Skip to content

SOP — Canning Line Foam-Down

FUERST WIACEK Version 1.2 | Packaging — canning line | Frequency: after every daily run; mandatory after final run of week

Purpose

Beer and water residue accumulates on all contact surfaces of the canning line between filling operations and the labeller. If left unchecked, this organic buildup leads to biofilm formation which, once established, can become impossible to remove — ultimately requiring equipment replacement or a move to tunnel pasteurisation. Neither is acceptable.

The line must be foamed down after the final filling run of each week and ideally after the final run of each day.

PPE Required

Warning

Do not handle chemicals without full PPE.

  • Safety goggles
  • Chemical-resistant gloves
  • Ear protection

Risks

Hazard Risk
Chemical exposure Burns, eye damage / blinding
Moisture on door safety mechanisms Safety switch damage — line cannot be operated without spares
Moisture on labeller Labeller is not waterproofed — do not spray directly

Equipment

  • Red water hose with black hose fitting
  • Green chemical foamer
  • Caustic foamer chemical
  • Acid foamer chemical (for periodic acid foam-down — see note)
  • Red brushes for manual scrubbing of product-contact surfaces (seamer, filler, filling heads)
  • Orange brushes for conveyers, line exterior, and areas with grease or heavy organic buildup
  • Small red pipe cleaner brush (for seamer CO₂ channels)
  • Small squeegee (for dryer interior)
  • Cold water pump — turn on via Botec before starting

Process

1. Prepare Line and Equipment

  1. Turn on the cold water pump in Botec.
  2. Fit the red water hose with the black hose fitting.
  3. Set up the green chemical foamer with caustic foamer chemical.
  4. Place the canning line in Basic Position, Manual mode, door safety off.
  5. Remove star wheels — take care not to mix up left and right.
  6. Blind caps may be left on filling heads if already fitted.

2. Rinse the Filler

Warning

Do not rinse any parts above the filling heads. Water ingress above the heads can damage internal components.

  1. Place blind caps on all filling heads.
  2. Rinse the parts underneath the star wheel area.
  3. Rinse the seamer.

3. Foam Down

  1. Foam all surfaces of the canning line with caustic foamer. Allow the foam to remain in contact for 15 minutes.

Warning

Take care around door safety mechanisms — they are susceptible to moisture damage. If the safety switches are damaged and there are no spares, the line cannot be operated. Foam carefully around these areas.

  1. For thorough cleaning, scrub surfaces while the foam is active — particularly at the seamer and post-seamer where beer-water mixtures tend to linger.
  2. Seamer — specific attention required:
    • Brush each CO₂ channel individually with the small red pipe cleaner brush.
    • Brush the seamer wheel itself with the red brush, working into each blind spot.
    • Scrub underneath the conveyor and the green guides with the orange brush.
  3. Dryer: Remove the dryer door and foam the interior. Brush to lift off residual organic matter. Use the small squeegee to remove the chemical and water mixture.
  4. Floor and surrounding surfaces: Foam down the floor and surfaces around the canning line.
  5. Labeller outfeed: The outfeed area tends to accumulate beer-water mixture on the floor. Foam and squeegee to the drain.

Warning

Do not foam or spray the labeller directly — it is not waterproofed.

4. Rinse Down

  1. Once foam contact time is complete, rinse all foamed surfaces thoroughly with the water hose.
  2. For the seamer, combine the manual water hose with the internal rinsing function: go to Controls → External Washing → Capper Rinsing. Ensure the seamer is turning during this step.
  3. After rinsing, run the IO-Test to blow out water from the CO₂ channels. Ensure the seamer is turning in manual mode during this step.

5. Prepare for CIP (if same session)

  1. Set up the cellar lines for CIP connection.
  2. The line is now ready to run its CIP cycle — refer to the Canning Line CIP SOP.

6. Clean Up

Remove all hoses, brushes, and equipment. The process is complete.

Checklist

  • [ ] Cold water pump on in Botec
  • [ ] Line in Basic Position, Manual mode, door safety off
  • [ ] Star wheels removed (left/right not mixed up)
  • [ ] Blind caps on filling heads
  • [ ] Parts below filling heads rinsed — nothing above heads
  • [ ] Seamer rinsed
  • [ ] All surfaces foamed — 15 min contact time
  • [ ] Seamer CO₂ channels brushed with pipe cleaner brush
  • [ ] Seamer wheel brushed
  • [ ] Under conveyor and green guides scrubbed
  • [ ] Dryer interior foamed, brushed, and squeegeed
  • [ ] Floor and surrounding surfaces foamed and squeegeed
  • [ ] Labeller outfeed floor foamed and squeegeed — labeller not sprayed directly
  • [ ] All surfaces rinsed down
  • [ ] Seamer rinsed via Controls → External Washing → Capper Rinsing (seamer turning)
  • [ ] CO₂ channels blown out via IO-Test (seamer turning in manual)
  • [ ] Equipment cleaned up

Troubleshooting

Issue Likely Cause Action
Surfaces still dirty after foam Insufficient contact time or foam concentration Re-foam and allow longer contact time. Scrub manually before rinsing.
Door safety switch not functioning Moisture damage Check for spares before continuing. Line cannot be operated without functional door safety.

Note

Periodically replace the caustic foam with acid foamer using the same process. This removes mineral deposits and beer stone that caustic alone does not address. Frequency depends on usage — discuss with the team.