What to consider when selecting an IMP Panel for your food grade building:
When selecting the proper IMP (insulated metal panel) for your food grade building, there are several options to consider. In an effort to build a sanitary area that is easy to inspect and clean, there are trade offs that must be weighed when selecting your IMP Panel. Choosing the most sanitary IMP panel is typically a panel that is slightly more expensive, more difficult to manufacture, and less rigid than a standard IMP Panel. Since the IMP Panel manufactures know they’re, in all likelihood, biding your project against one or more competitors, they may steer you towards the least expensive panel that is easy to manufacture and fits the structural requirements of your application. This may include light gauge outer surfaces, heavy corrugation, and heavy embossing. These make for a cost effective, rigid IMP Panel that is easy to manufacture, but is not a good option from a food safety and sanitation standpoint.
When choosing an IMP Panel for food grade applications, consider the following:
A) Select a panel without embossing. Embossing strengthens the panel’s surface and helps hide blemishes that may happen during the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, they make the surface rough and difficult to clean.
B) Select a panel with little or no profile/corrugation. Deep profiling or corrugating increases the panels rigidity and strength. Unfortunately, the deep valleys of the corrugation are difficult to inspect and clean.
C) Select a panel with heavier gauge, as opposed to heavy embossing and corrugation. This is slightly more expensive, but provides increased buckling and moment strength, while maintaining a surface that is easy to inspect and clean.