Washing
Cleaning Out Of Place (COP)
Suncombe specialise in the design and manufacture of high-performance automated COP Washers to wash contaminated IBCs (intermediate bulk containers), mobile vessels, tanks, parts, components or other items which may be moved in and out of the washing chamber.
When correctly applied automated washing provide several benefits to the user including validated repeatable, cleaning performance, improved health and safety, reduced costs for labour and utility consumption.
Washers may be designed as “total loss” systems, where the washing media is used once only before passing to drain or “recovery” systems, which recycle some of the washing media for part of the cleaning cycle.
If necessary washing cycles can conclude with the application of sanitiser.
Where contamination is not soluble in water, our systems may utilise solvents as the washing media, which requires a range of additional safety measures.
The key to successful washing is the design of automated systems which are effective at cleaning and repeatable in all possible circumstances. As automated washing reliability has improved so has its application in increasingly demanding and highly regulated industries where hygiene and avoidance of contamination is paramount, including pharmaceuticals and bio-waste.
The science of washing is based on applying the required amount of energy to the equipment to ensure that it is cleaned. The energy is primarily provided by the solution temperature (thermal energy), the use of detergent or solvent (chemical energy) and the application of kinetic energy for a defined time period. We use the ASME BPE Design Standards for GMP Washers, to ensure a repeatable, validatable wash for all of your components.
All washers are made to Suncombe’s exacting sanitary manufacturing standards.
WASHING
Cleaning out of place or COP refers to the process where moveable or portable equipment, such as IBCs, mobile vessels, parts or components, is removed from the process, placed into a dedicated washing chamber or station, and cleaned using automated or semi-automated methods.
The science of cleaning out of place washing is based on combining three forms of energy: thermal (heated fluids), chemical (detergents or solvents), and kinetic (spray impact, agitation), applied for a defined time period.
Our cleaning out of place washers are used in wash stations for intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), mobile vessels, tanks, parts, trays, and equipment in industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotech, food & beverage, dairy, personal care, and critical manufacturing.
IBCs, totes, cube tanks, bulk boxes, trays, pallets, parts like valves or fittings, pump housings, hose assemblies, and components can be transported into the washer.
First, start by defining your cleaning targets (what items, contamination, throughput). Use Suncombe’s Washer Selection Guide to determine size, flow rate, spray coverage, heating/cooling, and automation level. We ensure the system is designed for validation, meets your industry standard, and has the correct documentation.
nation, particularly research laboratories, biocontainment/bioproduction facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and hazardous waste treatment plants.
