This project involved the complete mechanical design of a modular piping assembly intended for a Clean-In-Place (CIP) utility distribution system in a food or dairy processing plant. The design was executed using SolidWorks and included all relevant standard components: flanges, valves, reducers, elbows, and straight pipe segments — each broken down into spools to optimize manufacturability, transport, and assembly.
Abhishek Malhotra
May 22, 2025
Components Used & Their Functions
Check Valve: Prevents reverse flow of cleaning or process fluids, protecting upstream components.
Gate Valves: Used for isolating pipe sections. Integrated with handwheel actuators for manual shut- off control.
Weld Neck & Slip-On Flanges: Standard flanged ends for spool interconnection and valve mounting, supporting high sanitation and disassembly ease.
Pipe Reducers: Allow transition between different pipe diameters — particularly relevant where process media flow rates or cleaning line specs vary.
90° and 45° Elbows: Used to route pipelines around structural or spatial constraints.
Custom Spools: Color-coded for identification; each designed with reference CPoints and length-tolerant flanges to ensure easy alignment and field welding.
CAD Design Highlights
Fully dimensioned using DimXpert and annotation views.
Designed using SolidWorks Routing & Assembly tools.
Modular spool segmentation — each segment is optimized for workshop fabrication and bolt-up installation.
Flow-logic driven layout ensures intuitive routing for both product and cleaning fluids.
Real-world pipe bend radii and valve spacing used for feasibility and maintenance access.
CIP Utility Distribution in Dairy Plant
In a modern dairy processing plant, equipment such as pasteurizers and holding tanks require regular CIP cycles involving acid, caustic, and rinse water. This modular piping system serves as a CIP supply and return manifold that can direct cleaning media to different plant zones via valve-controlled branches. With color-coded spools and flange-based assembly, it offers both operational clarity and manufacturing efficiency.
