Alfa Laval ThinkTop revolutionizes valve sensing and control units

Alfa Laval has unveiled a refreshed, rethought version of the Alfa Laval ThinkTop®, the company’s best-selling valve sensing and control unit for hygienic valves used in the dairy, food, beverage, brewery and pharmaceutical industries. The Alfa Laval ThinkTop V50 and V70, the second-generation of premium control units, have been reengineered to meet customer needs while incorporating the latest advances in technology.
“We have listened carefully to what customers want from a valve sensing and control unit,” says René Stietz, Product Management Valves & Automation, Hygienic Fluid Handling, Alfa Laval. “The changes we’ve made to the ThinkTop are highly responsive to customer needs and therefore highly relevant – for instance, faster and more intuitive setup without compromising durability and reliability.”
Reengineered to meet customer needs
For the first time, the rethought Alfa Laval ThinkTop offers customers fast and intuitive setup and commissioning; enhanced 360° LED visual status indication, a repositioned Gore Vent, a more compact and aesthetic design, burst seat clean functionality, and a QR code for easy online access to support materials and direct support.
Fast and intuitive
The new auto setup feature offers manufacturers quick, easy commissioning – up to 90% faster than the previous generation. Plus, the live setup feature coupled with true valve recognition ensures the perfect match during any-and-all setups.
Adaptable and smart
The new ThinkTop fits on any Alfa Laval valve, making it perfect for all retrofits. What’s more, it is smart. It features 24/7 self-diagnostics, checking and remedying operations when required, and an enhanced 360° LED visual status indication so that operators can clearly see the valve status no matter where they are on the production floor.
Durable and reliable
The new ThinkTop is as long-lasting and dependable as the first generation. However, repositioning the Gore Vent makes the ThinkTop more durable and more reliable than before, equalizing the enclosure pressure in the unit while eliminating the risk of water ingress.
Aesthetic design
Highly practical, the new minimalist industrial exterior with its strict lines, no cover screws and uncompromising geometry is 30% more compact than the previous version yet has the same height, making the new ThinkTop suitable for tight installations. Inside one sensor target control board packed with functionality handles all valve functions and communication; no adapter is required.
Burst seat cleaning
Take advantage of the highly effective burst of CIP liquid during the opening moment of seat lift and seat push. These optimized valve activations drastically reduce water consumption during Cleaning-in-Place and save up to 90% in cleaning agent costs.
Evolutionary thinking
The Alfa Laval ThinkTop was launched in 2000 as a technological breakthrough that revolutionized hygienic valve sensing and control technology. Nearly 20 years on, Alfa Laval has now incorporated evolutionary measures to a proven workhorse, radically changing its appearance and functionality to meet customers’ changing needs and demanding requirements.
The new Alfa Laval ThinkTop V50 and V70 series cover all valve requirements and are selected based on the number of solenoid valves required. The ThinkTop V50 series matches the requirements of the Alfa Laval DV-ST, butterfly, single seat and double seal valves while the ThinkTop V70 series matches the requirements of all these valves plus Alfa Laval double seat and special valves.
In addition, the new Alfa Laval ThinkTop V50 and V70 meet the protection class IP66, IP67 and IP69K.
About Alfa Laval
Alfa Laval is a leading global provider of specialized products and engineering solutions based on its key technologies of heat transfer, separation and fluid handling.
The company’s equipment, systems and services are dedicated to assisting customers in optimizing the performance of their processes. The solutions help them to heat, cool, separate and transport products in industries that produce food and beverages, chemicals and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, starch, sugar and ethanol.
Alfa Laval’s products are also used in power plants, aboard ships, oil and gas exploration, in the mechanical engineering industry, in the mining industry and for wastewater treatment, as well as for comfort climate and refrigeration applications.
Alfa Laval’s worldwide organization works closely with customers in nearly 100 countries to help them stay ahead in the global arena. Alfa Laval is listed on Nasdaq OMX, and, in 2018, posted annual sales of about SEK 40.7 billion (approx. 4.0 billion Euros). The company has about 17,200 employees.