Food & Drink Processing & Packaging - Issue 50 2024

FOOD & DRINK PROCESSING & PACKAGING Issue 50 2024

Printing line modernized for higher efficiency and sustainability

Gough Engineering’s Batch Sieve improves product quality and safety

PREMIUM PIPING SYSTEMS

for drinking water and more.

webuk@sanha.com · +44 1628 819245

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Contents

Features The Team

BST GMBH ARLA

Editor Amanda Buckingham editor@fdpp.co.uk

Digital Sales Manager Jessica Bennett T: 01227 392571

Business Manager Josh Holmes josh@mhmagazine.co.uk

Sales Manager Jamie Bullock jamie@fdpp.co.uk Tel: 01227 392571

FORTRESS TECHNOLOGY

Publishing Director Martin Holmes martin@fdpp.co.uk

Studio Designer Richard Bland richard@mhmagazine.co.uk

GOUGH ENGINEERING

M H Media Global Ltd.

18/20 Newington Road, Ramsgate Kent, CT12 6EE

Tel 01304 806039

www.fdpp.co.uk

NSK DELTA FORTRESS TECHNOLOGY BERRY GLOBAL HRS HEAT EXCHANGERS SCHUBERT TELEDYNE FLIR IFE MANUFACTURING

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FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 3

Expanding Non-Invasive Food Sanitations: Pulsed Electrical Fields for filtered juices and for modifying foods while preserving its nutrition properties with our dual PEF pilot system: for R&D: • 3 x PEF coaxial chambers for liquids to choose from with 3-, 4- and 5-mm gaps, 12L batch with a circulation pump, L/min meter. Co-linear PEF chamber- optional; • flat PEF chamber for vegetative staffs for an PEF assisted extraction of juices or organics softening. for production: two in line coaxial chambers at same or different pulsing parameters in a batch or direct flow-through processing.

Control panel: With reliable analogue controls to select from the industry one of broadest choices of pulse parameters:

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• Pulse rates: 4-500Hz at Pulse widths: 2,5-50µs; • Electrical fields 5-55kV/cm; optional- to 75kV/cm • Pulsing Timer: 1s-9h; • 25kV 2kW pulser, options - up to 10kW; Process controls: • Meters for pH, T°C, TDS (total dissolved solids in ppm) and el. conductivity (in µS/cm) with LCD displays at the controller, 2kw heater in the batch for adjusting juices conductivity with T°C. • Digital scope to control voltage and current pulses Up to 50µs long pulses at very high el. fields along with

Pulse shapes: • positive rectangular, • fronts/tails ~1 µs; • ~10% flat at 50µs

selected pulse rates, adjusted juice conductivity by its T°C will insure efficient deactivation of bacteria by PEF. The system material & dimensions: W-79cm, H-100cm, wheels with stoppers; B-59cm; Food grade stainless steel, PA6 insulators, ca. 70kg.

Electrical: 1 phase 230VAC, 12A, 2kW, EU plug

PEF sterilizes by stretching bacteria up to its ruptures by strong and sharp high electrical fields. It is also used for breaking vegetative cells to ease its juice extraction or for softening solid foods: details.

Our PEF parameters fit many published sources with up to 5 logs inactivation of bacteria in juices at up to 250l/h and respectively less at 500l/h. The actual inactivation depends on all juice properties, such as its el. conductivity, pH, the total dissolved solids (TDS), its nutrients, types of bacteria, etc. It’s broad PEF parameters allow finding optimal production conditions for larger systems or using it for smaller production.

We offer to find optimal PEF parameters for your juice sanitation or for PEF assisted juice/nutrient extraction from roots, grass, etc., or for softening hard meats, etc. with our flat PEF chamber.

PEF vendors are already present on the market yet under pressure to reduce costs while increasing the process flexibility with broader PEF parameters. Our new dual PEF pilot is to meet this request.

for our Grand SALE discounts please fill our contact form at our website and put the code “wt-fdpp” >

to call: +49 172 708 44 37 e-mail: info@wek-tec.de

Intense UV pulses are able to fully sterilize clear-packed clear liquids and open surfaces as it was proven on our PL system by the Baxter Corp. with UV resistant spores of B. Pumilos. The effectiveness of PUV to deactivate micro-organisms increases with its pulse power from that of continuous UVC to 10`s times as much in the PUV region and even more in the PUVD region where bacteria and spores are fully disintegrated by fast overheating by strong UV pulses.

It allows to sterilise transparent liquid products in clear UV transparent packaging or bottles.

Our advanced PUV R&D systems: < the automatic & analogue >

now are sharp discounted including spare UV flash lamps.

Both were used at many R&D labs and cited in various industrial and peer-reviewed publications.

we also offer developed proposals with attractive terms on projects with PUV /UVC sources for Targeted photo-chemical modifications like D2 vitamin enriching in mushroom powders with its partial sanitation. Or for photochemical tasks of your choice.

It can be evaluated with our UVC Vortex system where a treated powder is moved around a UVC lamp by a forced air flow enriched with the Nitrogen gas.

Results from this Vortex will be used for already designed (yet not build) a flow through tunnel for up to 100kg/hour of your powder photo-chemical processing with a partial sanitation. For some simple uniform powders or small seeds it is possible to reach 1-2 logs sanitation from common bacteria and spores (by TPC tests).

Proposed projects include UV tunnels already sold either with UVC or with PUV lamps, and PUV systems for hospitals and offices are for investing.

Please click on images to find more or inquire at https://www.wek-tec.de

Wek-tec e. K. looks for an industrial partner to mutually benefit from our IP and suppliers.

with wek-tec systems come benefits of the German manufacturing.

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VEGA VEGA Controls Controls Ltd Ltd || info.uk@vega.com info.uk@vega.com || Tel. Tel. +44 +44 1444 1444 870055 870055 || www.vega.com www.vega.com

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Printing line modernized for higher efficiency and sustainability Vahle Print & Service GmbH is a specialist for mailings in UV web offset printing. In order to make its production processes even more efficient, conserve resources and offer its customers the best possible quality, the Westphalian company has extensively modernized its printing line: All continuous printing machines were replaced and optimized with register control and video inspection systems by BST GmbH - from the BST AR 4400 Register Control System to the modularly expandable BST PROView and the high-end iPQ-View Video Web Monitoring Systems. The powerful quality assurance systems maximize print quality and minimize response times and waste. “We want to actively shape the future. That’s why we have consistently focused on resource conservation and efficiency when modernizing our operations.

Both serve the quality of results and the satisfaction of customers and employees. BST’s solutions are an important tool for achieving these goals,” explains Friedrich Lodenkemper, plant manager and owner of Vahle GmbH. The visionary 62-year-old took over the company in 2012 in a dilapidated state and has since completely turned it around. At first all four presses were successively replaced with the latest models and technically optimized. Second, the company switched to renewable energy. Today, mailings, labels and packaging are printed in higher quality using environmentally friendly technologies, while consuming less energy and materials.

Operators are relieved by a userfriendly machine design and achieve more brilliant results thanks to a better overview. “We are fast. We have a very large paper warehouse and stock many different types and sizes of paper. The presses have to run smoothly so that we can use the material economically. Reliability is our top priority,” says the managing director.

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iPQ-View impresses with the image quality of the monitor and the ease of use of the user interface. Both components together simplify quality control for the operator. This reduces the risk of errors.

With great creative drive and a keen sense of the right parameters, Lodenkemper has mastered the transformation of the “Vahlsche Verlagsbuchhandlung”, founded in 1874, into today’s Vahle Print & Service GmbH. Today, he employs 23 people, and the next generation is already on the way: his son Stefan Lodenkemper has been appointed managing director since 2021. Both are convinced of their strategic approach of focusing on technical innovation: “Our success is based

on the complete consistency of our values with our actions. For us, environmental protection is not just lip service, but a fundamental part of our corporate philosophy.

Our FSC and Nature Office certifications prove that we take this seriously. In addition, we have understood that the responsible use of energy and other valuable resources, together with the use of innovative technology, ensures our competitiveness,” says Stefan Lodenkemper. “However, we do

not rest on our laurels, but are keen to put environmental protection into practice with ‘real measures’,” emphasizes the owner. For him, short machine response times, high sensitivity in error detection, and the lowest possible level of waste are powerful ways to increase the quality of results. Achieving more with less is the definition of increased efficiency, and this has been implemented here in an exemplary manner - including the consistent use of additional technical components from BST.

Target definition: maximum quality of results “In our industry, the highest quality of results on the one hand and speed on the other are decisive criteria for success. Optimizing both at the same time requires intelligent solutions. The key lies in the quality control of the printing processes. BST’s control and video inspection systems combine the necessary optical components with the appropriate software and user interfaces,” says the managing director. The high camera resolution and precise zoom behavior ensure technical precision. Another important goal of Vahle GmbH when modernizing its printing presses was to avoid long system downtimes.

BST also offers advantages here, as all inspection systems allow the cameras to be simply transferred

Even at a maximum web speed of 1,000 meters per minute, BST PROView delivers reliable print image control in real time. Whether long-life LED flashes or optional flashes, coating flashes and UV flashes - the material webs are optimally illuminated for every requirement.

from one machine to another. This saves waiting time and increases the productivity of the machines.

Simple backups ensure additional operational reliability.

BST AR 4400 register control on all printing presses The modern machinery of the offset printing house consists of four Muller Martini Concepta machines.

The most powerful machine can print ten colors simultaneously, another nine, another eight and the smallest five. BST AR 4400 has been implemented in each machine for precise alignment of paper, inks and images. The control component enables precise register adjustment on many types of presses, including

offset, hybrid and label presses. It sets color and intermediate registers as reliably as additional printing units or tooling stations without the need for teach-in times. Thanks to its compact design, intuitive touchscreen operation and low installation effort, the BST AR 4400 is as easy to implement as it is to operate.

Real-time error detection with PROView “A major pain point in the old press line was the screens of the print inspection systems. Because they only showed small, low-resolution images, we were often unable to detect print defects in time, resulting in waste. In addition, there

From left, the project team for the successful modernization of the machinery: Fabian Kneip, Area Sales Manager at BST, Stefan Lodenkemper, Managing Director at Vahle Print & Service GmbH and Friedrich Lodenkemper, Operations Manager at Vahle Print & Service GmbH.

FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 9

was machine downtime when the cameras failed. We wanted a system that shows the print in real time and minimize reaction times,” explains Stefan Lodenkemper. Therefore, three presses were upgraded with the customizable BST PROView video web inspection system.

The installed SuperHandyScan 4000 camera inspection system had to be replaced. BST PROView now provides reliable real-time print image monitoring, even at a maximum web speed of 1,000 meters per minute. In the standard configuration, a long-life LED flash illuminates the web homogeneously.

If required, optional flashes, coating flashes and UV flashes can be added.

This allows BST PROView to display front-to-back register, coatings and UV fluorescent inks.

“The units are easy to use. One person can install it with a few screws and put it into operation.

It automatically downloads the necessary updates, so you can get started almost immediately,” says Friedrich Lodenkemper. His son sees the main advantages in practical use: “The system is easy to use. All tasks can be carried out intuitively, thanks to the well-thought-out user interface. The print image is displayed on a high-resolution 22-inch monitor and the controls are accessed via a multi-touch panel. Depending on the hardware configuration, this can show minimal color deviations as well as missing coatings, color haze or mechanical defects. “The operators are very happy. Because the display is razor sharp, we have to stop the machines

The high-end video inspection solution iPQ-View was implemented on the new Muller Martini Concepta 10 colors from the outset - including remote maintenance.

less often. This results in smooth project processing,” says Production Manager Friedrich Lodenkemper.

Thanks to its traverse mounting, the BST PROView is suitable for both narrow and wide web applications.

BST iPQ-View high-end video web inspection system The high-end iPQ-View video inspection solution was implemented on the new Muller Martini Concepta 10-color right from the start. “We chose the high-end solution for our largest machine.

We were particularly impressed by the impressive image quality of the monitor and the user-friendly interface. All the components work so well together that it makes quality control much easier for the operators and reduces the risk of errors. If problems do occur, the remote maintenance with its easy and immediate fault diagnosis provides a quick remedy.”.

On the Muller Martini Concepta 9-color press, the BST AR 4400 control component ensures precise adjustment of the register and BST PROView provides reliable print image control in real time.

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Conclusion: “We are delighted to see what a big difference our technologies can make when combined with clear objectives. The close and productive cooperation with Vahle Print & Service GmbH has brought both sides forward. We are happy to support Vahle GmbH’s high-quality standards and future orientation with our systems and look forward to continuing our successful cooperation,” says Fabian Kneip, Area Sales Manager at BST. The modernization of Vahle Print & Service GmbH’s printing line with the BST AR 4400 Register Guidance System and the BST PROView and iPQ-View Video Web Inspection Systems has resulted in significant improvements. “The mailings look more brilliant due to the greater depth of field and higher edge definition,” summarizes Friedrich Lodenkemper. This is because the high resolution of the inspection devices enables precise color management, which makes even small errors immediately visible, increasing the quality of the results while reducing response times and waste. The quick implementation and easy operation of the systems have reduced downtime and increased overall plant efficiency.

“We are very pleased with the upgrade because we can conserve resources and still deliver the top quality our customers expect.

Thanks to the sustainability of the processes, Vahle GmbH can once again strengthen its position as an environmentally conscious and competitive company. www.bst.elexis.group

AND WE KNOW WHERE. A A SS PP EE CC II A A LL SS EE RRV V II CC EE FF RR O OM M

Your KHS line optimization service gets more performance out of your existing production lines.

The The longer longer aa machine machine is is in in operation, operation, the the more more its its level level of of effi efficiency ciency drops. drops. There There are are many many reasons reasons for for this this which which are are not not always always immediately immediately recognizable. recognizable. Our Our line line optimization optimization service service thoroughly thoroughly screens screens your your lines, lines, pinpointing pinpointing all all weak weak points points and and optimizing optimizing your your machine machine effi efficiency ciency by by up up to to 30%.

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Experience Scalable Reliability with Gellert Freeze Dryers for Regulated Food Production!

Gellert freeze dryers are the perfect solution for manufacturers looking for a reliable and scalable option for regulated food production. With a notable shift towards the freezedried product market, manufacturers and consumers alike are recognizing the benefits of this process. By reducing, or removing, the need for cold chain handling, manufacturers can reduce transportation and storage costs, and as freeze-dried material is much lighter than frozen or refrigerated product, this further lowers costs. Additionally, freeze dried products not only take less energy and cost to store, but they also maintain the biological benefits and flavours of the raw product whilst extending shelf life.

Gellert freeze dryers offer a controlled and repeatable manner for in-situ freeze drying directly on the shelves, ensuring the product maintains its shape, structure, and nutritional value. Gellert has developed a range of freeze dryers with ease of scale-up, user requirements, and operation in mind, making them versatile and popular in the industry.

Some of the beneficial features of Gellert equipment include AutoDry, an intuitive feature that allows users to input their desired temperature differential between the product, sample, and shelves, ensuring the sample can be dried using the AutoDry feedback mechanism,

freeze dried products not only take less energy and cost to store, but they also maintain the biological benefits and flavours of the raw product whilst extending shelf life. optimizing drying cycles. The chamber, condenser, shelves, and shelf stack can all be constructed from 316L stainless steel for product contact, and a hybrid cooling system is also available on larger equipment, to utilize defrost water by re-heating via the freeze dryer compressors, saving energy and costs.

The most common applications that Gellert’s freeze dryers are used for include: • smart foods e.g., supplements and nutraceuticals • food and beverages • dairy products • fruits and vegetables • pet food and pet treats

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All Gellert systems are manufactured in Europe and strictly adhere to compliance regulations such as F-gas.

Biopharma Group is the exclusive distributor of Gellert freeze dryers across the UK, Ireland, and France.

Both Biopharma Group and Gellert are well respected and renowned companies, combining years of lyo industry experience. This winning combination allows the Biopharma Group team to help you select the best freeze dryer to meet your specific need and Gellert has accrued a high level of practical experience and in-house expertise, developing an array of different models and configurations to satisfy a broad range of food production purposes.

Contact Biopharma Group’s product specialists to discuss your requirements or request more information. www.biopharma.co.uk

How to dispense highly concentrated solutions to reduce your carbon footprint At Quantex, we understand that dispensing highly-concentrated solutions can be very challenging.

Higher concentrations often mean higher viscosity fluids, and most pump technologies struggle to transfer thicker liquids. However, product manufacturers are keen to reduce their carbon footprint and one way of doing this is to ship less water, which is not only good for the environment, but it also reduces costs in a number of ways.

In this article, we’ll analyse the benefits that can come from dispensing highly concentrated solutions, and how by doing so, you could reduce your carbon footprint.

We will also provide a groundbreaking solution to dispensing higher viscosity fluids and diluting in-pump for a perfectly mixed, readyto-use consumer product.

Using concentrates and diluting at the point of dispense can bring many benefits to the consumer, especially when compared with pre-packaged goods off the shelf. This is because a dispenser can offer the consumer greater choice – allowing them to tailor the amount of diluent added into their product. These benefits include the opportunity to: Reduce the amount of sugar or calories – many food and beverage solutions (e.g. energy, juice or fizzy drinks), are high in sugar or calories.

By increasing the dilution ratio, you can reduce the amount of sugar or calories you consume

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By transporting your product in a concentrated form and using a Quantex pump, you can dilute in-pump with a ratio of up to 500:1

diluting them, you can reduce the risk of these side effects.

Next, we’ll consider the further benefits that come with packaging and shipping a smaller product that helps reduce your carbon footprint and transportation costs:

Improve the taste – some food and drink products, such as concentrated juices or smoothies, can be too strong or sour to drink for some people, but by adding more dilution, they can be more palatable

Reduce the size of transportation – as a concentrated solution is smaller per serving, the volume needed to ship can be smaller meaning the transportation, its emissions and its carbon footprint can be reduced

Make the product easier to digest – some people struggle to consume thick and heavy products as they are difficult to digest, but diluting them can make consumption easier

Increasing the product shelf life – by reducing or removing the solute that makes the composition of a product start to decompose or rot, you can prolong the shelf-life of your product

Reduce the risk of side effects – There are a few food and drink products that are enjoyable but can come with negative side effects (e.g. energy drinks can cause anxiety, insomnia, and headaches), but by

Reducing the amount of packaging needed during transportation – by shipping a smaller-sized product, the packaging size can be reduced, along with the protective shipping materials and waste produced at

the end of transportation or the product’s life Smaller vehicles can be used to transport the product – by transporting a smaller and lighter product, you reduce the amount of energy required for shipping and transportation which can help to reduce the emissions associated with transportation and packaging Reduction in the amount of energy to maintain the product – through using a more concentrated solution, you don’t need as much heat or cooling to maintain the temperature of the product to keep it within its best conditions Reduced loading costs – as the product is smaller, the costs required to transport the product will be reduced, for example, a smaller product could be considered a ‘fastloader’ as it’s easier to transport and will therefore cost less than a bigger, bulkier product The ability for consumers to reuse containers – when the solution is diluted at the point of dispense, this presents the opportunity for consumers to reuse their bottles or containers, saving the amount of plastic waste generated Smaller shelf requirements – where the final product is diluted using water, the feed can be plumbed in directly and stored elsewhere meaning the water doesn’t need to be right next to the pump and solution, taking up less space or shelf surface.

So, there are many commercial drivers for using higher concentrations, but as already mentioned, there is a limit to how viscous a product can be due to the limitations of a dispenser’s pump capability. With Quantex, however, far higher concentrations are possible due to the pump’s unique high vacuum and high pressure capability, which means that Quantex can transfer viscosities up to 100,000cP (which is roughly the consistency of a

Quantex offers a unique system because its pumps are designed for single-pack use and are combined with and replaced with each new liquid pack. thick hair conditioner or sour cream) so thick syrups, for example, are entirely possible.

Quantex offers a unique system because its pumps are designed for single-pack use and are combined with and replaced with each new liquid pack. So, rather than having a pump in the fixed equipment that needs to be cleaned and calibrated from time to time, the pump and pack contain and dispense the product directly from its primary container, thus eliminating the need for costly cleaning and maintenance. This also enables rapid product replenishment and products can be swapped in and out of the same channels without cross-contamination. This is perfect for dispensing products in retail environments where shop-floor staff are not accustomed to having to maintain time-consuming dispense equipment.

Quantex offers Dilution versions of its pumps where the pump features an extra inlet for the diluent (usually a regulated, filtered mains water supply). The water and concentrate are mixed inside the pump to produce a final product with no stratification. Depending on the final solution, the solute can be diluted at

different ratios to achieve different products or variations in tastes.

Quantex pumps are suitable for use in a variety of industries from refill dispensers in supermarkets, to food and beverage transfer in food service environments, hotels and offices, or in manufacturing and consumer and industrial applications.

By transporting your product in a concentrated form and using a Quantex pump, you can dilute inpump with a ratio of up to 500:1.

This equates to removing 80 – 99% of the water ​from the distribution channel​which (in some cases) is the equivalent of reducing the transportation from five vehicles to just one, creating a massive reduction in shipping costs and transportation emissions.

There are many benefits to working with concentrated solutions and then diluting them at the final destination.

With a range of pumps that can dispense virtually any liquid you can find in a supermarket, restaurant or retail environment – including viscous products like mayonnaise, spreads, viscous concentrates, and thick hair conditioner, or aggressive fluids like bleach – our range of recyclable Quantex pumps provide retailers with a convenient, easyto-use, hygienic pumping system with quick product changeovers, no cleaning, no calibration and accurate, drip-free dispensing.

If you are considering the possibilities of dispensing concentrated solutions to improve your product offerings, save costs and carbon emissions, talk to Quantex, since this gamechanging pump technology is a key enabler that can help you make a big difference. www.quantex-arc.com

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IBC & Drum Mixing stations Offer consistent product quality at the point of use for a wide range of applications, guide rails position the IBC and the mixer is raise and lowered into the IBC with a push button operated electrical actuator.

Fixed or mobile mixing stations are supplied complete with a control panel and safety interlocks.

Standard IBC mixing stations can be adapted to integrate with systems on site including pumps, valves, weighing and measuring instrumentation and controls to meet specific site requirements.

Please call or email our application engineers will be happy to help Email : sales@euromixers.co.uk | Tel : 0161 486 5099 | Web : www.euromixers.co.uk Euromixers Ltd Landmark House Station Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK8 7BS 18 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

Forklift truck charging The forgotten energy expense Rising energy bills have been the running theme for some time. For businesses, the price per kWh has risen from 17p in 2021 to 29p in 2023*. You may have explored energy saving options such as LED lighting or timers on electronics, but have you considered how much energy your forklift trucks use when charging?

This process typically reduces energy consumption by up to 30% and improves battery service life by up to 15%.

Reduce energy costs of your battery charging Approximately one third of the running costs of electric forklifts is energy used when charging. Conventional HF and 50Hz chargers are not as economical when charging as a lot of the energy escapes the charger through heat.

Fronius Selectiva 4.0 battery chargers, with the intelligent, patented Ri charging process, offers a much gentler, cooler charging characteristic that adapts to the state of the battery, preventing overheating and overcharging.

From the example shown here**, the savings from 2022 to 2023 equate to nearly 39% over a 5-year period with the ROI being just 6 months.

The Fronius UK team offers a free energy saving audit of your MHE fleet. Using their tool, I-SPoT calculator, they’re able to calculate the total operating costs and provide a report detailing how energy consumption can be reduced when Fronius Selectiva 4.0 chargers are used. Call us today to find out more: +44(0)1908 512 300. *According to USwitch for Business as of 11/12/23 ** Based on 45 trucks (mixture of PPT, Reach, Counterbalance & LLOPS), 90 batteries and a Mon-Fri double shift operation.

www.fronius.co.uk

Selectiva 4.0: Smart, compact, powerful – Intelligent, patented battery charging technology that reduces energy consumption, CO2 emissions and improves battery life – Reliable, robust and durable with a 5 year warranty as standard – Suitable for use in cold enviornments – Regenerate over-discharged batteries – Multivoltage capabilities as standard – Compatible with lead-acid, CSM and PzQ batteries

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Optimise your battery charging process and reduce your operating costs.

Contact us for a FREE energy saving audit. www.fronius.co.uk | +44(0)1908 512 300 | charger-sales-uk@fronius.com

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Why one engineer thinks we need to change our attitude towards plastic We have all read the doom-laden headlines these past few years about how our planet is drowning in plastic litter and microplastics.

It would seem that every other day some environmentalist around the world is spouting words on just how evil and nasty it is.

And while you can’t argue about some of the hard evidence out there, namely that plastic pollution has been found in even the most remote of places; including Mount Everest, the Mariana Trench and the Arctic, one British engineer thinks plastic does not deserve the bad rap it’s been getting. In fact, he argues that part of the problem lies more with misinformation and how people use the material.

Meet Richard Pike, his company Gemini, based just outside Oxford, is in the business of prototype design and manufacturing. By its very nature it operates using predominantly plastic on an industrial scale – and has been since he formed it with his wife back in 1999 – so Richard understands just how complex the situation is and that you can’t really blame one person or organisation; nothing is black and white. Case in point: despite his profession, he actually cares about the environment and goes diving in his spare time.

“I’ve been diving for eight years, and I love it. It helps me to relax,” Richard commented. “When you’re down there, you only think about what’s in front of you, nothing else, it’s amazing. Another reason why I love it is that you get to see how marine life interacts with its environment, like how a shipwreck has changed over the years.”

Despite being a keen diver for this amount of time, and is a member of PADI (professional association of diving instructors) and BSAC (British sub aqua club), he said that he hadn’t seen any clear indication

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of plastic pollution in the sea – but admits that plastics and other litter in the sea, like discarded fishing nets, are obviously a problem.

“The reason fishermen discard nets is that, over time, they become more opaque and more visible to the fish so their yields go down – not because of the nylon degrading.”

Richard then pointed towards the issue of infrastructure around recycling the nets. “Another reason some fishermen are throwing away old nets is that in many parts of the world there simply isn’t anything in place for recycling the nets, probably because of economic factors, so we need to look at this and at the cost of recycling.”

Interestingly enough, two UKbased organisations have been set up in recent years to help combat this situation, which, according to the United Nations, has seen over 640,000 tonnes of nets, lines and pots used in commercial fishing dumped in the seas globally.

Odyssey Innovation’s Net Regeneration Scheme has been running since 2016 – and has been

responsible for over 200,000 kilograms of end-of-life nets being recovered and recycled back into the circular economy, with most harbours around the British Isles involved. This operation has gone from strength to strength and has seen major backing from supermarket chain Morrisons, plus, since 2020, Exeter City Council has been playing a key part with providing a sorting facility.

The other major UK marine recycling operation is the Ocean Recovery Project. This involves environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy – they’ve teamed up with plastic processing experts Multispeed and have recycled over 40 tonnes of trawl net into plastic pellets that can be resold to the market. To date, Brixham harbour has been one of the biggest contributors, however Scarborough, Whitby and Dunbar in Scotland are also part of the project.

Alongside these relatively recent marine recycling schemes, other exciting developments have been happening including one that Richard’s Gemini company first noticed and wrote about on

The best role the UK can play is be innovators.

We’ve got some smart people here and we can develop materials that we can give to countries like China. their social media just before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Polymateria was founded in 2015 at Imperial College London and was the first organisation to achieve certified biodegradation of the most commonly-littered forms of plastic packaging. By adding a special additive called Lyfecycle into the plastic processing, a lot of packaging material that escapes refuse streams can now fully break down into an environmentally friendly wax-like substance. Sounds like science fiction? Well, you better believe it, because it’s definitely happening and Richard is “100 per cent onboard with this new technology”.

Keeping abreast of all the latest technological developments is essential for a major company like Gemini. After all, they are not the only prototype manufacturer in the UK, far from it. But what exactly do they build? Well, to put it simply, if you want a product designed and prototyped quickly, they are your ‘one-stop shop’. Offering a wide range of specialist services, Gemini’s team of talented 22-strong workforce can produce 3D design concepts, CAD design, traditional hand-carved models, high-tech blow moulding and injection moulded prototypes.

Working within automotive, big pharmaceuticals and fast-moving consumer goods industries, their client list is just as impressive as the services they offer. Jaguar, BMW, Airbus, Bacardi, 3M and KraftHeinz are just some of their regulars.

They have these impressive clients simply because they deliver great results every time. “People like using us,” Richard commented, “and we always try to be associated with projects that benefit humanity.”

Working with Cambridge University in producing HIV diagnostics, as well

as electric motors for YASA Motors perfectly demonstrate this.

One particular Gemini customer, Unilever, is keen to promote their planet-friendly credentials and is using the Lyfecycle technology, alongside another huge client, Reckitt Benckiser. However, both firms play out their business model on a global scale and involve investors who have had their fair share of controversy over the years – however, to be a major prototype firm like Gemini, you have to realise there are many moving parts to the industry and not get bogged down with forces that are beyond your control.

Richard is quick to comment it’s far from straightforward, that companies are being mindful about how ‘eco-friendly’ they are perceived to be and this is probably being driven, in part, by the mainstream rhetoric on plastic pollution. They themselves are currently in talks to obtain an approved ISO environmental standard called “Environmental management ISO 14001”.

“It’s getting more and more prominent in the clients’ brief, in fact, it might come to the point where a client will say, ‘until you have that environmental standard, you can’t supply to us,’” Richard explained. “They’re going down this route because they have to be seen as being responsible for taking an environmental stance. If you’re not green, you’re unethical.

He further commented about companies using lighter grade plastics and the cost factor. “There’s been this apparently recent move to

using more lightweight plastics, but this is nothing new, we were doing this 20 years ago; shaving out half a gram of plastic from our moulding.

If you can imagine the scale of some of these production plants, we’re talking billions, not millions of units – therefore, if you can shave off a small amount of plastic then the savings are going to be huge.”

And these facts further highlight what makes this whole global pollution situation so complicated, in that you have these huge industrial and economical forces essentially steering everything – with there being no one quick-fix to a more eco-friendly world.

So, Gemini’s stance on plastics for the foreseeable future is that there’s no substitute to support modern living. “It’s a marvellous material but it’s been taken for granted,” Richard explained.

“It’s what you do with it afterwards... we need to value it more, because good luck trying to get through another pandemic without it, plastic is the main raw material in PPE. Misinformation on how you should substitute plastic is another key factor that needs addressing, according to Richard. “As much as I admire Greenpeace, they have demonised plastic to a point where people are using alternatives that are even worse for the environment.

Like switching to paper pulp much of which can’t even be recycled. Any thermoplastic can be recycled, but what happens to cardboard after use? It rots down and produces methane which is a very harmful greenhouse gas.”

Despite everything, Richard remains optimistic. “The best role the UK can play is be innovators. We’ve got some smart people here and we can develop materials that we can give to countries like China. Change will come through innovation, and making sure the consumer is informed of what the facts are.”

For further information contact Gareth Looker of Looker Marketing Communications on 07734 104285 or email gareth@looker.co.uk

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Working towards a cleaner planet one design at a time We wouldn’t pretend that we’ve got all the answers to solving the world’s problem of plastic polllution but our ethical approach to engineering means we can do our bit… …by exploring new applications and processes for recyclable plastics we can recommend alternative, friendlier materials. …by working to extremely ne tolerances we can shave a bit off plastic mouldings; which reduces waste – and our clients’ costs. …by offering a service that’s dedicated to achieving the best for our clients’ reputation, as well as their budget, we have gained an enviable reputation ourselves.

These are just some of the ways we work to enhance our client’s business – in both our prototyping and manufacturing businesses. Get in touch to see how we can do the same for yours.

Unit 20 Wornal Park, Menmarsh Road, Worminghall, Bucks, HP18 9JX, UK

+44 (0)1844 339857 geminiprototyping.co.uk

& MACHINERY WisemanMACHINING Threading Tools Ltd

SPECIALISTS IN TOOLS & GAUGES Specialists in Tools & Gauges for Screw Threads We have been supplying

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WISEMAN THREADING TOOLS LTD 11 Padgets Lane South Moons Moat Redditch B98 0RA UK 0044(1527)520580 sales@threadtools.com For further information, please visit www.threadtools.com

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WISEMAN WISEMAN THREADING THREADING TOOLS TOOLS LTD LTD 11 11 Padgets Padgets Lane Lane South South Moons Moons Moat Moat Redditch Redditch B98 B98 0RA 0RA UK UK +44(0)1527 +44(0)1527 520 520 580 580 sales@threadtools.com sales@threadtools.com www.threadtools.com www.threadtools.com

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Arla Foods Ingredients partners with ENORM to harness upcycling power of insects Arla Foods Ingredients has teamed up with ENORM, Northern Europe’s largest insect farm, in a partnership that will significantly reduce food waste.

Delactosed permeate (DLP) is a residual dairy stream generated in large volumes during lactose production. Most DLP is currently used as material for biogas production, which is a less preferable option than re-use for animal feed according to the food waste hierarchy set out in the EU’s Waste Framework Directive.

Arla Foods Ingredients has long been investigating ways to address this challenge, but DLP’s composition has previously made it difficult to use in traditional animal feed. This is about to change thanks to the larvae of the black soldier fly. Currently used by ENORM for animal feed, they also offer huge potential as a healthy and sustainable source of protein for humans.

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A commitment to circularity is at the heart of Arla Foods Ingredients’ business model.

Having developed the capacity to turn DLP into nutritious feed for the larvae, Arla Foods Ingredients has been supplying ENORM with DLP for trial production for several years. However, today (6th December, 2023) ENORM is opening a major new facility in Flemming, Denmark, and gearing up for full-scale production.

As a result, the amount of DLP that Arla Foods Ingredients supplies to ENORM will increase substantially – to 15 truckloads a week from early 2024. When the new facility is up and running, it will be able to produce 100 tonnes of larvae daily – enough for more than 10,000 tonnes of insect meal.

Because its destination will be feed rather than biogas, the partnership will allow DLP to move up in the waste hierarchy.

Arla Foods Ingredients estimates that the partnership will enable its Danmark Protein facility to achieve a significant (16%) reduction in food waste.

Sønke Møller, Senior Sales Developer at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “A commitment to circularity is at the heart of Arla Foods Ingredients’ business model.

So we’re hugely excited to be partnering with ENORM as it works to revolutionise the provision of protein and create more sustainable food systems. This collaboration – which will see a bystream previously classified as food waste transformed into something with potentially huge nutritional value – is a fantastic example of companies working together to make upcycling a reality.” www.arla.com

The flexible warehouse (and flexible warehouse supplier!) the building itself but it’s also very much to do with the terms of the agreement and the supplier you’re working with. Flexibility has to be a 360 approach in our opinion.”

By Shaun Stephens, UK Sales Manager, Smart-Space You’d be forgiven for purely thinking ‘storage’ when you think of warehousing but at Smart-Space we supply warehouses for all kinds of reasons. It is interesting that we can supply an instant building for storage and then, next time we visit, it might have become a workshop! Sometimes, it has even been relocated to a new part of the client site. But that’s the beauty of a flexible warehouse, making sure it can change in line with your needs.

Changing the purpose of your Smart-Space building is one thing but we also incorporate flexibility into our contracts. “Why would you tie someone up in a contract they can’t change, terminate or extend?” asks Shaun Stephens, Smart-Space’s UK Sales Manager. To reflect this approach, you can hire or purchase – or you can change your mind and purchase part-way through your agreement. You can off-hire at any

Making the most of the space is really important too. The range of Maxi-Space buildings offers a vast, uninterrupted floor space which is ideal for warehousing or for accommodating multiple applications under one roof. The space can be fully utilised, from floor to the eaves, with maximum ability to manoeuvre fork-lifts and other equipment.

time at all – unheard of generally – with just a week’s notice. The team can also, quite easily, extend the size of the building.

No one really knows what the future holds and so, being able to flex, adapt and react is vital. For many Smart-Space clients, it is this flexibility that means their business can continue in the right direction, managing unexpected challenges, with very little notice.

“Being flexible is all-encompassing” explained Shaun. “It’s not just about

Shaun.stephens@smart-space.co.uk www.smart-space.co.uk

LOOKING FOR INSTANT, FLEXIBLE, ADDITIONAL

SPACE?

WAREHOUSING I STORAGE I FACTORY SPACE Talk to our friendly, professional, experienced team - we can advise on the best options from a range of solutions. Our local supply chain and directly employed teams means we are quick and reliable. We are also completely flexible: you can hire or purchase (or switch whenever you like) and you can off-hire at any time. We do everything - from building only to turnkey solutions (and everything in between).

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Talk to the team

Ask for Jason or Shaun 0808 250 6671 smart-space.co.uk

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An innovative solution to a big ‘FAT’ problem!

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) are an ever-increasing problem, causing almost three quarters of blockages in UK sewer networks. Fog-rich waste from food processing manufacturers, restaurants, fast food establishments and consumers results in a £100m spend by the UK water industry to clear blockages.

FOG blockages, commonly known as ‘Fatbergs’, are gaining increased media coverage. Preventive measures are costly, so education is necessary to change public behaviour in disposing of FOG waste. Initiatives like Unblocktober were launched to raise public awareness and help reduce the amount of fats, oils and greases being put down our drains.

Image 1—Solid Fatberg fully blocking London Sewer

Regulation (Water Industry Act 1991) dictates that FOG must not be discharged into the sewer network and traditionally this is prevented in food establishments with the use of grease traps (Building Regulations 2000 Approved Document H). However, grease traps are highly inefficient, require regular cleaning and are subject to rodent infestation.

Industrial food companies experience similar problems but their impact on the sewer network is more visible and easier to police. FOG recovery and removal has long been a major component of a food manufacturers wastewater treatment plant, but effective removal has not always been achievable and failures can result in breach of environmental permits, fines and even prison.

Smart Storm, a leading UK wastewater company have designed and manufactured an innovative solution to FOG issues. Trade marked as The Greasebuster, it is a highly efficient alternative to traditional methods of removing FOGs from wastewater tanks and systems and removing the need for grease traps and interceptors.

www.smartstormgroup.com Enquiries@smartstormgroup.com 28 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

Image 2—Fatberg composition

The Greasebuster uses a unique material to attract non-polar liquids such as fats, oils and greases onto a extraction belt whilst rejecting water.

The Greasebuster sits in a reception tank, which continuously rotates through the surface collecting up to 99% of FOGS up to 20m3/day. An adjustable paddlewheel breaks up the surface and pulls the FOG onto the belt. Speed control and belt attack angle are also fully adjustable for different FOG types – which are then scraped off the belt and deposited into an IBC or other suitable containers.

Dr John Duffy, Founder and Manging Director of Smart Storm, says “We are firm believers in prevention is better and cheaper than the cure. We observed the remedial work being done to clean up blockages, listened to customers in the food industry and came up with The Greasebuster concept. It has been very well received by food manufacturers, particularly where solid waste is a problem and oil skimmers and interceptors have failed.”

Do you have a problem with FOG (Fat/Oil/Grease) in your Industrial Wastewater?

IF YES - you could ALSO be facing these problems:Build up of FOG in internal/external Wastewater Networks (Fatbergs) Wasting a valuable asset - FOG which can be sold on for Biodiesel Breaching Environmental Consent to Discharge Permits Paying for Removal of Wastewater containing FOG Financial Penalties from your Water Company Risk of Prosecution and Loss of Reputation!

Smart Storm Has The Solution!

Smart Storm’s unique Greasebuster™ FOG skimmer is able to remove up to 20m3 litres (or more) of fats, oils or grease per day, The Greasebuster™ uses a unique material to attract the FOG onto an extraction belt whilst rejecting water, allowing the FOG to be reclaimed and sold for Biodiesel, generating income for you!

Click on the QR code to see the video!

Trials are available - Contact us to find out more! + 44 (0) 1422 363462

www.smartstormgroup.com

Simply place a new product on the belt and you’re ready to go – this is how quickly the tog.519 cobot from Schubert can now change formats.

Simple, flexible automation – beyond the machine Packaging machine manufacturer Schubert presents its production-ready cobot Strong competition and falling margins are putting pressure on manufacturers of consumer goods to improve the efficiency of their packaging processes. Most often, the solution is automation. With the new cobot from Schubert, which is now ready for series production, its’ capabilities can be implemented from the very start of a packaging machines infeed – with exceptional flexibility and without requiring any programming effort.

similar products have for the

Until now, automation processes for the packaging of food, confectionery, cosmetics and

hand that takes consumer goods

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most part been limited to the packaging machine itself.

Feeding is often done manually, because processes such as placing products from a crate onto a belt, separating them, orienting them correctly or sorting them are quite complex and rarely cost-effective to automate.

With the development of its tog.519 cobot, Schubert now has a new, extremely flexible and very easy-to-operate solution at manufacturers a decisive step forward.

Pick & place with a high cycle rate when picking unsorted product The Schubert cobot is designed for high-performance pick & place applications with lightweight products: At up to 90 cycles per minute, the tog.519 picks up a wide variety of products or packaging materials from the crate or conveyor and places them in any conceivable target destination – without the need for complex programming with only the tool needing to be matched to the product. Benjamin Brand, responsible for sales and integration in Schubert’s Cobot

team, explains: “We built the vacuum unit in our tog.519 based on our proven F4 robots. Together with the individually designed robot tools, some of which are 3D printed, we can process a wide variety of products – including unpackaged chocolates as well as plastic components for spray bottles. In the cobot, we have brought together all of Schubert’s in-depth pick & place experience.”

The electronic components and 3D image processing, which thanks to AI only requires a standard 2D camera, are fully integrated into the system.

An AI-supported image processing system developed by Schubert is behind the cobot’s ease of use.

It recognises the products as they are picked up as well as the environment in which they are to be placed. The cobot’s neural network is so extensively trained that the robot can immediately process new products from the same product group: for example, pouches (sachets, flowpacks, stand-up pouches, sealed-rim pouches, etc.) of different sizes or bottles of different shapes.

The AI’s tolerance is conceived to accept variable sizes, materials, surfaces or thicknesses within a product group. This means that virtually no teach-in or start-up process is required. The Schubert cobot gets started as soon as it is put into operation.

Extremely flexible and very easy to operate Its integrated systems also make the Cobot fully autonomous and mobile. So it can be used to close automation gaps at different and ever-changing points along the production process. It can either be free-standing or optionally placed into a protective cell.

Free-standing, the tog.519 protects workers by reducing its speed if a person approaches too closely.

And conversely, this means that, in a very cramped production environment, the protective cell around the Schubert cobot ensures that production runs at the highest cycle rate at all times without interruptions or slowdowns. Even with the protective cell, the cobot remains flexible: The entire cell can be easily moved to another location and used there for other applications – thanks to the fully integrated plug & play system components.

So far, the product groups pre-trained in the AI include pouches, lids, pumps and bottles, as well as pralines and chocolate.

The cobot’s unique advantages make it especially interesting for industries such as cosmetics, confectionery or food. After all, a high degree of flexibility and easy switching between different products are decisive for manufacturers who need to respond quickly to market developments and frequently introduce new formats. Schubert has trained the AI accordingly: The product groups which have been pre-trained so far include pouches, lids, pumps and bottles, as well as pralines and chocolate.

Field-proven and exceptionally versatile The possible applications are hugely diverse. For example, the

tog.519 can load the feed chains of a flow-wrapping machine from a crate, pick up bottles for a filling machine from a conveyor and orientate them correctly, pick up a wide variety of unsorted products and place them into cartons or even assemble mixed packs. The image processing reliably even detects products positioned on top of each other, for example pump sprayers with tubes. If very narrow, unsorted products such as bags happen to be positioned vertically in a box and therefore cannot be easily gripped, a vibrating unit rearranges the products between cycles and therefore helps the cobot find a bag that can be picked up at each cycle.

In addition to the use of a single tog.519, for example for feeding a packaging machine, several robots can also be set up as an entire cobot line, making packaging processes much more flexible.

This makes sense for mixed packs, for instance. The cobot not only works with Schubert machines, but also with third-party systems and even with robots from other manufacturers. This versatility opens up entirely new possibilities for consumer goods manufacturers to automate their packaging processes very flexibly and raise their existing production to an all-new level. In practice, the Schubert cobot is already proving itself in the baked goods and cosmetics industries. www.schubert.group/en/

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A simple step towards food safety The food industry is large, global, and diverse – yet its production equipment shares common requirements – every machine with moving parts needs to be sufficiently, and regularly lubricated so that gears, conveyor belts, cooling compressors, and other machine components, move smoothly and energy-efficiently, but this requirement is often overlooked!

In busy working environments the question of what needs to be lubricated and with how much oil or grease, and when, is not trivial.

Too much, too little, or the wrong lubricant at the wrong time can quickly bring production to a halt, or at least hamper it, which is why it is important to have a clear lubrication concept to ensure better compliance with quality standards and regulations in production, as well as identifying opportunities for cost reductions.

Lubricant manufacturers should offer advice and services that can

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popular belief there are no official government-mandated rules or laws that define low-toxicity ‘food-grade’ lubricants. Rather, food-grade lubricants registered as NSF H1 products are only intended for indirect contact, or technically unavoidable food contact. provide important contributions to the organisation and support the establishment of process structures beyond the products themselves. One area where these objectives can be achieved for quality management, audit preparation, and process efficiencies specifically in the Food and Beverage sector is by using ‘food-grade’ lubricants.

Food-grade has become the standard term used for lubricants in the food-processing industry, however, this is not correct, because food-grade actually refers to materials that are intended for direct contact with food, such as inner packaging. Contrary to

Lubricant management: For efficient processes and optimised audits The best lubricant is only as good as the way in which it is used, but the use of oils and greases requires special expertise that is often underestimated. A good lubricant supplier therefore not only sells products to customers, but also offers a holistic lubrication concept based on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) measures, such as professional counselling and services aimed at optimising machine outputs and component lifetime. Such a lubricant concept can ideally be multiplied across different locations, and even internationally.

Klüber Lubrication has developed a digital solution for the coordination and optimal use of these services.

Klüber Lubrication has developed a digital solution for the coordination and optimal use of these services. The system provides a central overview of the associated lubrication tasks and data. The TPM service portfolio addresses and optimises the factors of high energy costs, equipment, lubricant condition monitoring and spare parts. This also has a major impact on the sustainability factors of material, waste, and energy and thus on your sustainability performance indicators.

When choosing their lubricant supplier, food manufacturers should pay very close attention to product features and additional services that help to maintain quality standards and thus also improve food safety.

These include: – ‘Food-grade,’ NSF H1 registration. – ISO 21469 certification of production plants –

Development of a comprehensive lubrication concept – Digital services, and lubricant condition monitoring services that support the lubrication concept.

Humans make the difference: Lubrication Training for Operators and Engineers Whether compliance with standards and regulations can be ensured, and audits passed without any problems, depends on the employees who work with the lubricants. Not only do they have a direct impact on food safety, but they also influence how machines and equipment comply with specified food safety standards.

Inadequate lubrication can lead to machine wear, which can cause machine material to enter the product leading to product recalls that could be avoided.

A TPM concept can include colour coding of different lubrication products to avoid confusion that could quickly hamper production, or the safe handling of lubricants through training of production and maintenance staff. Good training also helps to increase the understanding of lubricants and the standards associated with them. This also helps to overcome

internal resistance to compliance with standards.

Another solution is the use of Automatic lubricators to supply the lubrication point with a defined quantity of grease or lubricating oil at regular intervals. The result: thanks to the appropriate lubricator and correct lubricant quantity adjusted to specific applications is neither over lubrication nor under lubrication. The lubrication point thus receives the optimum amount of lubricant and, due to the closed system is protected from negative environmental influences such as dust, contamination, and moisture.

Occupational safety also benefits from automatic lubricators: they minimise contact points between man and machine, especially workers’ presence in dangerous areas that are difficult to access, and reduce the number of accidents due to slipping as a result of lubricant leakage.

To find out more about our food safe products and TPM solutions please contact a Kluber representative. www.klueber.com/uk/en/

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Hyperspectral seal inspection and AI enable end-of-line automation for packaging of snack trays Important for salty snacks is to preserve the crispiness, so seal integrity is critical. Defective packages lead to internal and external quality problems and high sorting and possible callbackcosts, which need to be avoided. That’s why Austrian producer Kelly integrated HyperScope® systems into two new production lines, for 100% in-line seal inspection of the single- and multi-compartment trays with transparent as well as printed films.

As the salted product is crispy, crumbles might get stuck in the sealing area. The top film of the packages is often printed, so eventual contamination cannot be “seen” by a human eye or standard vision inspection systems. Also, at a high production rate, manual inspection is simply not feasible.

To automate their end-of-line packaging, Kelly was looking for a solution that was: 1) capable of detecting contamination through printed top film; 2) usable for multi-trays; 3) capable of handling

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high production speeds and ; 4) automatically rejecting faulty packages. Enters HyperScope®, Engilico’s new solution for hyperspectral-based seal inspection of rigid trays and thermoforms.

Seeing more with hyperspectral imaging and AI HyperScope® uses hyperspectral imaging to detect seal contamination with high contrast, even with printed film. The inspection system features GPU-accelerated artificial intelligence (AI), which enables real-time, high-precision seal area detection, regardless of the package orientation, packaging material, layout and size. Hyperspectral cameras capture information from a larger part of the electromagnetic spectrum including infrared wavelengths that penetrate through thin plastic or paper top films. The system can inspect up to 160 packages per minute, a speed that is well aligned with most food production lines. Since contamination only needs to be

detected in the sealing area, it is important to detect this region with high accuracy. HyperScope® relies on artificial intelligence for this task: the sealing area is automatically determined, regardless of package orientation, degree of deformation and number of tray compartments.

“We are very pleased with the HyperScope® systems that are particularly suited for our multicompartment packages with printed top film.”, concludes Mr. Stoessl, IWS Manager Kelly.

More info: www.engilico.com

HyperScope® seal analysis compared with rejected package

Innovative cost effective solutions Based just outside Glasgow, G & M Precision (Plastics) Ltd was formed back in 2009 to provide innovative and industry leading subcontract machining services to the manufacturing sector.

The ethos of the company is to provide High-Quality, cost-effective solutions and machining services with short lead times and all orders delivered on time every time.

In order to achieve and maintain this ethos the company invested in Brand New state off the art Doosan lathes and machining centres. This investment has continued with the addition of SolidWorks CADCAM, HASS machining centres and an Aberlink CMM. G & M achieved ISO 9001 certification in 2013. This continued investment allied to a highly skilled workforce with a combined total of close to 200 years industry experience ensures G & M are well positioned to provide their customers with the highest standards and service at all times.

We currently operate in a wide variety of sectors including Oil and Gas, Subsea, Food and Drink, Electronics & Medical to name but a few. We are a very customer focused based company with an emphasis of building strong and long-lasting relationships resulting in a repeat order rate of well over 90%. With that in mind we look forward to continuing to build new relationships and offering our experience and assistance to all new

customers. Due to our innovative cando approach, we are able to help all our customers remain competitive in these highly challenging times.

For all machining requirements contact paul@gandmprecision.co.uk robert@gandmprecision.co.uk www.gandmprecision.co.uk

Surface Technologies CWST have developed a Post Additive Manufacturing process to: l Improve surface finish and surface characterisation l Improve component cleanliness l Remove support structures l Remove sintered surface l Surface compression and densification l Management of residual stresses l Improve fatigue life

www.cwst.co.uk | eurosales@cwst.com | 01635 279621

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NSK bearings help pet food plant raise OEE When a major UK pet food producer wanted better machine utilisation with the aim of raising its OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) by 3 points, it decided to ask experts at bearing specialist NSK if they could evaluate processes and systems to help with this improvement goal.

Compressed Air Quality Matters To You But does it matter as much to those that have to measure it?

The prompt to engage NSK arrived after hearing about the company’s AIP Added Value Programme, in particular its ability to improve bearing life through a mixture of training and application engineering services. This approach focuses firmly on identifying improvement opportunities in three keys assets: people, plant and processes.

Dew Point - Particle Concentration - Residual Oil Vapour

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At the pet food facility, the management team was aware of various application issues which NSK experts viewed, leading to Compressed qualitymap. audits are rarely carried out in strict compliance with ISO 8573 and a lot can happen in the creation of aair process The between them canmost seriously affect your reputation and profitability. For many companies, in-house process map is one that of the verification of compressed powerful elements of AIP as it air quality supplements their external ISO 8573 audits to give a more regular understanding of delivered air quality. focuses on generating a complete documented review of the involving elevated temperatures, Using analytical data Removing the need forstart sending the use of modern sensors, production process from to samples away for laboratory analysis through making them ideal for the pellet provides a quick assessment of quality and an almost instant response to changes.

Not all from the trials, NSK finish, placing particular emphasis extruder and other applications on critical bearing applications. determined that at the pet food plant.

In this case, the process map the existing grease identified five areas for potential After reassembly, the extruder lubrication was not OEE improvement. ran for 7 months without any fulfilling the life bearing failures, resulting in Trials subsequently began, initially impressive cost savings of expectancy of the focusing on the more costly £70,000 thanks to reductions bearings. application: the plant’s pellet in production downtime and extruder. Here, the customer was maintenance. In addition, the pet experiencing bearing failures and food plant achieved its goal of The customer duly replaced loss of production every 10-12 raising OEE by 3 points. its existing bearings with highweeks on average. quality NSK spherical roller At the request of the customer, bearings from the company’s EA Using analytical data from the trials, NSK also conducted on-site series, as well as NSK spherical NSK determined that the existing bearing training for the plant’s thrust roller bearings. EA series grease lubrication was not fulfilling bearings, which feature pressed maintenance staff, providing the life expectancy of the bearings. steel cages, offer high loadeven more added value as part of The expert engineers therefore carrying capacity, high limiting recommended a high-viscosity oil the overall solution.

Dew Point - Particle Concentration - Residual Oil Vapour

for longer life alongside a suitably durable bearing solution.

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speeds and high functionality under operating conditions

www.nskeurope.com

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Make Compressed Air Quality Measurement So Much Easier Faster measurements allow you to get more tests done Handheld S505 Pressure Dew Point Sensor Ideal for verifying desiccant or refrigerant dryer performance anywhere. No waiting for the sensor to react through the innovative park festure that keeps the sensor dry between tests.

Portable S600 Compressed Air Purity Analyser Measure Dew Point, Particle Concentration and Residual Oil Vapour with one easily portable instrument. Produce reports directly for each test point and move to the next.

Wall Mounted S601 Compressed Air Purity Analyser Designed for 24/7 continuous monitoring of Dew Point, Particle Concentration and Residual Oil Vapour.

Communicates with plant SCADA systems through Ethernet or RS-485 and has an integral data logger for record security.

Red Dragon Ltd t/a Measure Monitor Control Unit 15 Abergorki Industrial Estate, Ynyswen Road, Treorchy, CF42 6DL

Keep the drinks flowing Warehouse efficiency is vital in a dynamic market such as beverages, where flexible storage and picking is necessary to deliver operational efficiency – particularly during peaks.

Challenging times for the beverage sector The beverage sector has undergone challenging times due to turbulent macro-economic events that are driving rises in materials prices and contributing to inflationary pressures amidst a cost of living

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crisis. Doing what it can to protect customers against price rises, the beverage businesses are seeking efficiency within their intralogistics operations. Finding ways to improve these processes can give a retailer, wholesaler or producer an enormous boost.

Improved stock availability Process improvement is a reason why BITO is seeing live storage for pallets or cases – with its inherent space-saving and First-In, FirstOut (FIFO) characteristics – fast

becoming a preferred solution for fast moving goods, overtaking conventional pallet racking.

These systems use gravity and inclined roller lanes that allow cartons and pallets to move smoothly from the loading to the retrieval position, offering enormous efficiency benefits compared to static pallet racking.

As soon as a beverage case or pallet has been picked, the other cases or pallets in that lane move forward so that order pickers,

Beverage sector companies of all kinds need to enhance their intralogistics to gain efficiencies that can be passed on to their customers. and therefore customers, need not encounter stock shortages.

The compact lane layout – both in racking width and height – provides high levels of storage density and makes optimum use of the available airspace in a warehouse. The increase in floor space utilisation over conventional racking can be as high as 60%. Perhaps most importantly, particularly during peaks, live storage enables sufficient replenishment quantities to avoid the risk of order picking downtime from running out of stock. This is particularly important for products such as mineral water, soft drinks, wine and beer that can see demand scale up rapidly during peaks.

Craft solutions Wholesalers are businesses where it is not unusual to supply hundreds of outlets and have up a 1000 different product lines, all of which must be stored in FIFO order to comply with best-before dates. They will find Live Storage to be a cost effective solution – especially when compared to automated storage and retrieval.

But the dynamic beverage sector also includes a growing multitude of small producers driven by the

popularity of craft ales, spirits and soft drinks. Many of these producers, such as increasingly popular microbreweries, will have a customer facing environments, where products can be picked by the customers themselves, without help from shop assistants.

Small independent brewers seem, on the whole, to be overcoming the mounting pressures, spurred on by the demand for craft beers. The recently launched Craft Beer Report from the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) showed 40% of independent craft breweries now have a taproom (up 10% on 2022) and that on average 27% of an independent brewery’s income now comes from sales direct to consumers via their taprooms, brewery shop or web shop – a huge increase for an industry historically heavily reliant on pub sales. For these operations, live storage lanes with a front incline are ideal for single bottle picking, whereas straight lanes are preferred for picking case loads.

Beverage sector companies of all kinds need to enhance their intralogistics to gain efficiencies that can be passed on to their customers.

They want high volume utilisation from compact storage, a reduction of expensive storage surface, separate loading and picking aisles, improved staff efficiency and a constant availability of goods. They also want easy control of sell by dates, call of quantities and production batches and the elimination of idle times due to items being unavailable at

the pick face. As a technique to deliver all of this, they would be well-advised to further explore live storage.

Examples from the German market Pallet Live Storage will also interest wholesalers. Take for example a system installed by German beverage wholesaler Fristo, a medium-sized company that has been successfully operating beverage stores for over 50 years and has more than 228 outlets.

With the goal of greater order processing efficiency, an intralogistics solution was implemented at its logistics hub to ensure the continuous supply of 31 stores in the southern Baden region of the country with 200,000 beverage cases per month. More than 965 different product lines must be stored in FIFO order to comply with best-before dates.

Another German drinks wholesaler with a long tradition in the trade is, Getränke Essmann GmbH. It supplies more than 2,000 beverage varieties to customers in the retail, catering, beverage wholesale and other services sectors from several logistics centres in Northern Germany. Due to the increasing variety of reference lines, it was necessary to expand warehouse capacities, while ensuring permanent access to all fast-moving items. Seasonal sales fluctuations had to be considered in the planning phase. In addition, an efficient solution was sought to streamline time-consuming picking of individual items. www.bito.com/en-gb/

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Unlocking Operational Excellence: A visionary approach

By Nick Osborne, Managing Director of PEAK Visual Management At PEAK VM, our commitment to operational excellence is not just a mission statement but a tangible reality. We’ve built assurance with many producers in this sector from Britvic to Ardagh, Baker and Baker, and Muller. Our Visual Management Solutions continue to play a pivotal role in transforming their production landscapes.

I spent my formative years as a Production Engineer at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, then moved into Lean Consultancy before setting up PEAK VM in 2009. My years of experience are rooted in the principles that define Lean and Operational Excellence.

Drawing on my extensive background, here are my key insights into Visual Management Solutions, and their power to elevate efficiency and excellence in any operational landscape.

1. Cleaning Stations: Hygiene and Demarcation for Allergen Control In the Food & Drink industry, maintaining impeccable hygiene is more than just a regulatory requirement. Cleaning Station Shadow Boards, equipped with clear visual instructions and demarcation, facilitate a seamless transition between different production zones, especially crucial in allergensensitive environments.

These stations serve as a visual reminder of hygiene protocols, reducing the risk of crosscontamination and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

2. Short Interval Control: Precision Monitoring in Fast-Paced Production Fast-paced production environments demand real-time monitoring. Short Interval Control (SIC) visual boards provide a snapshot of production

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volumes at regular intervals. These boards, strategically placed within the production floor, empower decision-makers to identify trends, pinpoint bottlenecks, and make informed decisions swiftly.

SIC enhances agility, allowing teams to adapt to changing demands promptly, ultimately improving overall production efficiency.

3. PPE Signage: Safeguarding the Facility and Its Workforce Creating a safe working environment is a top priority in Food & Drink manufacturing. PPE Signage serves as a visual guide, outlining the necessary protective equipment before entering specific areas. By clearly communicating safety requirements, these visuals also contribute to a culture of hygiene compliance and awareness.

Health & Safety Managers can leverage PPE Signage to reinforce the importance of adhering to safety protocols, reducing the risk of accidents and fostering a secure workplace.

4. Wall Graphics: Setting the Tone for a Professional Environment The aesthetics of a workspace can significantly impact employee morale and productivity. Wall Graphics offer a dual function by contributing to a visually appealing environment and conveying essential information.

From displaying company values to illustrating process workflows, well-

designed wall graphics contribute to a professional ambience.

This visual enhancement can positively influence employee engagement and commitment to quality standards.

5. Shadow Boards: Critical Equipment Storage for Uninterrupted Production Efficient organisation and access to critical tools is imperative for maintaining functioning production lines. Shadow Boards provide a designated space for storing tools and equipment, reducing the risk of misplacement and ensuring quick access when needed.

Facilities Managers and Process Engineers can capitalise on this visual solution to optimise workflows, minimise downtime, and enhance overall equipment effectiveness.

Visual Management Solutions are the silent orchestrators of Lean processes in the Food & Drink manufacturing industry. From maintaining hygiene standards to optimising production workflows, these visual aids empower decisionmakers to steer their organisations towards operational excellence.

To review or unlock operational efficiencies, schedule a 30-minute no-obligation consultation with our experts and explore how PEAK VM can facilitate your Lean journey.

Visit us at www.peakvm.co.uk.

Delta supplies complete automation package for MTEX digital printing machines From packaging and labeling to clothing and other textiles, digital printing processes allow businesses to transfer digital graphics directly to almost any physical matter. The Portuguese specialist MTEX is a worldleading manufacturer of digital print solutions for printing graphics and images on textiles and other mediums. Its wide-ranging portfolio of products includes many ultra-modern printers that apply customers’ individual designs to different materials, from paper and card to PVC and other substrates.

Comprehensive upgrades to two

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pigment printers MTEX had a very precise idea of how it wanted to upgrade its printers, as it sought to move away from the closed and relatively rigid legacy control system architecture in favor of a scalable, more flexible solution.

The new system had to work faster and more precisely. It had to allow users to select between incremental and absolute encoders, have a reliable STO (safe torque off) function, support EtherCAT connectivity for servo drives and motors, and make it much easier for users to program the machine control

system. The project involving Delta focused on two pigment printers. The MTEX NS MULTI 800 is an entry-level model for creating professional packaging and paper bags. And the modular MTEX NS MULTI 1300 can be used to apply pigment inks to coated and untreated materials, transfer films and fabric textiles, in addition to card and paper.

Both models are equipped with numerous servo drives and motors for precise control to deliver a perfect finish every time.

Wanted: partner with proven automation expertise MTEX

Both models are equipped with numerous servo drives and motors for precise control to deliver a perfect finish every time. had several reasons for choosing Delta as its partner in the upgrade project. As soon as the two parties started talking it was clear that not only did Delta’s experts have the necessary component knowledge, they could also provide consistent end-to-end solutions for industrial automation, including consulting, design and implementation services. In addition, Delta’s ability to quickly supply a wide range of powerful components was impressive.

The comprehensive skills and professional support would prove especially crucial during an intense initial six-month period in which the first prototype was upgraded and configured.

The right hardware and software for fast, accurate digital printing Several Delta components were selected to upgrade the printers.

The MTEX NS MULTI 800 was fitted with three servo drives of the ASD-B3A-E series and three servo motors of the ECMB3M series. All the servo devices are connected via EtherCAT to each other, and to a MS 300 inverter and an R1-EC gateway.

The solution is controlled by an AX308ET motion controller based on a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), which communicates via OPC UA with the PC and the UI, which is installed on it.

The somewhat larger MTEX NS MULTI 1300 system was also equipped with new components, comprising a total of six ASDB3A-E servo drives, six ECM-B3M servo motors and two MS 300 inverters.

With Delta’s support, MTEX also introduced the Codesys automation software to control the powerful ASDB3A- E, AX-308E,

MS300 and R1-EC components effectively and as smoothly as possible. It is programmed through the Delta DIADesigner platform with DIADesigner AX based on Codesys. This programming platform serves as a development environment for PLCs and can be used with axes, drives and slaves from a broad range of manufacturers.

Delta organized on-site training for employees to demonstrate how easy it is to use the software, ensuring optimum user acceptance of Codesys.

Delta: a single source for all products and services The upgraded digital printers fulfill all the requirements specified

by MTEX. As well as ensuring faster and more precise printing processes, their EtherCAT connectivity also means that the printers can be easily integrated into an existing Industry 4.0 environment. In addition, print jobs are now easier to scale and Codesys gives employees the opportunity to flexibly program customer-specific designs alongside standard processes.

The results have been so impressive that MTEX has decided to fit a total of 250 NS MULTI 800 and 100 NS MULTI 1300 printers with the new technology, while there are also already plans to upgrade the even larger NS MULTI+ models.

“The success of this upgrade project is largely due to the fact that we at Delta have not only supplied the required components but also offered an entire service package, which, in addition to planning and implementation, also included consulting, and a well-designed software training,” says Enric Tamarit, Field Application Manager, Industrial Automation Business Group at Delta EMEA. “We have given MTEX a complete solution for industrial automation and are looking forward to contributing our expertise to the projects that the business has already planned for the future.” www.delta-emea.com

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Exploring improved hygiene practices with KHD conveyor belt steam cleaning There is a relentless drive for higher standards of cleaning in industrial food production, with an equal pressure for higher productivity.

One approach that is gaining recognition is the use of Conveyor Belt Steam Cleaning products developed by KHD Technology.

Cleaning Effectiveness: Conveyor Belt Steam Cleaning uses no chemicals. Operating at temperatures typically 90-93°C, this method effectively kills mould, bacteria, and microorganisms without resorting to chemicals.

KHD’s conveyor steam cleaning products work with the quality standards of your organisation, building-in consistency and higher standards of clean.

Suitability: A large proportion of the food industry operates in dry environments. This is where steam cleaning has the biggest advantages over other types of intensive cleaning. Dry steam, and other controlled steam cleaning makes this type of cleaning a front runner. Companies are increasingly using KHD’s equipment in mould reduction and allergen control.

Many other factors such as lack of drains, changes in cleaning regimes, lack of human resources all point towards automated steam cleaning products.

Sustainable Cleaning: Compared with water and chemical based cleaning steam production requires a fraction of water; typically 10-25 litres per hour for

Compared with water and chemical based cleaning steam production requires a fraction of water.

KHD devices, which also means less heat energy. By minimising water use and the elimination of harsh detergents, this method reduces the environmental impact of large cleaning tasks and addresses water and waste-water treatment costs.

Cleaning Costs Reduced: Conveyor Belt Steam Cleaning significantly reduces labour and eliminates chemicals for big cleaning tasks. Time savings and reduced reliance on labour means the cost of production downtime can be significantly reduced, and certain KHD products can clean during production, reducing stoppages from product spills or sticky conveyors.

Ease of Use: All KHD products are designed with usability in mind. Cleaning the belt is vitally important, but every part of the operation is considered; handling and set-up, ease of use, training, safety, storage, cleaning and maintenance. Sometimes portability is important, sometimes tackling one giant cleaning task is a priority.

Whichever it is contact KHD Technology for more insights.

Conveyor belt steam cleaning has developed into a notable consideration in the pursuit of improved hygiene within industrial food production. The potential benefits, from hygiene standards to cost and time savings, make steam cleaning an attractive option for those seeking solutions to the constant pressure to achieve quality standards. As the industry continually prioritises safety and quality, alongside environmental concerns, this type of cleaning should not be ignored for sustainable and responsible food production.

Further product details, images and video are available at www.KHDtechnology.com Keith Handy +44 (0)7966 447770 Telephone: +44(0)1785 811443 Email: sales@khdtechnology.com

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Telephone +44 (0)1785 811443 sales@KHDtechnology.com KHDtechnology.com

STEAM CLEANING CONVEYORS There are countless sizes and types of conveyors in food manufacturing. No two factories are the same and cleaning is o:en ;me-consuming, difficult and tedious.

Crea;ng a por@olio of steam cleaning products has to address a complex array of factors, including: food type, size, speed, duty cycle, belt type, local environment, power supply, cleaning regime. The list goes on.

For over 25 years KHD has been developing an ever expanding por@olio of belt steam cleaners, to provide quick and easy to use solu;ons for food factories around the world.

From dedicated fixed systems to portable belt cleaners, we design and manufacture systems to handle the widest range of cleaning tasks.

Bread manufacture -Cleaning at an industrial scale - 1km of modular belt cleaned using a portable KHD conveyor belt steam cleaner

IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY • Reduce down;me • Speed up cleaning • Improve quality • Free-up manpower • Reduce energy • Reduce water • Chemical free

Confec;onery manufacture -130m x 1.6m = 200 sqm fully cleaned in 60minutes freeing-up 12 man hours

KHDtechnology.com

sales@KHDtechnology.com

We can show you how effecRve KHD products are by demonstraRng on your conveyor.

Contact us for details.

+44 (0)1785 811443

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Fox Slurry Educ Fox Venturi Eductor for Typical Applicat Powder/Liquid Mixing Food/Dairy

tic Compounding Fox Venturi Eductors, for blending powders into liquids – have been used in food and beverage manufacturing for over 35 years. They are an ideal way to continuously produce well blended solutions, brines and beverages.

Applications of Fox slurry eductors range from adding few pounds per hour of whey added to a milk stream to blending favour additives into liquids flows of 500 GPM or more.

bags and their accompanying dust orange juice producer in the USA. Calcium Citrate is metered a and spillage still often surround Coco Powder, Whey, andinto Spice Additiv 2” food-grade Fox slurry eductor powder addition to tanks and into Milk: Here a dairy manufacturer needed at 65 GPM at 70 psig. This venturi vessels, which often require staff continuously blend pulverized coconut meat, w has been in service for over fifteen climbing ladders with bags on and flavorings into on its way to an interim years with zeromilk maintenance. their shoulders.

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Some of the largest global As plant production rates increase, beverage manufacturers now use processes often evolve from batch The motive nozzle in the slurry eductor mainta Fox slurry eductors to blend the to continuous, for which Fox milk at aever-increasing fixed, constant flow rate, enabling thr variety of flavours Venturi Slurry Eductors are ideal. feeders to drop additives that consumers are looking for. into the wa Liquid flow is maintained at ain-weight slurry eductor not limited hopper And at aaconstant feedis rate, producing the d constant flow rate by the precision to powder feed from just one machined nozzle within the mixture with uniform solids/liquids ratio. feeder. Up to six feeders can be venturi. A screw feeder can then arranged to deliver powder in dose powder – from a bulk bag, different combinations, or one bin, or silo – at a controlled rate. at a time, to meet continually For example, Case Study 9 shows Calcium changing production schedules. the installation at the largest Citrate Fully hygienic CIP (Clean In Place) eductors, polished and ground in 316 ss, can be rapidly diassembled

astic pellets from pelletizers: Fox eductors en used for twenty years to transport plastic pellets end of extruder lines and various types of pelletize CalciumFrom Batch to Continuous liquid/solid blending with Fox Slurry Eductors The addition of powdered products is often left as a manual operation in otherwise highly automated production environments. Scoops, buckets and

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for quick clean-outs between product runs to eliminate crioss contamination. See attached photo of an electropolished, fully hygienic venturi eductor.

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Fox can supply the right properly engineered powder-feed hopper – adjusted per downstream piping geometry. Rather short distances can use a dry hopper.

Longer distances , or systems with substantial vertical pipe downstream, need a washdown Liquid hopper - to both sweep powders into the eductor, but more importantly, to inhibit air from being sucked in . See attached graphic and photo of a slurry eductor with a washdown hopper.

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in sauces, ketchup, etc This application requires what we call coaxial eductors, and eliminates the lumps and clumps common if these powders are just added to a tank.

Of course, there are distinct limits to whether a slurry eductor can hydration of hard-to-wet powders, work in each application. These used as emulsifiers, such as are discussed in detail in the “10 USDA-Approved slurry eductors have been used to blend powders into guar, carrageenan and xanthum Most Commonly Asked Questions” rmaceutical solutions for consumer since the on 1970ʼs. in our bulletin Slurry eductors gum.

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– which we will be happy to send upon request from our website ( foxvalve.com) A few simple limits : a) Max solids loadfing is about 15 – 18% solids by weight, b) Max liquid viscosity about 200 centipoise Please contact us with details of your application.

Fox Venturi Eductors Dover , NJ, USA www.foxvalve.com

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Cable entry systems and cable holders We paid careful attention in the development of our food and beverage industry-specific products and systems to ensure complete customizability and hygienic design in line with standards.

Our corrosion-free cable entry system is the ideal solution for the highly specialized requirements of this industry. FDA-compliant stainless steel guarantees media resistance, health safety and electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC). The multi-part frame ensures easy assembly and high packing density while the integrated strain relief protects cables and connectors — for maximum reliability, freedom from maintenance and a long service life.

Since 2021, murrplastik® has been a member of the European Hygienic Equipment Design Group to support hygiene measures during food production and packaging.

Visit the Food Industry section of our website Represented by Murrelektronik Ltd in the UK | 0161 728 3133 | info@murrelektronik.co.uk

“Checking in” with Fortress Marking another checkweighing milestone, Fortress Technology Europe launched its new inline portion-control Raptor checkweigher at PPMA 2023. A slim-line ergonomic checkweighing machine is now also available Sharing the company’s extensive knowledge on international net weight verification rules that govern food checkweighing, Fortress explores the ‘compliance essentials’ that can protect brand integrity while simultaneously lowering operational costs.

Efficient weight control and checkweighing systems are integral to meeting consumer expectations.

In addition to inspecting under and overweight packages and ensuring compliance with net content regulations, deploying smart checkweighers inline and at the end of food processing lines can provide a source of untapped Quality Assurance, waste reduction and brand protection.

Product giveaway is the longaccepted outcome of observing weight legislation rules. However, when food manufacturers overfill packaging to avoid falling foul of international and domestic weight legislations, it can lead to a considerable profit losses. Even nominal overfilling can add up. In a new Whitepaper published by Fortress Technology, European Applications Engineer Daniel Shail examines the risks versus regulations and delves into the pitfalls of non-conformance.

COST OF CUTTING CHECKWEIGHING CORNERS Global weight regulations are in place to protect consumers against short measures. The cost if caught selling underweight packaged food products can lead to penalty fines ranging from several hundred, to thousands of pounds. In regions where the rules are even stricter, knowingly distributing underweight products could be deemed fraud.

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The Raptor weight sensors reset rapidly, allowing for instant and precise weight checks of individual packs in real-time.

The picture could be even worse for a multi-national food company with global reach. A widespread recall could rise to several million pounds if withdrawing an entire batch of underweight processed and packaged products.

Longer term brand image also needs to be considered. A social media report can rapidly spiral, leading to potentially serious consequences if a recall is not acted upon swiftly. The resulting impact can be highly detrimental.

Consumer research by Harris Interactive reports that 55 percent of people would switch brands temporarily following a product recall, while 15 percent said they would not purchase that brand from the manufacturer again.

A recall of this scale is often avoidable if food defences are robust and risks are regularly reviewed.

AVERAGE WEIGHT RULES To avoid issues with weight legislation it is common practice for food plants to overfill. Yet, given the cost of ingredients, food commodities, and packaging, combined with the current cost of living crisis, overfilling is no longer considered a good or sustainable business practice.

In order to cut down on product waste and lost profits, it is advisable for food processors to familiarise themselves with the weight legislation requirements for any region where their products are sold or exported to. The rules in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. are quite aligned, although subtle differences do exist.

Typically, global weight regulations follow three general rules: • The average weight of a product batch must not be below the

Efficient weight control and checkweighing systems are integral to meeting consumer expectations. nominal label weight on the package.

• The percentage of packages that fall below the nominal weight should typically not exceed 2.5%.

These are called tolerable negative error (TNE) in Europe, the limits of error (LOE) in Canada, and maximum allowable variation (MAV) in the US. • No individual package can have a weight that falls outside the nominal quantity by more than twice the domestic defined tolerance table.

Tolerance tables can be difficult to navigate. Manually determining and programming the correct checkweighing tolerance for specific product applications and pack sizes can be a tedious and confusing process. It can also be prone to human error.

To help processors accommodate numerous weight check product variations, Fortress integrates these defined tolerance tables into its

Raptor Checkweigher software. This provides instant adherence to the local legislative weight regulations.

OPTIMISING CHECKWEIGHING EFFICIENCY It is widely regarded that weight checking every product on processing lines is good manufacturing practice. Fortress engineered digital signal processing into the Raptor Checkweighing series to enable the weight sensors to reset rapidly, allowing for instant and precise weight checks of individual packs in real-time.

Trend feedback signals can then be instantly fed upstream to filling, portioning and packing automation equipment, signalling when to increase or decrease fill quantity.

Another benefit of automated checkweighing is the utilisation of automated reporting and data tools.

Besides reducing false rejects and product waste, the use of modern network technologies allows for automatic data transmission. With integrated data collection software, everything from trends, pack rates and live OEE data is instantly reported. Production and QA personnel can then utilise this trend feedback to monitor and fine-tune production line performance, even prior to the weight check process.

For example, if a meat manufacturer finds inconsistencies in the size of meatballs, this indicates that the processing machinery is not running accurately. Beyond highlighting this fault, precision checkweighing systems can provide a controlled feedback signal to upstream automation equipment used to portion food products. This signal specifies when to increase or decrease the fill quantity accordingly, eliminating the need for human intervention.

STAYING ON TREND Linking consumer lifestyle trends back to checkweighing tolerances is equally important. In wellbeing and weight control products, for example, absolute weight conformity is non-negotiable. If a snack pack states 100 grams, the tolerance cannot deviate by more than 0.5 grams.

Leaving the weight check until the end of the process is another highly wasteful activity, as it could result in an entire consignment of baked or packaged products being recalled. Additionally, it wastes many hours wasted in production and workforce salaries.

Fortress integrates defined tolerance tables into its Raptor Checkweigher software, providing instant adherence to the local legislative weight regulations.

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With the UK market value of “free-from” products now worth a substantial £3.17bn Fortress anticipates that inline weighing will inevitably become more commonplace.

The Raptor series features a caseweigher option to weight check larger items up to 25kg, with a heavy duty option for 50kg packages.

Inline checkweighers can be used to maintain batch-to-batch consistency. Widely used on commercial bakery, meat and prepared food production lines, automated inline checkweighing allows for individual pieces that are off target weight to be removed and reworked, Connecting to upstream portioning equipment, the new Raptor Inline Checkweigher also provides corrective feedback to upstream portioning equipment.

Free-from products typically use expensive ingredients in the manufacturing process; some costing two to three times more than conventional flour products. Additionally, for people with coeliac disease, the internationally-agreed (FDA) maximum level of gluten considered safe is legally 20 parts per million (ppm) or less of gluten.

Only foods that meet this level can be labelled ‘gluten free’. Placing even greater regulatory pressure on producers to adhere to weight specifications.

PRIORITISING FOOD SAFETY Although automated checkweighing is not as tightly regulated currently as HACCP inspection equipment, many processors now recognise the essential role these systems play in the wider quality control program.

Particularly in the sectors where food ingredient costs increased by as much as 40 percent in 2022.

Daniel Shail concludes: “A checkweigher should not just be regarded as a regulatory necessity.

Although these machines are integral to meeting consumer expectations, checkweighers play an equally critical role in prioritising food safety and reducing giveaway. It is always good practice to regularly revisit operational processes and practices and examine all food waste risks.”

The standard end-of-line Raptor checkweigher is available in four belt widths - 100mm, 200mm, 300mm and 400mm – and can verify the weight of products up to 8kg. For bulk applications, e.g. pet food, ingredients, grains and other large items, the Raptor Caseweigher can weigh up to 25kg, with a heavy duty version available up to 50kg.

Fortress can also integrate its new Raptor Checkweigher with a metal detector or x-ray machine, and has even created numerous smallfootprint multi-aperture, multi-lane combination systems.

To download a free copy of the new Checkweighing Compliance Essentials whitepaper, visit https://fortresstechnology.com/ white-papers/

Free-from products typically use expensive ingredients, placing even greater regulatory pressure on producers to adhere to weight specifications.

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Find us at Stand 331

THE HOME OF VISCOUS PUMPING SOLUTIONS

Kecol have over 25 years of experience in pumping all types of viscous products in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets, as well as general industrial applications.

A small sample of products we already pump ✓ Honey ✓ Petroleum Jelly ✓ Mascara ✓ Sauces ✓ Lanolin ✓ Lip Gloss ✓ Essences ✓ Eye Ointment ✓ Meat Paste ✓ Paraffin Wax

✓ Face Scrub ✓ Teething Gel ✓ Tomato Puree ✓ Medical Adhesives ✓ Veterinary Creams ✓ Fruit Paste ✓ Toothpaste ✓ Malt ✓ Jam ✓ Wax

T +44 (0)1746 764311 E sales@kecol.co.uk W www.kecol.co.uk

SOLUGEL® Dynamica The clear collagen solution for high protein (>20%) bar formulations When formulating bars with a high protein content, manufacturers and brands face many challenges.

These include hardness, graininess, bitterness, or disappearing flavor over time. To overcome these issues, PB Leiner has developed SOLUGEL® Dynamica, a clear collagen solution for protein bar applications that allows a protein content of 50% to be realized while ensuring a good taste, soft texture, and appealing appearance.

Protein bars are becoming an increasingly popular way of boosting protein intake, but they also pose many challenges for manufacturers. High protein levels typically result in hard, grainy, bitter, and bland bars that lose their appeal over time. To avoid these issues, manufacturers need to choose the right protein ingredient without adding too many extra ingredients that will increase the bar size and cost.

PB Leiner responded to these challenges by developing SOLUGEL® Dynamica, a clear collagen solution for protein bar applications.

SOLUGEL® Dynamica allows manufacturers to realize a protein content of 50% while ensuring a good flavor and appearance, as well as maintaining a soft texture throughout the shelf life.

The benefits of SOLUGEL Dynamica

®

Easy manufacturing process SOLUGEL® Dynamica glues the ingredients together and ensures a good dough consistency. It only requires short mixing times and offers high processing efficiency.

A limited list of ingredients & reduced bar size SOLUGEL® Dynamica simplifies the ingredient list and could represent a potential cost-saving strategy.

It also allows for an attractive bar size.

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Good flavor & taste release and an appealing appearance SOLUGEL® Dynamica preserves the chocolate flavor during shelf life and prevents any bitterness or aftertaste.

Soft & consistent texture during shelf life SOLUGEL® Dynamica provides softness, chewiness and adhesiveness while maintaining a stable and smooth texture for 12 months.

“Thanks to the production process that is designed to maximize performance in protein bars, as well as its strictly controlled parameters and consistent premium quality, SOLUGEL® Dynamica is specifically suited for protein bar applications,” concludes Chiara Roye, Product Application Specialist at PB Leiner.

Do you have any questions regarding the challenges presented by protein bar formulations?

Contact Christine Van Sinay (+32 470967473 Christine.vansinay@pbleiner.com) or download the whitepaper www.pbleiner.com/en/products/ solugel-collagen-peptides

About SOLUGEL® collagen peptides SOLUGEL® mainly contains peptides obtained from type I and III collagen.

SOLUGEL® is composed of highly bioactive peptides that are obtained from natural collagen-rich sources using state-of-the-art technology.

SOLUGEL® offers a wide range of health benefits, such as bone & joint health, and skin beauty.

SOLUGEL® premium quality peptides can easily be incorporated into many different applications, such as food and beverages.

SOLUGEL® is a pure protein source with a unique combination of amino acids, which include 8 out of 9 amino acids that are essential to our body. Unlike other proteins, SOLUGEL® collagen peptides are rich in hydroxyproline, glycine and proline.

Gas Process Burners

Beef Bar Experience

Lanemark gas burner systems offer users reliable, high efficiency, process heating solutions.

FD Series Packaged Oven/Dryer Burners Specifically designed for process air heating applications in convection ovens and dryers High turndown/short flame lengths providing accurate process temperature control High efficiency gas + air modulation, gas only modulation and simple high/low control options Heat Input Range: 9 kW – 1550 kW

• •

£60 per person £90 per person with wine pairing Take a seat at our eight-seater countertop, dine from our Argentine Beef Tasting menu FD-C high turndown oven/ watch as your personal chef prepares dryerand air heating burners. each cut of high-quality beef to your taste.

SCAN TO BOOK

• • FD-E low cost high turndown

oven/dryer air heating burners.

FD-GA modulating gas + air process air heating burners.

TX Series Gas Fired Process Tank Heating Systems High efficiency (80%+) heating of all types of spray and dip process tanks Compact high efficiency small diameter immersion tube heat exchangers occupying minimum tank space Accurate performance modelling using Lanemark TxCalc design software Heat Input Range: 15 kW (1½") – 1150 kW (8")

• • • •

Midco HMA Series Air Replacement or “Make-Up” Air Heating Burners Direct fired, high efficiency burner systems, for high volume air heating applications such as paint spray booths, ovens and dryers.

Supplied either as Midco burner heads for OEM system integration or as Lanemark DB or FDB complete packaged systems including modulating gas valve trains and controls Wide range of firing rates to suit alternative temperature rise and air velocity system requirements DbCalc system design software

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Midco HMA high efficiency,

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high turndown, air replacement or “make-up” air heating burners.

TX high efficiency small diameter immersion tube tank heating systems.

Lanemark Combustion Engineering Limited Lanemark House, Whitacre Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 6BW United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 24 7635 2000 Fax: +44 (0) 24 7634 1166 E-mail: info@lanemark.com www.lanemark.com

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COMBUSTION ENGINEERING

31/08/2016 09:04

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Carboard die-cutting.

Lasers for the Digital Era For over 30 years Industrial laser systems have been commonplace in manufacturing and R&D facilities all over the world, providing clean and efficient ways of improving manufacturing processes. Such applications include replacing labelling by direct marking onto components or replacing cutting systems with state-of-the-art laser converting processes, a digital technology that enables manufacturers to produce features that otherwise would be problematic or impossible to cut without the need of tooling.

A NEED FOR CHANGE Dynamic market conditions and fluctuating demands necessitate the need for changes to traditional processing methods.

Market conditions and demands require shorter production runs, faster times to market and environmentally friendly alternatives, thereby requiring the need for fast, efficient, and costeffective set-up and change overs, cost-effective programme changes, and the ability to process a wide range of materials.

For packaging and converting equipment OEMs, finding a

Cardboard perforating

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repeatable baseline process to manage dynamic production needs and incorporate enough processing flexibility to accommodate new materials is challenging. A digitally controlled laser processing systems is the solution; let’s explore some questions on this technology that we are often asked.

WHY USE A LASER SYSTEM? Quite simply, traditional mechanical processes cannot match digitally controlled laser systems which are very adaptable, and capable of performing multiple processes often in a single pass. Unlike most mechanical methods, laser systems can be combined with other equipment to provide customized late-stage alterations, even to finished goods.

WHAT IS A LASER SYSTEM? Laser systems are adaptable, digitally controlled, non-contact processing systems, and typically include self-contained machines, in-line, and robotic systems. A laser system generates a very narrow beam of radiation (light) which is directed to the target material to perform a wide range of interactions (application

Unlike most mechanical methods, laser systems can be combined with other equipment to provide customized late-stage alterations, even to finished goods.

Basic laser system

processes). At the heart of each system is the laser processing subsystem that includes a laser source, beam delivery, controller (software or hardware) and a power supply.

Depending on the type of laser, the application, and the target material, other components may be needed, including chillers, work piece delivery system, fume filtration/ extraction, and vision inspection cameras.

WHAT CAN A LASER SYSTEM DO? Laser processing systems are highly versatile, adaptable to both stationary and in-motion processing. An excellent selection for OEMs and system architects looking to build flexibility and adaptability into their machines or processing systems for applications such as perforation, scoring, scribing, kiss-cutting as well as throughcutting, marking and coding.

WHAT MAKES LASER PROCESSING DIFFERENT? While there are many hardware and systematic differences between laser processing systems and traditional mechanical systems, for converting and packaging there

Cardstock cuttinng/ stencil – application example.

are several standout benefits.

Zero-touch processing for instance for sensitive materials and sterile processing, and the elimination of mechanical wear resulting in a reduced inventory costs and consumables. The greatest reduction comes from the lack of production down time, with on-the-fly changes controlled through software command and control, reducing setup and changeover costs.

THE VALUE OF A LASER SYSTEM? Integrating Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), such as laser processing systems can be a significant investment with an extended payback period. However, investing in new technologies is a requirement to stay competitive and brings many benefits, including quick response to dynamic customer demands, greater productivity levels, increased processing, reduced downtime, higher quality products, lower operating costs, and improved operating efficiencies.

BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Businesses are becoming more aware of how their systems and processes impact the environment.

No one solution is perfect, however laser processing systems offer users ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Implementing steps to reduce your organization’s ecological impacts show your customers, and their customers, you are committed to making a difference.

Laser processing systems offer ecological benefits

over traditional processing methods by decreasing waste.

Traditional methods of marking and coding utilize inks and/or additional printed labels. Laser systems, however, can apply permanent marks and codes directly on materials and products, eliminating the need for secondary label printing or consumable marking inks. Manufacturing cartons and boxes typically involves production runs in the thousands of units to be cost effective due to the high cost of changeovers and dies. Laser systems can change die patterns on the fly, significantly reducing changeover downtimes and die costs associated with size and pattern changes.

Further, the ability to use a wider range of carton sizes reduces wasted materials, packaging space, and shipping costs.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT LASER SYSTEM Laser Lines Ltd has been supplying lasers to the UK market for nearly 50 years. During this time the company has gained considerable experience when it comes to recommending the right laser system for the application. Not only able to supply the laser system, but we can also carry out application trials at our demonstration laboratories to ensure the customer is fully confident they are buying the right solution. In addition, the company supplies many of the accessories associated with running a laser system, and on the rare occasion there is a problem, we have manufacturer-trained technical support staff to resolve any issues. www.laserlines.co.uk

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Boost your processes and their reliability Discover the MZC-series rotary valves by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE Looking for ways to maximise your production output while maintaining the highest possible standards for safety, hygiene, and cleanability?

You won’t have to compromise with the latest MZC-series rotary valves

by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE.

The standard in safety, hygiene and cleanability Meet the MZC-I and MZC-II, the toplevel range of rotary valves that set the standard in safety, hygiene and cleanability. Extreme durability, efficiency, and easy cleanability make the MZC-I and MZC-II the reliable core of any production process. They will allow you to maximise your output while cutting time and costs for maintenance and thorough cleaning.

The MZC-series comprises the MZC-I and the MZC-II. The MZC-I is an all-purpose rotary valve with a compact design that can be opened on one side for easy cleaning and maintenance. The MZC-II offers superior cleanability by opening on both sides, making it possible to meet the highest hygiene requirements in any industry, today and in the future.

The MZC-I and II, in short • Unprecedented cleanability.

• Easier and safer maintenance than ever before.

• Applications for a broad range of industries.

• Cleaning In Place (CIP). The rotor can remain in position during cleaning.

• Additional safety through an integrated emergency safety switch.

Specific for MZC-II: • Opens on two sides for unprecedented easy access and superior cleanability.

• Only a direct drive is offered to ease opening and cleaning.

Solutions for any industry Through decades of experience in dry bulk handling, the engineers of DMN-WESTINGHOUSE know what the industries demand from their valves. The MZC-series rotary valves can be part of custom-made solutions for a broad range of industries, including: √ Animal feed √ Cereal √ Coffee √ Cosmetics √ Dairy √ Food

Specific for MZC-I:

√ Infant formula

• Space-efficient one-sided opening.

√ Nutrition

• Various drive options.

√ Pharmaceutical

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√ Pet food

The highest quality is guaranteed In the dry bulk industry, hygiene is of top priority. All machinery, from rotary valves and diverter valves to other related components, must meet the highest standards. The MZC-I and MZC-II rotary valves are ATEX and UKCA ‘Ex’ (UKEX) certified for dust and gas. They are also CE and UKCA-certified. This means that you have the assurance that the products are of perfect quality. As a result, it is easier to obtain an ATEX/ UKEX marking or acceptance for the entire installation.

Discover the MZC series rotary valves for yourself.

MZC-I AND MZC-II ROTARY VALVES MZC-I

MZC-II

THE FUTURE STANDARD OF SAFETY, HYGIENE AND CLEANABILITY Maximize your industry output, while maintaining the highest possible standards of safety, hygiene and cleanability. With our latest MZC-series rotary valves, you can outperform yourself and your competition on any level.

Choose the compact MZC-I for any duty and use its easy-access single opening to keep it clean. Does your industry require the highest possible standards of hygiene? The MZC-II offers you ultimate cleanability through double-sided access to the rotor and valve body.

Install the future of safety, hygiene and cleanability today.

Our MZC-I and MZC-II rotary valves are ATEX and UKCA ‘Ex’ (UKEX) certified for both dust and gas.

DMN UK LTD Unit 1 & 2, 9 Harris Road Porte Marsh Industrial Estate Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 9PT, UK +44 1249 818 400 dmn.uk@dmnwestinghouse.com

The combination inspection machine consolidates a single metal detector uniquely divided into two compact apertures, plus two independent weight verification checkweighers.

Global cheesemaker invests in clever combi system A family cheesemaker and dairy giant is benefitting from a gamechanging food safety inspection solution custom-engineered by Fortress Technology Combining metal detection and checkweighing into a streamlined twin-lane configuration, this spacesaving inspection system is assisting a household cheese favourite to maintain its authenticity and consumer food safety promise. At the same time, the small-footprint machine is helping to optimise resources, reduce dairy waste and maintain the cheesemakers premium global brand integrity.

Processing approximately 11-billion litres of dairy liquids annually and supplying fresh products to over 60 countries, size hasn’t deterred this cheese processor from staying true to their underlying values.

Tasting, approving and signing every cheese batch to accompany these internal quality controls, several of their flagship processing

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plants now deploy the latest inspection and checkweighing technology from Fortress. Helping to ensure products are delivered to consumers and food service enterprises free of contaminants, as well as adhering to the latest international Weights and Measures regulations.

Being premium products, the ability to isolate each contamination event and reduce good product wastage was an attractive feature. Currently, five customised twin-lane Raptor ‘Combination’ systems are located between the upstream packaging area and the secondary case loading section in two of the company’s cheese processing plants. The innovative design has solved the immediate challenge of

inspecting cheese products tightly spaced together.

Receiving sliced, blocked, shredded and soft cheeses directly from the upstream dual-head bagger and flow wrapping packaging machines, the integrated Fortress system starts with a cleverly engineered and compact curving conveyor.

Designed to ensure optimal spacing between lanes, the conveyor also helps to avoid congestion by spacing product lanes out evenly as they are fed into the individual, lane-specific metal detector aperture and checkweighing belt.

“One of the greatest challenges when checkweighing in fast-paced packing lines is making sure there is sufficient pitch from one pack to the next so that only one pack is

For optimal reporting efficiency and to assist with transparency, the combi system features data logging and can also be connected to Fortress Technology’s Contact 4.0 software. present on the weigh conveyor at a time. This will ensure that packages are not rejected as unstable weight readings,” explains Fortress Technology Europe’s checkweighing specialist Dan Shail.

Constructed to the highest food grade standards, the metal detector and checkweigher conveyor decks and belts are all designed to be easily removed from the machine for rapid deep sanitation and maintenance. In seconds, and without using tools, plant operators can unclip and disconnect the conveyor motor, sanitise it, and instantly restore tracking once the conveyor is clipped back into place.

DOUBLE INSPECTION CAPACITY …

HALF THE WASTE The inspection machine consolidates a single metal detector uniquely divided into two compact apertures, plus two independent weight verification checkweighers. Each technology and lane have individual air blast

reject mechanisms to isolate metal contaminants and weight rejects.

This helps to reduce and minimise quality cheese products being wasted by over 50 percent.

As each lane, metal detector aperture, checkweigher and reject is programmed to run independently, interruptions are minimised during product switchovers or maintenance.

Additionally, it is possible to run two different product lines, pack sizes or SKUs simultaneously on the adjacent conveyors.

Putting into context the significance of aperture size when inspecting cheese for metal contaminations, Dan expands: “Reducing aperture size is one of the most effective ways to increase metal detector sensitivity.

The reason for this is sensitivity is measured at the geometric centre of the aperture. Making the ratio of the aperture to the size of the product an essential consideration.”

METROLOGICAL COMPLIANCE After inspecting the cheese packs for metal contaminants, good cheese packs – at 140 ppm per line – are fed into the Raptor digital checkweighing system. To comply with global Weights and Measures Regulations, in just milliseconds the in-motion, three-belt checkweigher weighs, analyses, captures and reports data simultaneously.

Replicating the reject motion of the metal detectors, air nozzles blast out-of-tolerance products off the line into lockable bins, requiring minimal intervention from operators. Sophisticated software adds full transparency, with an average weight mode making instant reject decisions and combining the batch statistical data from across both lanes.

Products that pass both inspection tests then move onto a merging conveyor, aligning and presenting the packs to an automated downstream case packing system.

HOLDING FOOD SAFETY TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD For a GFSI-certified business with a continuous-improvement mindset, best practice robustness is of utmost importance to this dairy firm. The processing plant is equally dependent on automated and intelligent machinery to extract data for traceability and to support immediate quality control decision-making and production improvements.

Both the metal detector and checkweigher assist on all levels by capturing easy-to-read live OEE data. “By gathering live production information from each lane independently, a fastpaced food facility can establish the operational parameters and extract statistics that are most valuable to them,” notes Dan. Analysed data can include volume, weight, inspection rates, rejects and downtime.

For optimal reporting efficiency and to assist with transparency, the combi system features data logging and can also be connected to Fortress Technology’s Contact 4.0 software. Auditor-friendly, data reports can be exported as either PDF or Excel files covering a specific production line and/ or time period. “Rather than monitoring machine performance manually, this level of cohesive reporting on a dual-lane system provides valuable OEE data to help boost operational efficiencies,” ends Dan.

To optimise production efficiency, Fortress designed a customised curved product feed conveyor and outfeed merging case loading conveyor.

www.fortresstechnology.co.uk

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New MENZEL headquarters Larger plant for larger motors At the new motor plant of Menzel Elektromotoren, which is currently being built in Hennigsdorf, near Berlin, Germany, the interior construction has now been completed on schedule. Moving to the new site with a total area of 24,000 m², the electric motor manufacturer will increase its floor space and capacities, optimize the factory layout for an efficient production flow and is planning to create additional jobs. The crane capacities will be increased to 80 tons and the entire shop floor will be accessible via two crane levels, which will bring significant logistical advantages.

In recent years, MENZEL has seen a growing demand for larger, more complex drive systems with a variety of auxiliary equipment such as transformers, converters, controllers and starters. The new test facilities are tailored to this

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procured, which will accommodate part of the large MENZEL motor inventory and thus further shorten delivery times.

need. For example, the area for load testing of large machines and generators has been significantly enhanced to cater for the largest frame sizes and loadings. A twofloor construction inside the load test field will house the control room, offices for the test field technicians and a separate lounge from which customers can observe ongoing tests. The soundproofing measures have been completed, and heavy-duty racks for shelf loads of 6,000 kg have been

In the next few months, the gradual relocation from the existing headquarters in Berlin will commence. The production and shipping of industrial motors in the high output range will continue without interruption.

The commissioning of the new company headquarters is scheduled for early 2024. MENZEL designs and manufactures its own efficient series of slip ring motors and squirrel-cage motors and also specializes in custommade products, even with unusual specifications.

Photo construction diary for the new plant: www.menzel-motors. com/article/photo-report-newelectric-motor-plant/

NEW ELECTRIC MOTOR PLANT FROM JANUARY 2024

24,000 m

SUPPLIER OF LARGE MOTORS FOR ALL UK APPLICATIONS MORE THAN 20.000 MOTORS AVAILABLE FROM STOCK! Motors up to 25 MW and 13.8 kV • Low voltage slip-ring and squirrel cage motors up to 3,000 kW • Medium voltage slip-ring and squirrel cage motors up to 15,000 kW • Direct current motors up to 2,000 kW • Frequency converter-proof drives • In-house load test facility up to 13.800 V, 2.300 kVA, 120 Hz

24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE CUSTOM SOLUTIONS FOR ELECTRIC MOTORS

Customized special designs • Custom designs for special applications and operating conditions • Optimized motor design for higher efficiency • Mechanically and electrically interchangeable motors • Commissioning worldwide MENZEL Great Britain Ltd. | UK Branch Office 27 Hunt Drive | Melton Mowbray | Leicestershire LE13 1PB Martin Rooney | Tel.: +44 1664 500 844 | Mobil: +44 7957 618046 martin.rooney@menzelgb.co.uk MENZEL Elektromotoren GmbH German Headquarters Neues Ufer 19-25 | D–10553 Berlin | Germany

2

AROUND THE CLOCK, AGAINST THE CLOCK!

menzel-motors.com info@menzel-motors.com FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 63

Automating & maximising fish roe extraction Our latest case study focuses on an enquiry we received to supply five flexible impeller pumps to enable the smooth and hygienic transfer of fish roe suspended in water.

Our client specified that the pumps had to be capable of roe transfer at 36,000 litres per hour, while also operating slowly and gently to ensure that the fish eggs were not broken or damaged during the process.

What is fish roe?

It’s actually the eggs which are collected from marine animals.

These are high in nutrients and Omega 3 and are often used in dishes as a raw ingredient, or can be a very expensive delicacy - caviar.

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All female fish have roe and these eggs can be sourced internally from two sacs - one on each side of the belly, or from an external egg mass. Fish roe can be taken from any type of fish like salmon, trout, cod, paddlefish or whitefish. The term roe also applies to eggs from other marine animals like scallops, lobsters and shrimp.

Clearly, fish roe is a highly prized and very valuable commodity.

Extraction, fish egg transfer and cleaning make this excellent product valuable for human consumption, as well as offering enormous opportunities for profitable use in other food production applications such as fish meal.

Is it the same as caviar?

This is why food companies are constantly looking for the most efficient, hygienic and streamlined method of extraction and roe transfer, to harvest the hidden value from these unique products.

All fish eggs are called roe, but not all roe is caviar. The term caviar only applies to fish roe from the sturgeon family, Acipenseridae.

Salmon roe and the roe from whitefish, cod, trout, red caviar, ikura, tobiko and so on are considered caviar substitutes and not caviar.

Our client wanted to boost the efficiency of their fish egg transfer process, by automating extraction

Extraction, fish egg transfer and cleaning make this excellent product valuable for human consumption, as well as offering enormous opportunities for profitable use in other food production applications such as fish meal. of the fish roe, to benefit from better roe handling, hygiene and quality. This would all help to maximise the economic value of the roe, as well as the return made on each fish.

Just one part of a complex extraction process The pumps we specified would be a key component of an intricate extraction method which involves the automated process of separating the fish eggs from each other as well as the skin or sack they are attached to.

The roe is firstly gently separated from the sack, in which eggs can separate in clumps or individually.

The eggs are gently stirred in a slowly rotating rotary separator to aid the separation of individual eggs and those which are broken.

It is then washed several times to

remove traces of the sack or broken roe and also to also desalt.

It can be additionally processed and mixed with other ingredients to create fish meal or other products and alternatively frozen, salted, dried or fermented to preserve for long term storage.

small pockets which transfers the roe suspended in water gently, with very little damage. The pump operates as a cross between a positive displacement pump and centrifugal enabling a high flow at medium pressures to be achieved. its range of product benefits include:

Our Roe Transfer Solution Here at North Ridge Pumps, we’re not restricted to a single pump technology, so we can provide the best pump for a particular application and designed for the lowest lifetime cost. We use our expertise to offer a tailored solution, not something straight off the shelf.

Flexible impeller pumps are a great solution for viscous liquids, creams, gels and solid-laden fluids. They can transfer delicate liquids at slow speeds and ensure that they retain their consistency without the ingredients separating.

Able to self-prime up to 6m, up to 40m head and at 44,000 litres per hour means that these pumps are great for small applications requiring the transfer of sticky, gooey, oily, thick or creamy liquids.

Why was this pump technology selected for this application?

As the pump head consists of a simple rubber impeller rotating at slow speed, the vanes create

• Versatility – Operating at different speeds to handle different fluid consistencies, either at full motor speed or reduced via an inverter or gearbox.

• Flexible Mounting – Works mounted in almost any position enabling mounting in almost any location on a machine • Gentle pumping action ensures that the fluid remains unchanged, affected through shear by its working motion or breakages.

• Flow is non-pulsing enabling accurate flow measurement via a flowmeter.

• Easy to maintain & clean with a small number of parts, easy access via the front casing as well as full compatible with Cleaning in Place Systems.

• A range of accessories are available to tailor the pump to your particular process including carry handle, variable speed drive, trolley, flowmeter and hosing • Pump heads available with a variety of process connections including BSP M, BSP F, RJT, Tricover, Triclamp to suit your specific process

With the new pumps in place on the machine it meant that the fish processors now had an improved method and process for the sanitary and swift extraction of high value ingredients.

If you have a hygienic application requiring the transfer of sensitive fluids, solids or viscous sauces, and aren’t sure which pump to specify, speak to North Ridge Pumps to see how we can help.

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ACHEMA 2024 Shaping the future of the process industries From 10 to 14 June 2024, ACHEMA will once again be the place to go for the entire range of technologies and services for the process industries. With five innovation themes and the Special Show Hydrogen, the world’s leading trade show for process technology will focus on the key challenges facing the industry in 2024.

Process Innovation: Making plants future-proof While new investments in “green technologies” are growing, it is becoming increasingly complex to maintain operations and keep existing plants in the market. This is where the Process Innovation Stage comes in, with topics such as electrification, making chemical processes more flexible and efficient.

Pharma Innovation: Experience the latest in pharmaceutical technology As new research and production methods are developed and new sites are established around the world, existing processes must meet increasingly stringent requirements and standards. In addition to numerous other Pharma Innovation topics, biopharmaceutical production will be a particular focus of discussion in 2024.

Green Innovation: On the path to sustainable transformation Green Innovation means solving the challenge of carbon-neutral production in the process industry, as well as addressing issues around the circular economy, ESG and

Digitalisation and the resulting innovations such as advanced analytics or Industry 4.0 technologies continue to be a perennial topic.

will be coupled with an Action Area dedicated to the digitalised, miniaturised and automated laboratory of the future.

Digital Innovation: Advancing the digital transformation

sustainable investment. As the biggest transformation challenge the chemical industry has ever faced, carbon-neutral production requires a technological leap forward in apparatus and plant engineering.

Digitalisation and the resulting innovations such as advanced analytics or Industry 4.0 technologies continue to be a perennial topic. The complexity of the issues is increasing rather than decreasing. With this in mind, the Digital Innovation Stage will cover numerous topics around key enablers of innovation today.

Lab Innovation: Where value creation begins

Hydrogen Innovation and Special Show Hydrogen

In addition to lab design, planning, construction and management, advanced bioanalytics and pharmaceutical applications will be examined in depth. At ACHEMA 2024, the Lab Innovation Stage

Only ACHEMA offers so many solutions for producing, handling, transporting and storing hydrogen.

The Hydrogen Innovation Stage covers all aspects relevant to the process industry. The special show hydrogen presents the previous milestones and future challenges of the hydrogen economy.

About ACHEMA As the world’s most comprehensive innovation update for the latest technology trends in the industry, it offers hands-on showcases for technology and global networking.

Get inspired: www.achema.de/en

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FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 67

To Cap it All From Liners to Linerless Increasing costs are making production line efficiencies more important than ever before. Here Victor Sachs, Technical Services Manager at Selig Group, a leading worldwide manufacturer of tamper evident cap and closure lining materials, discusses how producers can overcome bottle necks in packaging production lines using induction heat sealing and explores going capless and linerless.

Increasing sealing speed Avoiding bottle necks in the process is key to speed, and container sealing can become a rate-determining step, depending on the option used: Conduction sealing - can require additional pick and place machinery, necessitating more product handling than the contactless, integrated liner and cap induction heat sealing process. To increase the speed of conduction sealing, more lines are required. And for food producers running a mix of applications on filling lines, conduction sealing is less tolerant to bottle and height variance and neck designs than induction sealing.

Induction sealing – can be used on multi-use filling lines and to future-proof them. To increase speed is simply a matter of adding more induction heat sealers to the existing line. Using induction heat sealing, food producers can seal up to 650 sauce bottles per minute, with 3 units on the production line.

With cost efficiencies more important than ever before, choosing the right sealing method for a product, a brand and an entire packaging line has never been more important.

More units can be added if needed.

In fact, a water bottling plant in Saudi Arabia is running at present at 1000 bottles sealed and capped per minute, using induction heat sealing.

drinks market, these double ridged caps wrap around a landing area on the container. However, they can’t deliver a consistent hermetic seal and can let in oxygen and water vapour, making reliability and shelf-life a possible issue.

Capless closures - many supermarkets and brands are removing plastic lids on foil-sealed yoghurts, creams, and dips, to improve their packaging carbon footprint. The preferred sealing method for capless closures is conduction sealing, although induction sealing has the potential to deliver significant time, energy, and aluminium savings.

Linerless or capless?

Bore seals, or linerless closures – these non-induction sealed caps can save producers money, due to the lack of liner. Used in some dairy applications and in the

With cost efficiencies more important than ever before, choosing the right sealing method for a product, a brand and an entire packaging line has never been more important. Thankfully, however, with the wide range of benefits offered by induction heat sealing, and the availability of conduction and liner-less solutions for specific applications, there is a sealing solution to meet the majority of food and drink processing needs. www.seliggroup.com

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Ingredients for bakery success Gough Engineering’s Batch Sieve improves product quality and safety

As the smaller bakeries grow, they’ll need better sieving and separating equipment to keep things running smoothly.

Bakeries face the challenge of quality control right from the moment raw materials arrive on their production lines — especially fine particles. Here, Stephen Harding, managing director at Gough Engineering, the materials handling expert, explains why industrial sieves and separators are indispensable for ensuring final products meet high standards of quality, consistency and safety.

Bakeries must do all they can to eliminate very fine airborne particles on the production line.

Indeed, flour dust is a hazardous substance according to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which also reports that rising new cases of occupational asthma among bakers is “now the highest of any occupation in any industry.”

These businesses must also be prepared for assessments from

70 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

official bodies, or their own clientele, through various audits and operations/performance compliance. Adhering to high standards in ingredient handling is therefore imperative.

That means ensuring there are no unwanted elements like foreign objects, otherwise known as tramp materials, in the incoming product.

Equally crucial is achieving the correct texture for ingredients.

Consistency is key when it comes to creating a uniform feedstock for subsequent processes, whether it’s dough production or other baking essentials.

Fine particles Beyond quality checks, bakeries also need to focus on the granular structure of the powder. Fine particles present a significant challenge in manufacturing processes. These minuscule

particles, often unwanted, can disrupt precise measurements and alter dough consistency, which leads to inconsistencies in the final product.

That is why industrial sieves and separators are so essential.

Sieves and separators employ mesh screens or other separation methods to sift out unwanted particles from the mixture. This process ensures that only the desired ingredients make their way into the dough and contributes to uniformity in the dough’s composition.

By removing fine particles, industrial sieves and separators prevent uneven distribution, which can lead to variations in product quality. This is especially important for products like bread and pastries, where consistency is a key factor.

Industrial sieves and separators are indispensable tools in bakeries for ensuring final products meet high standards of quality, consistency and safety.

By preventing the entry of unwanted particles or contaminates, sieves and separators reduce the likelihood of poor final product quality after baking. In doing so, these systems contribute significantly to the overall operational efficiency and reliability of the production process.

In addition, extraction can help the process of sieving/separating.

This can be tackled by coupling the sieve hood and collection bin holding area directly to an existing extraction system; or to have an integrated extraction solution with filters alongside the sieve in one mobile unit. Gough Engineering can assist with both options.

High-quality baking Let’s look at the example of a food company in Wales that wanted to improve how it sieved ingredients.

To make the process safer, easier to use and more effective, Gough Engineering designed a bespoke sieve with a one mm aperture stainless steel frame that met all the strict food industry rules for the specific bakery environment.

This included special US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)compliant bonding materials that meet regulatory standards for safe use and prevent contamination risks.

Gough Engineering’s design team also added a protective cover/ hood and a special frame to hold a collection bin underneath. They made sure it fitted in with the bakery’s existing system by adding special discharge spouts to take away waste. While some bakeries lean towards automation, others rely on manual processes, so the equipment must be designed accordingly.

For the food company in Wales, Gough designed a unique system using easy-to-use quick-release clamps, to quickly disassemble the machine and clean the integral parts as well as the mesh. The sieve specialist made sure the collection bin underneath was the correct height, and included a correct Gauss rated magnet to remove any metal particles. This made their sieving process super safe, assisting in efficient cleaning regimes and producing high-quality products.

User-friendly and safe Worker safety must also be considered. Measures must be taken to prevent the release of fine powders into the air where product can accumulate on all surfaces over time, pose a safety hazard on slip-risk floor surfaces or create contamination with potential respiratory hazards.

Considering the ergonomics and user-friendliness of equipment for bakery staff is therefore paramount — that’s why Gough Engineering crafts its equipment with safety and security as top priorities.

Features like bag rest shelves and supporting grid bars are incorporated to assist operations in a safe working environment.

Gough Engineering’s design

engineers worked closely with the company and came up with a solution that included steps with a good grip for easy bag-opening into the sieve. Handrails on both sides of the steps were also specified for extra safety. Finally, a special tipping hood opens and closes easily, to reduce air-borne particles using special gas-powered struts.

Busy market Sorting tiny particles is a big deal for bakeries. That’s why compact vibratory systems, like Gough Engineering’s Batch Sieve, are crucial for improving both product quality and safety by breaking down lumps and filtering out oversize particles, contaminants and debris.

Industrial sieves and separators are indispensable tools in bakeries for ensuring final products meet high standards of quality, consistency and safety. These systems must be designed based on a deep understanding of what bakeries need, help them work efficiently, meet top-quality standards and stay ahead in a busy market.

To learn more about Gough Engineering’ food sieving solutions for bakeries, visit its website. www.goughengineering.com

Gough Engineering’s Batch Sieve helps bakeries ensure final products meet high standards of quality.

FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 71

Kraft Heinz introduces first 100% recyclable ketchup cap with help from Berry Global The launch by Kraft Heinz Company of its first 100% recyclable cap for its famous squeezy ketchup bottle demonstrates the collaborative achievement utilizing the innovative design and manufacturing capabilities of Berry Global in supporting retail brands with a move towards more sustainable packaging solutions.

Historically, Heinz sauce bottles used a flexible silicone valve to deliver a consistent portion of sauce per squeeze, but this was often challenging to recycle. Together with Berry Global Heinz has now switched to a mono-material cap, manufactured in PP. This means it meets requirements for recyclability.

The project has been eight years, 45 prototypes and more than 185,000 hours in development, to ensure the optimum balance between functionality and sustainability.

Berry was involved through the design and production process, from concept to the creation of the series tools in Berry’s in-house tool shop, as well as the development of the assembly equipment for industrial production.

Heinz followed a rigorous testing procedure to make sure the cap met the highest quality standards.

An extended consumer survey confirmed that the new concept would be well received by the public, as it dispenses the same perfect amount of sauce every time without affecting the squeezability.

In fact, the study found that the new cap design helps consumers squeeze more ketchup out of the bottle when it is nearly empty – a testament to Berry’s ability to look holistically at the overall solution to improve the cap’s performance alongside its recyclability.

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The project has been eight years, 45 prototypes and more than 185,000 hours in development, to ensure the optimum balance between functionality and sustainability.

The concept won Rigid Pack of the Year for Kraft Heinz at the 2023 UK Packaging Awards.

Matthias Hammersen, Sales Director – Food Market at Berry Global, commented: “Heinz set us the kind of challenge that suits us and our development departments best: to reconstruct the design of the cap to make it 100% recyclable, without affecting the performance that millions of consumers know and love. We’re delighted that the finished result exceeds our initial expectations and actually improves the consumer experience.”

The caps are being rolled out UK-wide on 400ml and bigger

top-down bottles of Heinz Tomato Ketchup, including 50% Less Sugar and Salt varieties. In the future, the cap will also be rolled out across more of the Heinz sauces range in the U.K. and Europe.

Heinz claims the move to the recyclable cap will save a potential 300 million plastic lids from being sent to landfill every year globally.

Jojo de Noronha, President of Kraft Heinz Northern Europe, said: ““We know our consumers care about their impact on the environment and so do we, which is why we’re delighted to see our innovative, more sustainable caps on Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottles across the UK. Although a small change, this makes it easy for the millions of Heinz lovers across the country to recycle their whole squeezy bottle at once – a small action with big potential for impact.”

Learn more about Berry Global’s range of plastic caps and closures suitable for various applications. www.berryglobal.com

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The importance of door maintenance The fact that Hart Door Systems has built a reputation for quality and longevity of its wide range of industrial doors, the importance of door maintenance should not be understated says Keith Fisher, Hart’s National Operations Manager.

Servicing industrial doors not only improves their reliability and operational functionality, but servicing is also a requirement under Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations which protect people who come into contact with the doors. Indeed, failure to maintain industrial doors could put the user in breach of Government legislation incurring liability in the case of an incident involving an industrial door which is noncompliant.

As essential support for our clients Hart has comprehensive Service & Maintenance assistance as a specialist department which delivers a range of repair and scheduled maintenance options for its customers to further extend the life of their doors.

Given the very wide variety of industrial classifications we supply doors and shutters to, the emphasis has to be on designing servicing and maintenance packages which are tailored to match the specific needs of our clients’ businesses and the arising usage patterns of the various doors/shutters.

A preventative Servicing and Maintenance Agreement ensures Hart’s servicing is carried out correctly and at the precise frequency thus complying with Regulations. Typically, during a Hart servicing visit all mechanical and electrical elements are checked for missing parts, general wear and tear and Compliance issues.

Mechanical checks include inspecting parts such as drive chain tension, alignment, and lubrication, bearing wear and tear, motor oil levels and fabric tension

74 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

Keith Fisher, Hart Door Systems

and electrical checks include limit settings, cable connections and safety devices.

Hart also has a legal responsibility to ensure doors are left in safe working order after servicing.

Again, the issues are wide ranging such as measuring the closing forces of automatic doors where safe contact is the main strategy to prevent hazards.

The closing force of a door ensures correct force limitation under EN 12978 which prevents injury and crushing. Testing should always be carried out with an annually calibrated instrument according to DIN 18650, EN 12453 or EN 12445.

On completion of a Hart service visit, a paperless electronic copy of the engineer’s report will be issued

which may include additional recommendations necessary to ensure the doors are safe and compliant to relevant legislation due to changing ‘shop floor’ circumstances.

The sophistication of door systems such as Hart’s Speedor range or its Typhoon shutter range has changed significantly over the years to cater for changing needs by its customers across the globe and indeed by changing climate.

To ensure hard working doors in busy industrial environments continue to make a significant daily contribution to efficiency and safety, planned maintenance is essential. www.hartdoors.com

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FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 75

Continuous processing more efficient than dealing with batches

By Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director, HRS Heat Exchangers

is emptied, this is an incredibly inefficient method of cooking such products.

Products such as mechanically separated meat (MSM) and meat emulsions are commonly used in a wide range of products including sausages, chicken nuggets, patties and some minced meats. While different meat sources and products will have different processing and cooking requirements, it is important that the methods chosen to minimise the energy use involved, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

A much more energy efficient method is to cook a continuous stream of product using a scraped surface heat exchanger such as the HRS R Series or Unicus Series. The HRS R Series uses a rotating action to scrape the tube surface and a helix to ‘push’ material through the heat exchanger, ensuring thorough mixing and heat distribution. It provides an economic solution for situations where product mixing is a benefit in processing, or where physical integrity is less important than heat transfer. For example, it is ideal for MSM, meat emulsions and co-products (such as materials which are destined for the pet food market).

Meat emulsions, slurries and reformed meat products have been used around the world since the early 1970s. Around the world there are strict rules, both about the raw materials used for the production of MSM, but also how it is processed and labelled. Similar cooking, handling and cooling methods are also used for other food products, such as ground (minced) meat and soups, and these products can also benefit from the same approach to choosing cooking systems.

Matt Hale, International Sales & Marketing Director, HRS Heat Exchangers

Some companies processing large volumes of product may have ten or more vessels in various states of operation at one time. This is because, while these vessels are an effective method of cooking and pasteurising a range of products including MSM, they are limited in their capacity because it is important that the product is cooked through thoroughly.

Because each vessel must be heated from scratch for every new batch of product, and the heat used is then lost when the vessel

In some situations, the robust mixing action of the R Series can damage the product. For example, some minced and ground meat products, or products containing definite pieces or product. In this case the HRS Unicus Series is preferred. This patented design uses as reciprocal action to prevent fouling of the

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advises that, ‘Microbiological and chemical hazards associated with mechanically separated meat derived from poultry and swine are similar to those related to non-mechanically separated meat (fresh meat, minced meat or meat preparations). However, the risk of microbial growth increases with the use of high-pressure production processes.’ In addition, ‘High pressure mechanically separated meat must be immediately frozen and can only be used in cooked products.’

These products are often cooked in batches prior to final product formation, often using large steampowered kettles or pressure vessels.

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The HRS R Series of rotating scraped surface heat exchangers provides thorough mixing and heat transfer for products such as mechanically separated meat and emulsions

HRS have provided clients with continuous processing solutions to replace batch-cooking and cooling systems. heat exchanger by the product and to ensure thorough heating of the product to the required temperature. Importantly, once the unit has reached the required temperature, the heating medium is only required to maintain the temperature as the heat is not lost between processing batches. This continuous processing saves large amounts of energy compared to a batch approach.

The same is also true of the equally important cooling process, which must be conducted in a timely manner. In fact, this cooling allows for the use of heat generation, where the heat removed by the cooling process is not lost but can be returned to the start to pre-heat the product, so that less energy (for example steam) is required for

HRS have provided clients with continuous processing solutions to replace batch-cooking and cooling systems. One Coloradobased manufacturer of sauces and soups replaced their batchbased system with a continuous process based on a number of HRS products in order to increase their manufacturing capacity to meet increasing demand.

Part of the cooling system of a continuous system installed at a soup and sauce manufacturer

heating. Further economic savings are also achieved by reducing the need to fill and empty separate cooking vessels, and the fact that cleaning-in-place (CIP) can be performed when required, rather than simply between each (smaller) batch.

HRS complete systems not only include the HRS R Series and Unicus Series scraped surface heat exchangers for cooking and then cooling the product, but also transfer pumps, balance tanks, other heat exchangers for pre-heating and pre-cooling, and auxiliary equipment such as CIP systems and steam-powered hot water sets. Such systems are designed to have simple intuitive controls and to occupy the smallest possible footprint in order to fit within existing production facilities. www.hrs-heatexchangers.com

The HRS Unicus Series of reciprocal scraped surface heat exchangers are ideal for cooking and cooling delicate meat products, soups and sauces

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When smooth Delivering a tailoredlinear motion is of paramount solution on time and importance on budget

We talk to the experts at IKO Nippon Thompson about how linear rail and carriages can be easily adjusted and modified, and how projects can be redesigned around standard products, to save customers time and money

For applications where reductions in

weight are paramount, IKO offers the cost-effective precision linear slide

A

range.

Made from stainless linear rail and carriage system steel, is manyand a design

engineers first choice for transporting a load, and available in recirculating (BSR) and nonfor good reason. It provides a rugged and precise recirculating (BSP) options, this range solution that is inherently self-aligning, offers highisload handling capabilities, and can operate in some of the most highly flexible. It features a simple twochallenging environments. But the temptation to over-engineer system can add significant cost to a project, row,a four-point contact structure, high while asking a vendor to supply a non-standard arrangement can motion accuracy and stable load carrying dramatically lengthen the lead time.

This is where IKO Nippon Thompson’s in-house design capacity. and adjustments service becomes invaluable, with the UK team of applications engineers able to suggest design amendments thatfurther can reduce lead timesusing from months to This can be enhanced a days, and/or remove significant cost from a project. Mark built-in rack sales and engineer pinion system in the Milton Ross, technical at the company’s Keynes UK headquarters, are a wide range of BSP variant (BSPG)says: for “There applications things we can do at local level, from the everyday to the where thereto isdeliver potential for cage creep. more unusual, an application-specific solution, providing a key service that can save UK seen customers This phenomenon is generally in time and money.”

our various global locations, and we can tap into that free stock and have it delivered within a couple of days,” says

For designers and machine builders looking to increase load ratings further, while keeping the overall machine sizeMark. to

A prime example is the company’s ability to assess the results, the BWU range may be more key parameters in a project, and look at what can be easily amended without The compromising the performance criteria, appropriate. high rigidity, precision so that the project can be serviced from the company’s linear slide units offer design engineers free stock. “For any supplier, manufacturing a system to order is going to take but IKO Nippon Thompson will the possibility oftime, adding a secure always have standard products available as free stock at

“From there we a minimum, IKO can then offer its crossed have the in-house caroller ways (CRW). This range available pabilities to is modify standard products to meet specific customer in three different variants, including a rack requirements.” include cutting to specific and pinionExamples option (CRWG) and arailheavierlength at the simplest level, or changing the e-dimension – duty variant that increases the strength the measure from the end of the rail to the first mounting hole.

“Asinternal standard, components this e-dimension(CRWH). would be half the of the normal hole pitch, but that might not suit the application,” These products all utilise cylindrical rolling Mark explains.

Such adjustments can beand important elements insteadandofamendments ball bearings, time savers for customers, particularly when they are provide increased loadofrating capacity and building a prototype as proof concept.

But IKO Nippon Thompson’s design services can also save customers improved rigidity. This, in turn, increases significant amounts of money, for example when it is clear that design engineer over-specified the project, perthethe stability of thehas overall product. haps as a belt and braces approach to meeting particular lifespan requirements.

Despite variation and “We canthe quickly drill downintomaterials the customer’s most important considerations and then look at how that impacts structure, all of the models share a similar on the rail and carriage dimensions,” says Mark. “By talking design.load With cagedthat bearings through andsingle stroke linear requirements, might lead us to propose alternative carriage lengths. For example, consisting of ball or roller elements has the designer opted for a shorter carriage to increase

loads of up to 12,100N. They are also

These bearings are arranged in parallel,

many vertically orientated, high-speed applications, and IKO’s design reduces the chance of this occurring.

For applications that may receive fluctuating and complex loads, but still need to see consistent repeatable

mounting position that can handle

exclusively made of stainless steel, making them suitable for potentially corrosive environments or cleanrooms.

running along inner and outer tracks.

one on each side of the slide, to support the weight of the table (or carriage) and its mounted load as it moves.

In addition, they are suitable for

stroke length, but then bumped up the rail and carriage dimensions to accommodate the required load? Perhaps they’ve even ended up with a design that uses non-standard length carriages.

“By adjusting the rail and carriage dimentheresions, is nowechance of the balls causing can often find a much more cost-effective approach, selecting more appropriatein and standard any background distortions the data products or better cost products,” he continues. “We can play

gathered. For the same reason, the

bearings run very quietly. In addition, maximum speeds of 50m/min can be achieved.

While IKO prizes quality over pricing, one thing for customers to keep in mind when buying precision linear ways is how many

with parameters such as preload to see if this provides a better meet specific application criteria. Or we can partsway aretoincluded.

This is particularly butt together standard rails to deliver longer, non-standard important when specifying the CRWimpacting lengths at given profile dimensions without precision. range. While, for historical reasons, many “In addition, we can add seals and scrapers to protect competitors sellonthese what the rolling elements some parts productin types, as is well as offering different coating options to protect against rust essentially only half of a full set required or to alter the products’ aesthetic appearance if that’s a requirement too. Theprofile addition – oftwo rail caps canwith also be a for any motion ways further simple (yet cost-effective) way to increase the lonone cage and rolling elements – IKO gevity of the system, and is something which, whilst basic, is often overlooked.” always sells CRWs as a complete kit: All of this comes hand in hand with the capability to profourCAD ways withand two cages rolling vide drawings models, andand to port those designs straight into customers’ elements.

For thatmodels. reason, a price that IKO Nippon Thompson is conscious, too, of the cost is logistics perhaps higher and for so ancan IKO full pre-packof for 75% its customers, supply aged sets to reduce packaging, handling and stock manset (for example) when compared to a agement. And then there is the company’s on-site training in addition to its telephone and web video support. competitor’s set might prove to be a more “It’s all part of a service that means we are much more cost-effective option, as two sets ofsuppliers the hands-on with our customers than perhaps other are willing or able to be,” concludes Mark.

“We want to competitor’s product would be needed be more involved because it benefits all of us – we get to to make up the samesolution quantity as IKO’sget deliver the most appropriate and customers time- and cost-saving benefits.”

applications where rust

The various designs

prevention oil is not

all provide precise

preferred.

accurate motion, normally over short

www.ikont.eu • Email: enquiries@iko.co.uk Tel” 01908 566144

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • WWW.INDUSTRIALTECHNOLOGY.CO.UK

stroke lengths. In

installation-friendly manner, IKO aims to

the BSP, BWU and CRW ranges, this motion is further enhanced by their non-recirculating

78 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk

offering.

By offering the right bearings in an

meet its customers’ needs – and often

27

exceeds them.

design. Due to the compression and

Contact IKO UK today at 01908 566144,

release of the rolling elements as they

or email enquiries@iko.co.uk to discuss

pass in and out of contact with the

your motion control needs. Alternatively,

raceways seen in recirculating designs,

visit the IKO website.

SCHMERSAL SCHMERSAL || Enigma Enigma Business Business Park Park Malvern, Malvern, Worcestershire, Worcestershire, WR14 WR14 1GL 1GL

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Intelligent solutions for the highest quality in snack and confectionery packaging Schubert will be showcasing its extensive range of packaging solutions at ProSweets Cologne 2024 For Gerhard Schubert, the 2024 exhibition year kicks off with ProSweets Cologne, the leading international supplier trade fair for the snack and confectionery sector.

From 28 to 31 January, visitors will have an opportunity to experience the machine manufacturer’s farreaching expertise in the packaging of snacks and confectionery.

At Stand F030-G031 in Hall 10.1, the Schubert team will be presenting its TLM Comfort Feeder, an entirely new, efficient and resource-saving solution for feeding carton blanks. The Schubert experts will also be providing advice on their comprehensive portfolio for the automated and sustainable packaging of snacks and confectionery at several thematic islands, and offering information on their wide-ranging service programme.

ProSweets Cologne is one of the most important trade fairs for the confectionery and snack industry’s entire supply spectrum and it serves as a meeting place for companies along the entire value chain – from raw materials to production and packaging technology. Many wellknown companies from the snack and confectionery industry count among Schubert’s customers. And the trade fair is an ideal opportunity for the company to present its innovative and very compelling technological advancements for the packaging industry.

Experience the new TLM Comfort Feeder live at the trade fair stand Cutting-edge innovations are often the result of a problem that is successfully solved. In this instance, Schubert focussed on the simple

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At ProSweets, Schubert combines the TLM Comfort Feeder with a bar packer that packs sweet bars into cartons.

To ensure that its customers’ very specific needs are met with pinpoint precision, Schubert offers a number of supplementary services in addition to its extensive technology portfolio. fact that process delays can arise if the packaging line’s blank magazine runs empty – as machine operators then have to act quickly to avoid unnecessary stops. With Schubert’s new TLM Comfort Feeder, this issue is now a thing of the past, as can be experienced live on a bar packer at the trade fair. All that is needed is to place the entire pallet of blanks, which are still in the cutting sheet, into the machine. An F4 robot then pulls the individual blanks directly from the sheet and feeds them into

the erecting process at a rate of 60 cycles per minute. This ingenious procedure also offers another key advantage: the cut sheet can often be further optimised to maximise the use of the packaging material. This saves material and, in turn, resources and costs. The combination of innovative sheet feeding, high erecting performance as well as loading and sealing offers Schubert customers an exceptionally advantageous machine concept: The bar packer is part of Schubert’s TLM Power Compact machine category, which refers to TLM machines that deliver a high performance density in a small space.

Schubert’s comprehensive range of advanced technologies covers all requirements In addition to the live demonstration of the TLM Comfort Feeder, Schubert experts will be providing information on the

from Packaging Perspectives will be presenting two innovative sustainable packaging concepts: Dotlock, a technology that enables carton packaging to be produced entirely without glue, as well as a carton-monofilm hybrid solution – also without glue – that greatly minimises the use of plastic.

Schubert: Technology leader and service provider

TLM Power Compact: A bar packer with the Comfort Feeder – very high output in the smallest of footprints.

company’s diverse portfolio of packaging machines at different thematic islands. From pick & place robots in the pickerline to flowrappers and casepackers all the way through to complete packaging lines; Schubert offers all the machine technologies that manufacturers need to produce high-quality packaging. Of particular interest to snack and confectionery manufacturers are the packaging lines developed by Schubert, in which products are fed via several side conveyor belts so that different product variants can enter the packaging process at the same time. This enables a wide range of assortment configurations to be achieved, such as mixed biscuit packs or selections of savoury snacks. The flexible “HERBIE” driverless transport system from the Carrybots manufacturer is ideal to take on a variety of transport tasks in the production or logistics process. HERBIE will also be on display at the Schubert stand at ProSweets, where it will be shown in operation on a short track.

During feeding directly from the pallet, an F4 robot picks each blank individually from the sheet.

Sustainable packaging for the snack and confectionery industry As a manufacturer of packaging machines and lines, Schubert prioritises supporting its customers in the increasingly key area of sustainability. With its Mission Blue Sustainability Initiative, the Crailsheim-based company has formalised its own goals, values and specific measures to ensure sustainability. Visitors to ProSweets will also be able to see the initiative’s very tangible results.

For example, the Schubert experts

To ensure that its customers’ very specific needs are met with pinpoint precision, Schubert offers a number of supplementary services in addition to its extensive technology portfolio.

And the Schubert team will also be providing information about these at ProSweets. For example, Schubert Packaging Perspectives supports its customers in their search for the most suitable sustainable packaging, Schubert Consulting provides advice on complete packaging processes and optimisation potential, and Schubert’s 4YOU Digital Services enable customers to record and evaluate their line data – to better understand processes and to increase efficiency. Martin Sauter, Sales Director at Gerhard Schubert, explains: “The snack and confectionery industry is in a very challenging situation due to huge cost pressures, such as increased raw material and energy prices as well as inflation. We are delighted that, with our innovative packaging machines and our wide range of services, we can provide manufacturers with solutions that make their processes leaner, more efficient and more cost-effective.” www.schubert.group

The Schubert experts from Packaging Perspectives will At ProSweets, Schubert will be presenting Dotlock, also be presenting a cardboard-monofilm hybrid solution – an ingenious new technology developed for glue-free without glue – that greatly minimises the use of plastic. cardboard bonding.

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Whisper vane pump XD4 DC powered for extreme duty XD 4 pump delivers 15 l/min at up to 4 bars pressure with the 12/24 vdc motor. Self priming and quiet running for application in a range of transfer systems of non corrosive fluids such as oils and coolants. Pump produces flow not pressure,every rotation delivers a metered volume out the other side.Whatever system is connected to the pump has flow resistance which is then the source of backpressure as the pump works to maintain flow. Designed for continuous duty applications with harsh and poor lubricity fluids. Maximum temperatures to 200 C ,viscosity to 25,000 cst, weight 4 kgs,self priming to 1.5 meters, wetted parts anodized aluminum. www.ese.com

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We provide environmentally conscious producers & brands with our unique plastic free, biodegradable, home compostable, self-shrinking bands. Made from plant-based materials derived from wood pulp, our self-shrinking bands are heat and machinery free making them the perfect choice for heat sensitive products such as food, perfume, and flammable liquids.

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Ensuring consumer safety and operational efficiency in the food and beverage industry Compressed air is used in almost every production process in the food and beverage industry Undetected leaks can lead to serious consequences, such as contamination of products, reduced efficiency, increased downtime, and safety risks, which makes using effective predictive maintenance methods and tools absolutely critical.

packaging and cleaning. However, compressed air leaks can cause significant problems in food and beverage manufacturing facilities, making regular inspection and maintenance of compressed air systems essential to ensure the quality and safety of food and beverage products.

Compressed air is a widely used utility in the food and beverage industry for various purposes.

Industrytypical applications include processes with multiple air compressor assets connecting through pipes to deliver compressed air in order to move products, operate pneumatic tools or pump liquids for a variety of purposes in production chains,

The food and beverage industry is heavily regulated to ensure public safety and protect consumers from potential health hazards.

This also means that air leaks cause certain industry- specific challenges. Firstly, vacuum leaks can contaminate the food and beverage products. The air in a manufacturing facility can contain particles and contaminants

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Industry-specific Challenges from Costs to Contamination

that can be harmful to food and beverage products. When vacuum leaks occur, they can introduce these contaminants into the products, leading to spoilage, quality issues, and even health risks for consumers. Secondly, compressed air leaks can reduce efficiency and increase operating costs. Compressed air systems are energy-intensive and require significant amounts of electricity to operate.

When there are leaks in the system, the compressed air pressure drops, and the system has to work harder to maintain the required pressure, resulting in increased energy consumption and higher operating costs. As 24/7 operations are not uncommon in the food and beverage industry, these additional

Compressed air systems are energy-intensive and require significant amounts of electricity to operate.

locating hidden compressed air leaks in time.

costs can quickly accumulate into significant amounts. Thirdly, compressed air leaks can also affect the performance of pneumatic tools and equipment, reducing their effectiveness and leading to downtime for repairs and maintenance.

• Scans large areas quickly and pinpoints critical problems accurately, even from a distance and in noisy environments.

An Acoustic Solution that Meets the Needs To avoid problems like impaired product quality, increased operating costs and consumer safety risks, food and beverage manufacturers need to regularly inspect compressed air systems to ensure that they are functioning correctly and free from leaks.

Using an acoustic camera helps identify even very small leaks promptly, improving the system’s efficiency, reducing operating costs, and ensuring the quality and safety of food and beverage products. An acoustic camera also

• Increases operational efficiency by preventing unplanned downtime through early detection of air and gas leaks.

FLIR Si124 Acoustic Imaging Camera

allows for accurate leak detection from a long distance even in a noisy environment typical for the industry, without having to halt operations. Further benefits include the AI-driven automated distance, leak size and cost estimates, which greatly facilitate predictive maintenance decisionmaking in the food and beverage industry.

Benefits of using an acoustic camera for air leak detection in the food and beverage industry: • Saves time, energy and costs by

• Ensures product quality and compliance to the regulation and controls the production facilities and equipment are subject to.

• Requires minimal training and is easy to incorporate into the maintenance cycle.

• Allows for inspections to be carried out without halting operations.

• Provides real-time results and actionable data for maintenance and repair plans through machinelearningdriven analytics.

For more information about thermal imaging cameras or about this application please visit: www.FLIR.com/si124

Effective predictive maintenance inspections of compressed air systems are essential for ensuring the quality and safety of food and beverage products.

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IFE Manufacturing to launch new ingredients awards in association with IFST IFE Manufacturing, taking place on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London, has announced the launch of a new awards scheme in association with the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) to celebrate innovations in food product development.

The IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards will recognise groundbreaking brands in the ingredients industry harnessing research and creativity to satisfy and delight consumers with healthy, sustainable, and delicious products.

Federico Dellafiore, Event Manager for IFE Manufacturing, comments: “As the ultimate product sourcing platform for food & drink manufacturers and brand owners, IFE Manufacturing is highly focussed on ingredients and food & drink innovations. We’re delighted to work in association with IFST on the launch of this awards scheme with the aim to reward businesses and individuals that are defining the future of food.”

Entries are open to all manufacturers in the food & drink sector and the awards are free to enter. The winners of the inaugural IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards will be announced on 25 March 2024 on the Trends & Innovation Platform at IFE Manufacturing.

The categories are: • Innovative Protein Sources • New Technologies for Improved Health • Achieving Sustainable Solutions • New Ingredient Launch from a Start-up Company • Simplified Ingredient Lists for Clean Labels

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We’re delighted to work in association with IFST on the launch of this awards scheme with the aim to reward businesses and individuals that are defining the future of food.

IFST CEO Tim McLachlan comments: “IFST is pleased to celebrate 60 years of advances in food science and technology in collaboration with IFE Manufacturing and looks forward to future innovations that will drive the creation of a sustainable food system that provides safe, healthy nutritious, affordable and delicious food for all.

science community to recognise and honour past and future leaders in the sector.”

“Our collaboration with IFE Manufacturing provides an excellent opportunity to showcase ingredient innovations that will deliver these attributes and provides an opportunity for our members and the wider food

To learn more about the IFE Manufacturing Ingredients Awards, including more information on the categories and on how to enter, visit ifemanufacturing.co.uk/ifem-ifstawards.

IFE Manufacturing takes place alongside IFE, International Food & Drink Event, HRC, Hotel, Restaurant & Catering, The Pub Show and International Salon Culinaire on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London.

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