Control Panel Design and Manufacture
What are hygienic automation panels and why they matter
Hygienic automation panels are control panels engineered to prevent contamination, survive routine chemical washdowns, and minimise harborage points. In regulated sites, a standard panel is a weak link. Specifying hygienic automation panels protects product quality, reduces unplanned stops, and helps you satisfy auditors across BRCGS and GMP requirements while keeping operators safe and maintenance straightforward.
How we engineer hygiene into the panel from day one
Hygiene starts at concept. We model water paths, seal interfaces, and mounting to avoid ledges where debris can gather. We select stainless steel grades and gasket compounds that match your cleaning chemistry. Component layout prioritises airflow and separation between power and control for reliability as well as hygiene.
In practice, this means:
- Sloped-top, stainless 304 or 316L enclosures with polished finishes
- IP66 or higher ingress protection, verified at FAT
- FDA or EC compliant door seals and cable glands
- Segregated wiring and drip-safe orientation for venting and HMI placement
Industries we can help with
10 Reasons Clients Choose FESS Group (And Why You Might Too)
Get StartedFood And Drink
Food processing plant design consultants can help you improve your plant’s energy efficiency, increase your rate of production, reduce lead times, and achieve 100 percent food safety compliance. However, they are also essential when you want to expand your operations.
Pet Food
Setting up a pet food production line is similar to a human food production line. However, as you might expect, there are some differences.
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical engineering and plant design consultants help you expand pharmaceutical production lines in factories more efficiently and effectively. Their work includes regulatory compliance, validation, and implementing logistics services for maintenance and systems management. Most consultants assist firms from the initial concept stage onwards, guiding them through every step of the plan.
Petrochemical
Using an outside consultant for your petrochemical engineering projects can help you to maintain safety, efficiency and productivity like never before, all while minimising your spend and controlling your budget for your petrochemical plant construction.
Built for the environments you actually run
Food, beverage, pet food, pharma and nutraceutical lines demand panels that shrug off caustic foams and hot rinse cycles. Our hygienic automation panels are designed around your CIP, COP, and sanitation SOPs, then validated against your detergents. We also factor production realities, like operator glove use and visibility at distance.
You benefit from:
- Faster changeovers using keyed connectors and labelled terminal maps
- Easier audits with documented materials and traceability
- Clean integration to dosing system upgrades, weighers, metal detectors, and end-of-line kit
Frequently Asked Questions
A hygienic panel uses sloped stainless enclosures, food-grade gaskets, sealed glands, and layouts that eliminate dirt traps. It is rated for washdown, validated against site chemicals, and documented for auditors. The result is less contamination risk, safer operation, and longer component life under harsh cleaning.
Not when designed correctly. Higher initial spec is offset by longer service intervals, faster cleaning, and reduced water ingress failures. Clear documentation and modular internals also cut fault-finding time, so total cost of ownership typically drops over the life of the asset.
Yes. We plan phased cut-overs, temporary bypass control, and off-site panel build with pre-tested I/O. Weekend or night switchover windows keep throughput intact, with FAT, SAT, and risk-assessed method statements to keep the change safe and predictable.
Mechanical and Electrical Services 
Industrial Machine Maintenance 
Lift and Shift Equipment Specialists 
Industrial Process Solutions 
Inspection Systems: Industrial Metal Detection 
End Of Line Processes: Industrial Packaging 
Industrial Construction