an exact fit onto the spindle shaft. Tighten the feeding spiral into place using the 6 spindle bolt (see Figure 2, Item #169) and a 19-mm spanner (located in the top drawer of the mill s accessory cabinet). Tighten counter-clockwise to the left so that the spiral will not loosen as the spindle revolves during operation. 4
11. Once the feeding spiral is secure, swing the inlet funnel upright (see Figure 1, Item #5) and secure the funnel into place by raising and tightening the interlocking funnel-housing eye bolt and clamping nut (see Figure 2, #155 and #156). 12. Prepare to install the stainless-steel discharge chute (see Figure 1, Item #3) onto the mill. Begin by first installing the sealing casket (see Figure 2, Item #190) over the mouth of the discharge base. 13. Clamp the discharge chute and its cover (see Figure 2, Item #187 and #189) onto the discharge base by tightening the clamping nuts located on the left and right sides of the discharge base (see Figure 2, Item #188). Note: Be sure to tighten both sides evenly to avoid leaks and ensure proper positioning of the discharge chute. Operation: Milling 1. Before milling begins, have the pilot plant manager inspect the machine to ensure that proper assembly has been achieved. 2. Be sure to wear all required personal protective equipment listed, including hearing protection, especially while milling. 3. To avoid flying debris during milling, it is highly recommended that a clean, hinged, stainless-steel cover be placed over the opening of the inlet funnel. A hinged cover allows for a portion of the cover to be lifted during feeding, while the inlet funnel remains partially covered as a safety precaution during milling. 4. Plug the electrical cord into the correct electrical outlet along the wall of the pilot plant. Note: This machine operates under high voltage (440V), so use extreme caution! Make sure the area around the outlet, the floor, your hands and your boots are completely dry when plugging or unplugging the electrical cord to/from the wall outlet. 5. To ensure that the mill never runs dry, it is recommended that a cold-water hose (set at a flow rate of at least 5 L/min) be secured under the portion of the funnel cover that is not to be lifted during feeding. Note: Never secure a hose lower than the top lip of the inlet funnel, as it can become entangled in the feeding spiral, causing damage to the mill and possible injury to its users. 6. Once the funnel cover and hose are secure, be sure to rinse out the mill and test its operation by pressing the green ON push button (see Figure 1, Item #10). Allow the cold-water rinse to enter the funnel and exit through the discharge chute for at least one minute. 7. Before adding the coarsely ground food slurry to be finely milled, be sure to place an appropriately sized collection vessel beneath the discharge chute (see Figure 1, Item #3). 8. Once the collection vessel is in place, open half of the funnel cover (open only the half that is not securing the cold-water hose) and begin feeding your sample slurry. To prevent bind-up, make sure the coarsely ground slurry is uniformly mixed and fed into the inlet funnel at a flow rate not to exceed 20 L/min. 9. Continually feed the slurry until the collection vessel is full or the slurry is exhausted. Note: To prevent overflow and loss of sample, be sure to change out the collection vessel as needed. 5
1. Rubber Foot 2. Machine Support 3. Discharge Chute 4. Magnetic Limit Switch 5. Inlet Funnel 6. Funnel Fastener (Eye-bolt) 7. Cutting Ring Safety Screw 8. Cutter Housing 9. OFF Push Button 10. ON Push Button 11. Electrical Control Cabinet Figure 1 Figure 2 6
Operation: Shutdown 1. Once the sample slurry to be fed is exhausted, continue rinsing the inlet funnel for at least one minute to ensure that all material is milled and collected. 2. When milling is complete, press the red OFF push button before removing the cold-water hose. This will ensure that the mill will never run dry even during shutdown. 3. Once the mill stops running (i.e. the feeding spiral stops spinning), carefully unplug the electrical cord and place it in a dry location away from the mill. Note: This machine operates under high voltage (440V), so use extreme caution! Make sure the area around the outlet, the floor, your hands, and your boots are completely dry when plugging or unplugging the electrical cord to/from the wall outlet. 4. Turn off the cold-water hose and remove the hose and stainless-steel cover from the inlet funnel. 5. Report any operational difficulties and/or problems to the pilot plant manager and begin clean-up procedures. Clean-up Procedures Note: The clean-up procedures listed below are for non-transgenic grains only. Transgenic material has a separate, more thorough clean-up procedure. For more information, see special standard operating procedures (SOP) for the handling of transgenic material. 1. Before cleaning and/or servicing the mill, be absolutely certain that the mill is carefully turned OFF and unplugged! Note: Place the electrical plug in an elevated location away from the mill and work area that is to be cleaned. 2. In three separate 15-L plastic wash tubs (measuring approximately 15"L x 12"W x 7"H), prepare the following solutions: one hot-water wash with a food-grade detergent, one hot-water rinse, and one distilled-water rinse. The filled tubs should be placed on a countertop for easy accessibility during cleaning. 3. Begin the mill s disassembly by first loosening the clamping nuts and remove the discharge chute and sealing gasket from the mill. 4. Place the discharge chute and sealing gasket into the plastic wash tub containing hot water and detergent. With a soft-bristled brush, wash the chute and gasket, removing all debris. Once clean, place the chute and gasket into the rinsing tubs, first rinsing with hot water, then with distilled water. Place the rinsed, but wet, discharge chute and gasket onto a perforated drying rack. 5. Loosen the interlocking funnel-housing eye bolt and clamping nut. Then, raise the inlet funnel, causing the funnel to swing along its hinge and rest on its side. 6. Loosen the 6 spindle bolt (see Figure 2, Item #169) using a 19-mm spanner. Loosen the bolt clockwise and to the right. Once loose, remove the spindle bolt and lift the feeding spiral from the spindle shaft. Wash, rinse, and dry these items using the same protocol as listed above (see Cleanup Procedures, Step 4). 7
7. Loosen the cutting-ring safety screw (see Figure 1, Item #7). Using an adjustable lifter wrench found in the mill s accessory cabinet, carefully remove the slanted-tooth cutting ring. Note: Remove and handle the slanted-tooth cutting ring with extreme care, as the teeth are sharp and may cause injury! Also, any damage to the cutting ring, such as a chipped tooth, will result in costly repairs. 8. Place the cutting ring into the plastic wash tub containing hot water and detergent. Wash the cutting ring separate from all other parts, as contact with other metal parts may damage the ring. With a soft-bristled brush, clean the outer portions of the cutting ring. To remove debris from within the gaps between the slanted teeth of the cutting ring, use dental floss (located in the mill s accessory cabinet) between each set of teeth. Place the washed cutting ring into the rinsing tubs, first rinsing with hot water, then distilled water. Place the rinsed, but wet, cutting ring onto a perforated drying rack. 9. Carefully remove the cutting head from the feeding disc. Wash, rinse, and dry the cutting head using the same protocol as listed above (see Clean-up Procedures, Step 4). 10. Remove the feeding disc from the mill s base. Because of water that may be trapped between the disc and the mill s base, it may be necessary to adjust and use the lifting wrench to remove the disc. Wash, rinse, and dry the feeding disc using the same protocol as listed above (see Clean-Up Procedures, Step 4). 11. Once the feeding disc, rotating cutting head, slanted-tooth cutting ring, feeding spiral, spindle bolt, discharge chute and sealing gasket have sufficiently dried on the drying rack, they may be each carefully placed into individually fitted compartments located inside the mill s accessory cabinet. 12. Before washing the mill itself, secure a plastic, waterproof barrier over the mill s Electrical Control Cabinet (see Figure 1, Item #11). Note: To further ensure future electrical safety, be sure to elevate the electrical plug and place it away from the mill and work area that is to be cleaned. 13. Using hot water and food-grade detergent, scrub all parts of the mill (except the Electrical Control Cabinet) with a soft-bristled brush. 14. Rinse the washed surfaces of the mill with a hot-water hose equipped with a spray nozzle. Note: Be sure that all debris and soap is rinsed off of the mill. 15. Wash and rinse the stainless-steel cover, floor, and surrounding work area with soap and hot water. 16. Initiate check-out procedures by having the cleaned accessories, mill, and work area inspected by the pilot plant manager. Machine Care and Maintenance The mill must be properly cleaned and inspected after each use. All final inspections are performed by the pilot plant manager. Should the rotor-shaft bearings need lubrication, or any accessories need replacement, please refer to the operator s manual. Note: These functions should only be performed by the pilot plant manager or a trained service technician. 8
Accessories The following stainless-steel accessories are located in the mill s compartmentalized accessory cabinet in the pilot plant: one feeding disc, one rotating cutting head, three slanted-tooth cutting rings (0.05 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm gap selections), one feeding spiral, one spindle bolt, and one discharge chute. Other accessories include one sealing gasket, one 19-mm spanner, and dental floss (for cleaning the cutting ring). 9