FOOD & DRINK PROCESSING & PACKAGING Issue 34 2021
FPC Series Suction Cup: Portrait of a Specialist GEA launches new KDB 3 dairy centrifuge skid for fresh cheese production
Invaluable insights from data drive improved performance for the food and beverage sector
Contents
The Team Editor Amanda Buckingham editor@fdpp.co.uk
Digital Sales Manager Jessica Bennett T: 01227 392571
Business Manager Josh Holmes josh@mhmagazine.co.uk
Digital Manager Jamie Bullock jamie@fdpp.co.uk Tel: 01227 392571
Publishing Director Martin Holmes martin@fdpp.co.uk
Studio Designer Richard Bland richard@mhmagazine.co.uk
M H Media Global Ltd.
Office 15, Second Floor, Innovation House, Discovery Park, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9FD
Tel 01304 806039
www.fdpp.co.uk
Features
< 04 COVAL < 12 AXIUM PROCESS < 14 NORD < 22 IDS IMAGING < 26 LEUZE < 36 GEA < 38 HULL BOXES & PACKAGING < 46 ENGILICO < 50 COGNEX < 56 ASTAREAL < 61
PROSEAL
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FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 3
Proseal supports Chefgood’s recipe for success Advanced tray sealing technology from Proseal is supporting the continuing expansion of Chefgood, one of Australia’s leading producers of highquality, nutritious, home-delivery ready meals. Established in 2014, Chefgood was born out of the desire to make affordable higher quality and healthier ready meals than those typically available on the Australian market. The company uses local ingredients, portion control and great taste to help customers sustain healthier, more balanced diets. Two Proseal GT0e tray sealing machines
As well as the speed and efficiency of
comments Jared Simeti, General
the two GT0e models, Chefgood cites
Manager Operations of Chefgood.
the machines’ excellent reliability as a
“The installation went flawlessly,
key factor in their selection. In addition,
and the machines have continued to
the company says the tray sealing
perform without any issues. Just as
machines extensive reporting features
important, we know the Proseal service
are a valuable benefit in the setting and
technicians are always there to help
assessing of KPI measurements.
if we do experience any problems. In
throughput, handling around 35,000
“We have had fantastic support from
remained in close contact with us
trays every week.
Proseal throughout the project,”
during the Covid-19 pandemic when
have now been installed at the Chefgood factory in Moorabbin, Victoria, replacing the company’s original tray sealer from another supplier. The greater efficiency and higher speeds of the Proseal machines – some three times faster than the previous unit – have enabled Chefgood to achieve a much greater
4 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
particular, our Proseal account manager
we had to adapt our working practices,
and sealing capabilities can be easily
“We have had a great response from
looking for ways to help us during this
retrofitted when they are developed.
businesses which have confirmed our
difficult time.”
supply,” says Jared. “Our products already Proseal tray sealing machines deliver
have the highest consumer rating on the
The Proseal GT0e has the flexibility
consistent and accurate throughput
market, and we are continuing to build
to perform any type of heat seal to a
thanks to unique features such as
our brand. The future looks very positive
pre-formed tray, including atmospheric,
Promotion™, which regulates the
and indeed, we are in the process of
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP),
feeding of trays into the machine, and
looking for a new site, having outgrown
Vacuum MAP, Skin, Skin Plus and Skin
its ProPosition™ tray positioning system.
our current one.
Deep, and can handle all the latest
Seal strength and integrity are ensured by
tray formats and materials. Proseal
the company’s pioneering Eseal® high-
Australia’s local manufacturing of
force electric heat seal system.
tooling means the company is able to respond quickly to requests for new sets
The GT0e’s compact, rugged and hygienic
to meet changes in market demands.
food industry approved construction provides full washdown protection. A
Another significant benefit of the
user-friendly menu driven control panel
Proseal GT0e and all of the company’s
with step-by-step prompts, error and
tray sealing machines is that features can be added or removed as required. This offers users valuable future
status displays, and batch pack counter, ensures ease of set-up.
proofing with the ability to adapt to new
Chefgood’s continuing success and
packaging trends. Equally essential,
growth has now led the company to
machines are designed so that new
develop a range of retail products, which
features which further increase speed
will be launched in May.
“With such growth plans, we are sure Proseal will continue to play a major role in regard to our packing room equipment.” Founded in 1998, Proseal designs and manufactures high quality tray sealing machines, conveyor systems and sealing tools for food industry markets worldwide. Proseal is part of the JBT family, and together they remain committed to continually supporting customers’ needs. www.proseal.com www.jbtc.com
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 5
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Invaluable insights from data drive improved performance for the food and beverage sector The global pandemic has shone the
sector’s top-level needs, not much has
spotlight firmly on the food and beverage
changed over recent years. The prime
sector, with the fluctuating customer
driver is still all about driving better overall
demands stretching the food supply chain
equipment efficiency (OEE). This is a very
to its limit. Paul Haimes, vice president
traditional performance metric, but it
of field engineering at PTC, explains how
can be a single company metric, and it is
digital transformation can help the food
often measured in different ways. What
and beverage sector thrive operating in
is changing dramatically is how we are
this unpredictable market.
being asked to solve their issues. It is now all about Industry 4.0 and our industrial
The crisis has forced many in the food
IoT and augmented reality platforms,
and beverage sector to rethink the
ThingWorx and Vuforia.
established processes and accelerated the transformation that was already taking
An excellent example of the approach
place. Aside from the changing consumer
came from our recent work with Carlsberg,
patterns, there are also regulatory
who have deployed ThingWorx Industrial
standards to meet, allergens to minimise,
Internet of Things (IoT) Solutions Platform,
waste to manage, margins to increase
through Microsoft Azure, across 28 of its
ability to compare one factory with the
and the need to be prepared for any
breweries in Europe, and Asia. The solution
next and become more agile in responding
unforeseeable circumstances.
enables them to ensure transparency
to market demands.
across its worldwide operations and track Given this volatile landscape, it is no
and document the transformation of raw
Moving down to the factory floor, one of
surprise that the food and beverage
materials into finished goods.
the standard ways we are being asked to improve performances for process
industry is under immense pressure. Managing the changing requirements
Production managers, both in the 28
manufacturers is for line changeovers.
while attempting to reduce costs, increase
breweries and those at headquarters, will
One of the most compelling capabilities
innovation, and improve quality is difficult
now be able to analyse our operations in
of Vuforia is the ability to capture some
for any business. However, the best
real time, on site, and remotely. The plan
of that tacit knowledge through Vuforia
way to overcome these challenges is to
is to build an end-to-end digital value
Expert Capture Augmented Reality. We can
transform your business by digitising. It
chain that will impact everything from
capture the line changeover best practice
is a trend that has been around for some
forecasting to procurement to brewing,
to embed that knowledge and make
time, but the ability it provides for greater
packaging, and logistics.
that consumable to others, particularly within the younger generation of factory
transparency into the process operations together with the business insights that
We call that strategy enterprise plant
operative who want to be consuming
can be gained from a consistent data
benchmarking. It has that singular
information at the point of use.
strategy are more compelling than ever.
roll-up of factory metrics that allows a company to carry out a factory-by-factory
Another growing area of importance is
DIFFERENT OPERATING LANDSCAPE BUT THE SAME CHALLENGES
comparison. At its heart is the desire to
overlaying geometry to help guide the
standardise the data that is pushed up
individual, which is a slightly different
When it comes to the food and beverage
into the enterprise view, giving them the
approach to the same challenge.
8 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Within this stack, each layer, from the machine sensors to the business systems, all communicate one layer up or one layer down. You cannot easily skip layers or see data from multiple layers simultaneously. That is where the Kepware server comes in with the world’s most extensive library of adapters into different PLCs and controllers from all manufacturers. You can quickly plug that in and then start pulling the data tags you require. You collect data from a highly proprietary environment and make that available into the Thingworx software to build dashboards to provide the insights that are required. It is the same challenge whether you are a global manufacturer such as Carlsberg or one of the new breed of artisan producers going from strength to strength. What you are looking at is the yield and quality of your product. Whatever the company’s size, you are looking to use data about your factory’s performance to make informed decisions and drive repeatability to keep your factory running longer.
PICKING WINNING INITIATIVES As the digital transformation gathers We use CAD geometry in a traditional
manufacturers, all with their own
pace, food and beverage manufacturers
augmented reality overlay to instruct them
languages and protocols, this can be
can face a confusing array of possible
on either a line changeover or equipment
problematic.
options. Making the right choice of
maintenance.
solution and partner can be fundamental Standardising plant floor communications
to an initiative’s success.
IT IS GOOD TO TALK
through a connectivity platform such as
The first step is accessing the data.
Kepware enables modern manufacturing
It all comes down to understanding what
Looking again at the Carlsberg
plants to implement new equipment
that customer is trying to achieve from
installation, it was all about collecting
and systems quickly. It simplifies the
a strategic perspective and what they
data, standardising this data, and sending
communications architecture, providing
are trying to accomplish within their
relevant insights up to the enterprise layer.
connectivity to an ever-growing list of
factory. Then it is about defining the
To do this required the ability to connect
devices and support for legacy, current,
expected value of the transformation
shopfloor devices to communicate data,
and future controllers’ firmware and
project – how big is the impact? How
which can be achieved with our Kepware
operating systems.
much can we reduce the time taken for
product. Real-time production control and analysis requires frequent information
Most food and beverage manufacturers
from all machines and equipment on
operate with an ISA-95 stack within
the plant floor. If you can analyse the
the Factory. The objectives of ISA-95
production data, you can optimise your
is to provide consistent terminology
line and ensure that the manufacturing
that is the foundation for manufacturer
systems operate efficiently. With most
communications, providing compatible
food and beverage shopfloors featuring
information models, and consistent
a myriad of devices from different
operating models.
a line changeover – or how much more uptime can we expect? And will it scale throughout the factory – and across multiple factories in the future? Within the Industrial IoT Solutions Platforms, there are answers for these and many other questions. www.ptc.com/en
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 9
New level switches for maximum efficiency Ask any operator in a food processing
diverse ingredients. Even with the
LASTS 4 TIMES LONGER
plant - some of the smallest parts of
strongest build up, you can depend on
“With this device, we are specifically
the process, like the sensors doing the
its effectiveness at detecting the point
targeting the food, beverage and also
‘simplest’ detection and switching, can
level, it indicates the process status with
the pharmaceutical sectors. Here,
cause problems, overspills, feed supply
a super-bright 360° LED ring, that is
mixing, conveying and filling are all
easily visible from afar.
about efficiency and safety, even with
run-outs or long hold-ups – especially when they can’t keep up with the
demanding liquids and bulk solids like
demands of modern production and
VEGAPOINT 24
recipe variants.
Features a superbright 360 LED Users can select colours and flashing status to suit their process
molasses or homogenised creams,” explains Volker Allgaier, Product Manager at VEGA. The front-flush design of VEGAPOINT 24 especially ensures its universal application possibilities. “It means that it can even be installed and operate alongside pigging cleaning systems that can pass safely past its flat measuring tip,” Allgaier emphasises, “we made sure the measuring sensor face is more
VEGAPOINT 24 Flush hygienic point level
durable too, we tested this and it even
switch suitable for all media out of the box
copes with abrasive sandblasting.” This is because the ‘wetted’ measuring part in the process is mainly metal in its
NEW VEGAPOINT 24 LEVEL SWITCHES MASTER THE STICKY AND VISCOUS Many food products are developed with a distinctive texture in mind, whether they are “melt-in-your-
construction. “Compared to all-plastic measuring tips”, he concludes, “our
OUT OF THE BOX THINKING Thanks to this robustness, VEGAPOINT
extensive tests have shown the service life can be extended by a factor of 4.”
24 is really quick to deploy, as a
FITS LIKE A GLOVE
plug-&-play sensor it can be installed
Another decisive factor is flexibility of
very easily in just a few simple steps.
use through its versatile process fittings
Flexible production systems with
and adaptors. This is a level switch
frequent and fast product changes
designed to fit in your existing process
really benefit from the fact that it can
systems like a glove. This means users
detect all media utilising the ‘out of the
can achieve optimum visibility of their
box’ setting, without any adjustment.
processes with the new VEGAPOINT
Users can also take advantage of its
24 - the relationship between durability,
extra functions and capabilities with a
low life-cycle costs, partnered with
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE
simple to use, smart phone App-based
ease of use and ‘easy to see’ indication,
VEGA has developed the new front-
Bluetooth wireless connectivity, to
makes it truly ground-breaking for
flush point level and interface switch
access and configure settings like liquid/
reliable point-level switching.
VEGAPOINT 24, designed especially
liquid interface detection or ignoring/
for use with challenging switching
detecting foam (VEGA TOOLS App free
duties required on very sticky, viscous
on iOS or Android). This is also where
or abrasive products. Its focus is to
you can customise LED colours and/or
provide the greatest possible robustness
flashing combinations for process status
More information available at
and reliability in the face of all these
notifications.
www.vega.com.
mouth” like some chocolates, grainy like hummus, tough and chewy, supersticky, satisfyingly crunchy or intensely super-soft and creamy. As a result of producing all these various textures and tastes, it in-turn increases the demands on the level measurement technology necessary for the consistent production of our favourite flavours and foods.
10 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
If you would like to test or try a device for yourself, or just get more information e-mail demo.uk@vega.com
We bring colour into view! Compact capacitive level switches with 360° custom-colour status display
256 colours Individually selectable: Measurement in progress Sensor switching Process malfunction
15 cm
Compact design
Hygienic adapter system
Adjustment via smartphone
£133 VEGAPOINT 21 G½"
www.vega.com/vegapoint
FPC Series Suction Cup Portrait of a Specialist The universal suction cup for all types
challenge, since it implies a high risk of
any crushing and also strengthen the
of Flow Pack packaging. FPC stands
leakage and potentially poor product
hold on the product being handled.
for FlowPack Cup: COVAL’s suction
gripping or the need to compensate
cup is fully dedicated to handling
with high power. COVAL has taken
FlowPack packaging. A real technological
up this challenge with the FPC series
breakthrough for a constantly evolving
suction cup. It is specifically designed
packaging method.
ultra-flexible packaging and will “stick
FLOWPACK NOW HAS ITS VERY OWN SUCTION CUP FlowPack packaging provides many advantages: • Direct food contact • Large visible area to show the products • Great number of applications in various industries: fresh fruits and vegetables, food processing industry, cosmetics, laboratories, and more • High production rates and low cost However, when it comes to vacuum handling, flexibility is an absolute
12 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
to the product” regardless of shape or material. As a result, it is able to handle very high production rates. To achieve this, COVAL has worked with packaging machine manufacturers, taking into consideration their constraints and submitting its designs to real-life tests. The FPC Series is based on three major innovations: 1. Thin and wavy flower-shaped lips
3. Fittings featuring a lateral vacuum distributor that prevent any loss in efficiency when the product is held. 4. Materials: Food-grade silicone and plastic insert meets FDA and CE standards.
WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? A Comprehensive Range • Available in two sizes: Round, Ø60 mm – Elliptical, 120 x 100 mm • Materials: Blue silicone suction cups, plastic fittings FPC suction cups are compatible with FDA food standards
that perfectly mold to the packaging,
(FDA 21 CFR 177.2600.) and meet the
whatever the shape.
European regulation (EC) 1935/2004.
2. Internal cleats that allow for optimized vacuum while preventing
• Two levels of flexibility: 35 and 50 Shore
WITHSTANDS HIGH PRODUCTION RATES • Its gripping ability allows for high production rates • No interruption in the packaging line due to faulty gripping
SAFETY • The FPC Series suction cup is made of silicone, a material that is recommended for its temperature resistance and food safety. The plastic fittings also conform to food standards. • The blue color of the suction cup facilitates its detection by visual detection systems on production and packaging lines.
ENERGY SAVINGS The airtightness of FPC Series suction cups avoids the need for an oversized vacuum generator, allowing for considerable energy savings. www.coval-international.com
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 13
Demand grows for improved water treatment systems Stringent discharge rules for trade
to manufacturing processes. Failure
effluent and recover high quality water.
effluents are fuelling enquiries into
to do so can result in hefty fines, snap
It allows highly customised solutions to
the benefits of the latest wastewater
inspections, and reputational damage.
be developed that can meet ambitious
processing technology, says Axium
sustainability goals. As it is a physical
Process.
“Even similar industries have very
The filtration specialist has seen a rise
so the ideal solution is a purpose-
in demand for customised membrane
designed treatment process for each
systems as environmental responsibility,
application. To identify and optimise
operational costs, and discharge
the best solution, our engineers first
limitations put increasing pressure on
conduct investigative pilot trials on the
companies to find improved solutions for
feed material either at our test facility
Water recycling systems from Axium
trade effluents.
in Swansea or the manufacturer’s
Process can be used in almost any
premises. The trial results will clearly
industry, including pharmaceutical, food,
identify the main requirements for the
drink, textiles, chemical and automotive.
project and associated benefits.”
They can also be used to complement
Derek Davies, Business Development Director at Axium Process, said “A growing number of industrial companies
different filtration requirements,
need to balance their discharge
Advances in effluent processing
consent against increased levels of
techniques mean that crossflow
production and spikes in output linked
membrane filtration can filter raw
14 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
process no chemicals are required to separate suspended or dissolved materials. The technology has the potential to significantly reduce effluent disposal costs while recovering up to 95 per cent clean reusable water.
other waste treatment processes such as anaerobic digestion. www.axiumprocess.com
DSEAR 3 DAY COURSE Risk Assessment Training (Book On-line) Our “Three Day” DSEAR training course is aimed at those who may be responsible for conducting risk assessments, but are not necessarily fully confident to do so with such a technical subject. The Course Content : • Legal foundations of DSEAR and COSHH • How Fires and explosions occur, • The fundamentals of understanding the explosive potential Deflagrations • Understanding the Chemical Properties of a substance • Risks resulting from improper storage or handling of substances • The danger triangle and dust pentagon. • Dust explosion potentials An overview of the regulations is included along with, explanations and understanding of solvents and their physical properties, explosive dusts, ATEX classifications and coding, gas groups, temperature ratings and BS 60079-10 Ex Zone determination, all giving a greater understanding of how ATEX fits into the DSEAR equation when establishing hazardous zones. Reference is also drawn to the theoretical understanding of flammable vapours with examples of how the Lower Explosive Limit can be converted into a meaningful quantity or volume of chemical per cubic metre of space.
The course includes: A detailed 140-page, training manual for all delegates Working group activities A “multiple choice” exam Buffet Lunch Tea Coffee and refreshments. Venue and Dates 2021: Cannock Staffordshire 15-17th June 12-15th October www.dsc-ltd.co.uk | sales@dsc-ltd.co.uk 01952 947682 | 07989 597569
The new bar code reader. Perfect performance on the conveyor line. Our new BCL 200i bar code reader is specialized for guided container and tray identification. Its especially compact design is optimally tailored for stationary use in confined spaces. Integrated industrial interfaces and simple configuration offer you perfect performance at the best price.
www.leuze.com/bcl200i
210312_LEU20025_Anzeige_BCL 200i_148x210x3_EN.indd 1
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 15 15.03.21 15:55
Embracing digital food transparency with urgency supply chain, however the latter cannot
One such is the US company Golden
happen if the data does not exist in an
State Foods (GSF), which has a
accessible form.
manufacturing facility producing over
So, this is where they should start, data collection. Even the smallest farmer can participate, by accurately weighing each batch of potatoes on industrial scales before a lorry takes them away. Keeping that data (the weight and logistics
160 million pounds of beef products per year. The company has partnered with IBM to create a digital supply chain system based on blockchain technology, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
information) in a database puts the
The project is the subject of a YouTube
farmer in a position to contribute to the
video, during which Guilda Javaheri,
digital transformation of the food supply
GSF’s Chief Technology Officer, explains:
chain. It potentially also allows the end
“It’s not just about digitising your supply
customer to see the origin and, if the
chain; it’s about reducing the hours
data is captured, the field from which
of reconciliations that companies go
Mettler-Toledo ProdX
they were harvested.
through. It also optimises the inventory
Incoming regulations and standards
EARLY ADOPTERS
By Ian Scott-Mance, Technology Manager,
are making the case plain: food manufacturers need to prepare for a digital food supply chain. Why not start now? There are benefits to be had for all through a realisation of this transformation, yet right now most food manufacturers are hesitant. In their hearts, they know that a move from manual track and trace to digital is coming. In their heads is a growing realisation that it could be good for their business. In fact, with legislators and retailers starting to insist on digital transparency in the food supply chain, it is not an exaggeration to say it will be critical to the continued existence of every food manufacturer. Many have nagging worries about cost and complexity, some are assessing the technological trends, biding their time for the right wave to surf on. In fact, there is no need to be either complex or expensive. The technology already exists. The first step is data collection, then this data must be shared throughout the
16 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
This concept of information sharing is critical to digital track and trace, enabling the identification of the whereabouts of specific batches of food at any given time in the past or present, in a matter of seconds. However, digital food chain transparency has already been shown by early adopters to benefit food manufacturers.
throughout the supply chain. You are going to be able ultimately to have the right product at the right time and the right place. Can you imagine how much wastage today can be prevented with that kind of information? That’s what makes this pilot unique – because manufacturers, distributors and customers are really sharing the data, and that’s really the common goal that everyone is striving towards”.
BLOCKCHAIN EXPLAINED Blockchain is a chain of linked blocks of data records, each bearing a cryptographic hash of the previous block. Once data is recorded in a block, this then becomes part of the cryptographic hash in the next block, so data cannot be altered retroactively without changing all subsequent blocks that show that data. It essentially creates a digital ledger of transactions that is duplicated and distributed across a network of participating computer systems. The technology is therefore considered secure and incorruptible. Systems, devices and sensors that are capable of automated machine-tomachine communication can all be part
2. Look strategically at how this data is collected and stored. Analogue technology must be replaced with digital; if possible, manual processes need to be automated; data held on local servers should be migrated to a data hub on the premises or to the Cloud;
to lose sight of what this technological transformation is all about. It is about providing a system in which batches of food can be quickly tracked and traced, and in which critical actions taken by companies dealing with that food in the
stake and what can be achieved. IBM is
supply chain can be proven and trusted.
currently the front runner here, but there
Ultimately, it is about demonstrating
are other potential providers. System
that the necessary due diligence has
suppliers such as those in product
been shown along the supply chain –
inspection can also help;
from farm to fork – to deliver safe food
4. Consider how to oversee the cultural
to the consumer.
changes that implementing this digital
It is unavoidable that there will
transformation will require within their
be disruption and cost to food
organisation.
manufacturers as the industry
food safety machines such as product
perhaps to their surprise – that they are
inspection devices.
already in a good position to embark upon a
approach the need to start developing a
connectivity, of digital and data, it is easy
providers, to get a feel for the issues at
Many food manufacturers will find –
How should food manufacturers
Amidst the talk of blockchains and
3. Start talking to blockchain technology
of a blockchain system, and this includes
STARTING STEPS
GETTING IN GOOD SHAPE
process of transformation. The technology may seem complex, but its implementation is relatively straightforward. The change of culture, however, will need to be carefully
transitions to a digital supply chain. However, it also needs to be recognised that early entrants will gain commercially. A digital future is not just in the future, as the time to start counting and compiling, assessing, and progressing, is already here.
digital food supply chain?
managed. Staff will need to understand
For more information:
and accept that, within the blockchain,
www.mt.com/prodx-pr
1. Start auditing the nature of the
other organisations will have visibility of
food transformation data gathered in
their company’s data. The transparency will
Register for a free digital
their plant plus investigate if they are
be real and immutable. Leadership will be
transformation webinar on 27th May
collecting the necessary data for digital
required to drive change and demonstrate
2021:
track and trace at batch level;
commitment.
www.mt.com/pi-foodsafety-pr
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 17
Paxton’s Materials Handling Products Paxton Materials Handling, a division
inter-stacking tub on to the lid or rim
the production environments. Available
of Leafield Environmental are
that is rigid and durable. A tapered
in nine different sizes.
proud to manufacture and design
nested tub is also available with or
specialist material handling products
without handles.
including ingredients tubs, ingredients
The wide range of pallets on offer are available as a smooth deck pallet design
dispensers, trucks, dollies, tank bins
The ingredients dispensers ensure
(P1P), hygienic pallet with intermittent
and pallets using the latest rotational
rotation of ingredients to avoid
outer retaining rim/lip for extra load
moulded technology.
spillage and prevent contamination.
stability (P2P) and hygienic eurosize
The range features an adjustable flow
pallet design (P3P). All featuring 9 leg,
Paxton’s material handling products are
rate for different feed grades along
4-way entry for lift trucks, smooth easy-
well-known within the food and drink
with a secure lid to keep moisture out.
to-clean surfaces that will not absorb
processing industry for its value-for-
Available in three different sizes ranging
moisture or harbour bacteria. There is
money and durability. The products
from 21-90-litre capacities.
a bespoke pallet (HRT) that has been
have been designed with hygiene
designed for the secure storage and
in mind as all the products feature
Other ranges include trucks, tank
handling of HR Stacking Tubs.
smooth and easy-to-clean surfaces and
bins and dollies. The MT Mobile Truck
The large double skin pallet boxes are
a natural colour is recommended for
range features a tapered and nested
extremely durable that can hold up to
food use. All Paxton materials handling
design to save space when not in use.
600-litres of granules, powder and liquid
products are manufactured from
Available in four different sizes ranging
food ingredients.
non-coloured polyethylene to meet
from 100-332-litre capacities. The
the most stringent requirements and
largest highest capacity truck can hold
All of Paxton’s material handling
comes with a Declaration of Compliance
400-litres of material. The nestable
products will be on show at the FoodEx
(DoC), supported by in-depth migration
tank bins for wet and dry ingredients,
Show on stand DD54 on 5-7th July 2021.
testing.
materials or components are easy-toclean containers that are light-weight
For more information on Paxton’s
The ingredients tub range offers
yet durable. Available in two different
Material Handling products
modular containers suitable for
styles with capacities of 100-400-litres.
call 01225 816545, email
wet or dry ingredients ranging from
The dollies have been designed for
paxtonMH@leafieldenv.com or visit
18-68-litre capacities. Available as an
moving trays, bins, boxes and tubs in
www.paxtonmaterialshandling.com
18 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
GET EVERY LAST DROP FROM YOUR EXISTING EQUIPMENT. Inefficient processes and wasteful operations can put a drain on the bottom line; but transforming your operation into a Smart Factory doesn’t always mean costly capital investment.
FlexEdge™ Edge Automation Platform All-In-One: •
Protocol Converter : > 300 protocols for more than 1000 combinations
•
Digitalisation of legacy equipment to current standards
•
Easy Edge programming with automation software Crimson®
•
Modular network connection - cloud or on-premises, 5G ready
CALL +44 - 20 - 3868-0909 OR EMAIL FLEXEDGE@REDLION.NET TO REQUEST A DEMONSTRATION www.flexedge.net
Harnessing hardware and software to meet ever more stringent regulations in the food & beverage sector Jim ten Broeke, Business Development Manager iFactory Europe, Advantech Few markets are as highly regulated as food & beverage production, Issues like facility and equipment hygiene, ingredient storage and handling, and operative hygiene must be carefully managed to achieve and demonstrate safe, legal production. Any company falling short and allowing sub-standard products to leave its facility, whether unsafe or not, risks potentially disastrous commercial and reputational ramifications. While many standards such as FDA and EU regulations are recognised
In particular, the production of ‘hard
Furthermore, any changes to either
copy’ records, weeks after manufacture,
hardware or software invariably mean the
is rarely acceptable these days. Instead,
entire system must be recertified meaning
companies must generally be able to
that product selection in this area needs
produce, almost in real time, detailed
to be ‘right first time’.
information on each production batch, country of origin of ingredients, and so on.
When it comes to hardware, the key universal standard is EN 1672-2:2005,
The detailed and stringent nature of these
which “specifies common hygiene
regulations means the use of ‘standard’
begin and end there. Many global regions
requirements for machinery used in
industrial hardware and software is
have their own regulations, and many
preparing and processing food for
rarely appropriate – or even possible.
human and, where relevant, animal
countries, and indeed individual sectors,
Compliance must be physically built into
consumption to eliminate or minimise
place additional legal requirements on
these technologies, especially in software
producers to implement and prove the
which invariably must be purpose-
safety of their practices.
designed for this sector.
internationally, compliance does not
20 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
the risk of contagion, infection, illness or injury arising from this food”. It identifies hazards relevant to the use of such food
Optimal functionality, complete accountability, long-term robustness and resilience, long term support
allows local encryption of data, with a full hardware check of the configuration; any hardware manipulation will automatically create a notification. This strategy should apply to all hardware installed in the field, whether an HMI or a gateway. For this reason, Advantech provides extensive TPM functionality within its portfolio. It is rare in this sector for any supplier to be expert in both sector-specific hardware and software, even within larger automation companies with extensive global resources. And given the stringency of regulation, ill-informed choices cannot be countenanced due to processing machinery and describes
materials and design requirements apply.
design methods and information for
In short, any hardware intended for use
eliminating or reducing these risks.
in the sector must be industry-specific
This means that while the interior technology is largely the same, computer hardware products must be made from
in design and cannot be modified from something designed for more general applications. This means working with a
the cost of process rectification – while a modest financial saving will be more than outweighed by any issues resulting from under-specification. As well as optimal compliance, decisions should focus on achieving flexibility –
specialist supplier is absolutely essential.
not being tied into a supplier in case
industry’s cleaning regimes. Additionally,
For software, products must adhere to FDA
special films are needed to cover the
21 CFR part 11 which governs the keeping
selecting a supply source who can provide
screen to prevent glass or plastic shards
of electronic records and, in particular,
entering the production area if the screen
the scope and application of electronic
suffers physical damage. Products must
signatures.
stainless steel which can withstand the
have smooth angles rather than sharp edges, for easier cleaning and liquid run-off. Screws must also be stainless steel and adhere to a design negating the possibility for dirt to collect around and underneath them.
In essence, every single operation must be traced and recorded to provide clear information on who did what and when in case of an issue after products leave the facility. All software used must therefore be compliant with this. In addition,
requirements change. In these cases, the best of both worlds makes perfect sense. The ideal solution combines specialist industrial hardware compatible with sector-specific software, where the compatibility of hardware and software has been extensively tested to ensure optimal functionality. This approach will deliver complete accountability for performance alongside long-term robustness and resilience, and access to long-term support. Having hardware
A key growth area in food production
cybersecurity is a growing trend and it
hardware is stand-alone human-machine
is important to work with a hardware
interfaces (HMIs) rapidly adjustable for
supplier providing all the necessary
height and orientation to provide the
components; food & beverage is very much
optimal ergonomic set-up. As key items of
a field for players with domains expertise.
For further information visit:
production equipment, EN 1672-2:2005
When it comes to cybersecurity, TPM 2.0
www.advantech.eu or email: IIoT.
applies equally to these, so the same
should be at the heart of your strategy; it
AdvantechEurope@advantech.eu.
ready for market requirements facilitates collaboration with specialist software vendors to provide complete solutions.
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 21
The IE5+ synchronous motors in two sizes with a smooth motor design are ideally suited for wash-down applications in food and pharmaceutical industries Image: NORD DRIVESYSTEMS
New: Energy-efficient synchronous motors setting new standards Energy-efficient, cost-conscious The new IE5+ synchronous motor is now also available for intralogistics applications in a ventilated version up to a power of 4.0 kW
and environmentally friendly: With its IE5+ synchronous motor, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS is setting new standards. The new motor is now also available in ventilated or smooth versions up to a power of 4.0 kW. If required, the motors are provided with a very smooth surface or the nsd tupH surface treatment.
Image: NORD DRIVESYSTEMS
Considerably lower losses than the IE4 series: The energy-efficient IE5+ permanent magnet synchronous motors from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS are particularly characterised by high efficiency and a wide torque range. This makes them optimally suitable for economic operation in the partial load range. The new IE5+ motors are equally interesting for both intralogistics and hygiene-sensitive areas in food and pharmaceutical industries. Last year, the compact IE5+ motor of size 71 was presented, and now size 90 is also available for power ranges from 1.1 to 4.0 kW with a continuous torque of 6.8
22 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
to 18.2 Nm. The motor ensures the
manufacturing, logistics, storage and
usual NORD flexibility: Direct motor
service processes can be streamlined.
attachment as well as NEMA and
The investment pays for itself within
IEC motor attachment are available.
a short time. The IE5+ synchronous
Rotary encoder and mechanical brake
motors can be combined with all gear
integration is available on request.
units and drive electronics from NORD DRIVESYSTEMS in a modular system.
Due to the constant torque providing
This results in a system solution from a
a targeted reduction of variants over a
single source in which all components
wide speed range, administrative
are seamlessly matched.
expenses can be minimised, and
www.nord.com
Professional Waste & Recycling Solutions for the Food & Drink, Process & Packaging Sector The Pearce Group, established in 1869 with a pedigree history in the Waste & Recycling Industry, have been consulting with Customers to provide customised environmental and sustainable solutions, to enable productivity improvements, greener credentials and financial benefits. Pearce are able to achieve this by being a professional, accredited and licenced Waste & Recycling service provider, with a UK manufacturing arm. Pearce Compaction, manufactures waste & recycling equipment to specifically meet clients needs. It designs simple and effective facility solutions for internal movement of waste, to designing and building the external compaction systems.
Packaging Company actual solution:
Concept
Design
Build
Simple, clear and concise internal solution - mapped to a productive and cost effective external one.
Pearce Solutions look to:
Pearce Compaction credentials:
Maximise productivity
4,000 units installed
Provide clear & simple solutions for operatives
Nationwide coverage
Meet HSE criteria's- unmanned mechanical operations
Excellent installation, maintenance & service
Minimise transport collections - reduce carbon
Establish ethical and environmental outlets, recycling or waste to energy - zero landfill
High quality UK manufacture New & refurbished units Supply or rental options
Improve corporate social responsibility
Pre sale site survey + consultancy
Make financial savings
Training & certification of operatives
Want to find out more? We can assist you with a free site survey, consultation & advice or a chat over the phone to review your needs, please contact us:
Email: info@pearce-recycling.co.uk
Call: 0800 083 3333
Reg HQ: Pearce Group, Acrewood Way, St Albans, AL4 0LY - Pearce Compaction Systems Ltd: (Verwood) Company Reg: 02792954
A sticky situation results in business benefits Caramel can be a challenging material to extract, particularly when delivered in one tonne totes. One of the ways the Burtons Biscuits came up with, was to put totes into a warm room to enable the caramel to flow easier from the tote via a pump then into a hopper. However, they found that one of the main drawbacks on this process of totes was that the caramel would stick to the inside walls of the tote as the pump sucked out the caramel. At times this would mean that between 10% to 30% of the caramel would be left in the tote, unable to be extracted. The method was to connect a pump to the bottom outlet of the tote and transfer the caramel to a hopper, which worked well until the level of caramel in the tote fell to between 10% and 30%. From this point the pump cavitated and could not draw the caramel in, resulting in between 10% and 30% of the contents of the tote being returned to the supplier, costing anything between £50,000 and £140,000 per annum in unused caramel. One idea that came from the Continuous Improvement team while looking at available options to reduce this waste or increase the yield was to revert to 200L drums of caramel rather than the tote. Kecol were asked to make proposals for transferring the caramel from the 200L drums to the line hopper and offered a Kecol H800SN Maxiprime unit c/w 10:1 ratio piston pump. Kecol supplied a trial unit to Burtons for a two-week trial period to enable evaluation of the proposed system. Whilst the system transferred the caramel at
Burtons purchased 2 x H800SN
the required rate and reduced the waste,
Maxiprime systems and have reduced
the drum loader used by Burtons could
the waste caramel to less than 1%,
not place the drum into the Maxiprime
significantly reducing expenditure and
in the correct position. To resolve this,
increasing yield.
Kecol worked with Burtons Engineers and modified the standard Maxiprime to suit
A video of the systems in operation can be
the existing drum loader.
seen here.
24 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Web: www.kecol.co.uk E-mail: sales@kecol.co.uk Tel: 01746 764311
7 + ( + 2 0 ( 2 ) 9 ,6 & 28 6 3 8 0 3 , 1 * 6 2 /8 7, 2 1 6
Kecol have over 25 years of experience in handling all types of viscous products in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets, as well as general industrial applications.
A sample of products we already pump… ᅚHoney ᅚPetroleum Jelly ᅚMascara ᅚSauces ᅚLanolin ᅚLip Gloss ᅚEssences ᅚEye Ointment ᅚMeat Paste ᅚParaffin Wax
T: +44 (0)1746 764311 E: sales@kecol.co.uk W: www.kecol.co.uk
ᅚFace Scrub ᅚTeething Gel ᅚTomato Puree ᅚMedical Adhesives ᅚVeterinary Creams ᅚFruit Paste ᅚToothpaste ᅚMalt ᅚJam ᅚWax
Camera-based cap control with artificial intelligence Strong price pressure combined with high
industrial site in Contrexéville. Among
specifications were developed in
quality requirements - the beverage and
them, a top-class screw cap suitable
advance in cooperation with the
bottle industry faces the classic dilemma
for any glass or PET bottle. Thanks to a
customer. This also included several
of many industries. This is also the case
clampable lamella ring arranged around
inspection stages, one of which, for
in the quality control department of a
the bottle collar, it enables simple,
example, was the reject control to avoid
French manufacturer of plastic caps.
fast, absolutely tight and secure seal.
false reports. The introduction took
Reliably detecting cracks and micro-
However, the slats must be reliably and
place in two phases:
cracks on plastic caps in 40 different
extremely carefully checked for cracks,
colours and shades running at high speed
tears and twists during production. This
on a production line is a real challenge.
is the only way to guarantee absolute
APREX Solutions from Nancy, France has
tightness.
intelligent APREX Track AI solution.
help of image processing technology and
The APREX inspection system checks
detector, classifier and standard
artificial intelligence. The basic images
plastic caps for defects running at high
methods that operate at different levels.
are provided by a USB 3 industrial camera
speed on a production line
Networked accordingly, they ultimately
successfully achieved this goal with the
from IDS Imaging Development Systems
First, the specific “SOLOCAP application” was trained with the help of the The software includes various object
deliver the desired result tailored to
GmbH.
The previous inspection system could
SOLOCAP is a subsidiary of La Maison
APREX Solutions realised the new
Mélan Moutet, “flavour conditioner since
solution with artificial intelligence
1880” and manufactures all types of
individually on the basis of in-house
In the second step, this application
plastic caps for the food sector at its
software algorithms. The necessary
was implemented in the production
26 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
not meet these high requirements.
the customer. Four control levels with several test points guarantee a reliability rate of over 99.99%.
line right after the first assembly run with APREX Track C&M. The latter was specially developed for the diverse image processing requirements in the industrial sector. This includes, among other things, the control and safeguarding of a production line up to the measurement, identification and
The software suite delivers the desired results quickly and efficiently, without timeconsuming development processes.
the desired results quickly and efficiently, without time-consuming development processes. After a short training of the AI methods, the complete system is ready for use at the customer. In the case of SOLOCAP, it combines an IDS UI-3280CPC-HQ industrial camera, powerful ring illumination and a programmable logic controller (PLC) to provide comprehensive control over all inspection processes. At the same time, it records all workflows in real time and ensures complete traceability. Only one camera is needed for this. However, APREX TRACK C&M
CMOSIS, e2v and ON Semiconductor with a wide range of resolutions. Its innovative, patented housing design with dimensions of only 29 x 29 x 29 millimetres makes it suitable for tasks in the fields of automation, automotive, medical technology and life sciences, agriculture, logistics as well
classification of defects in the production environment. The software suite delivers
from manufacturers such as Sony,
image from the camera provides the basis for the evaluations. It captures every single cap directly in the production line at high speed and makes the smallest details visible to the software.
ONE CRUCIAL COMPONENT: THE CAMERA The UI-3280CP-C-HQ industrial camera integrated into the system with the 5 MP IMX264 CMOS sensor from Sony sets new standards in terms of light sensitivity, dynamic range and colour reproduction. The USB 3 industrial
could handle up to 5 cameras.
camera provides excellent image
“The difficulty of this project consisted
performance - at frame rates up to 36
mainly in the very subtle expression
fps. CP stands for “Compact Power”.
of the defects we were looking for and
This is because the tiny powerhouse
in the multitude of colours. With our
for industrial applications of all kinds
software suite, it was possible to quickly
is fast, reliable and enables a high data
set up an image processing application.
rate of 420 MByte/s with low CPU
Despite the complexity,” explains Romain
load. Users can choose from a large
Baude - founder APREX Solutions. The
number of modern CMOS sensors
quality with extraordinarily low-noise
as traffic and transport, among others. Screwable cables ensure a reliable electrical connection. Thanks to the IDScharacteristic plug & play principle, the cameras are automatically recognised by the system and are immediately ready for use, as Romain Baude confirms: “The excellent colour reproduction of the UI-3280CP-C-HQ and its high resolution of 5 MP were decisive factors for us in choosing the camera. At the same time, the model enabled a quick, uncomplicated integration into our system.”
OUTLOOK Anthony Vastel - Head of Technology and Industry at SOLOCAP - sees a lot of potential in the new inspection system: “APREX’s AI-based approach has opened new doors for our 100% vision-based quality control. Our requirements for product safety, but also for reject control, especially in the case of false reports, were quickly met. We are convinced that we can go one step further by continuing to increase the efficiency of the system at SOLOCAP and transferring it to other production lines.” AI offers quality assurance, but also all other industries in which image processing technology is used, new, undreamed-of fields of application. It makes it possible to solve tasks in which classic, rulebased image processing reaches its limits. Thus, high-quality results can be achieved with comparatively little effort - quickly, creatively and efficiently. APREX Solutions and IDS have recognised this and offer solutions with intelligent products that make it easier for customers to enter this new world. Image processing and AI - a real dream team on course for growth.. www.ids-imaging.com
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 27
Maximising steam Efficiency The use of venturi orifice steam traps
steam traps were installed on one of the
for Crespel & Deiters has increased the
drum dryers.
production availability of their critically Today, Hense smiles at his initial
important drum dryers
uncertainty: “I am glad that Mr. Egginton On a production site of 67000 square
convinced me to test the technology “. The
meters Crespel & Deiters processes 920
use of the ECOFLOW venturi orifice steam
tons of grain into wheat starch and wheat
traps showed significant advantages
proteins every day. To manufacture their
compared to the mechanical traps
range of products the company uses
used previously. “Since wheat starch is
natural gas and produces around 84000
dried in different product compositions,
tons of steam annually. Saving energy is
the performance ranges and pressure
therefore a primary goal.
differences in the drying processes differ accordingly. The new ECOFLOW
Historically, mechanical steam traps had
venturi orifice steam traps master these
caused problems, particularly with the
requirements without any problems, as
critically important drum dryers. Having
they cover large performance ranges
a negative impact on steam and energy consumption. Reported Jan-Oliver Hense, site Energy Manager.
a particularly big impact on the drum dryers. If there were problems with one
and, thanks to having no sealing faces, can control the start-up and production processes much better. Saturated running
of the dryers this also affected all the
of the drum dryer is now a thing of the
According to Mr Hense, there was
others. The end result was a decrease in
past due to the improved discharge of
repeated water hammer during start-up
system availability and increased energy
condensate.”
and shutdown conditions. The drum dryer
consumption.” After the successfully completed test
was often saturated, with condensate collecting in the drum. The water hammer
“In 2019, Nigel Egginton from EBE
phase, more steam traps were ordered.
put a strain on the mechanical steam
Engineering contacted us and told me
Thanks to the efficiency of the ECOFLOW
traps, which consequently had to be
about the ECOFLOW venturi orifice steam
venturi orifice steam traps, a payback for
replaced every two years.
traps. To begin with I was sceptical and
Crespel & Deiters was achieved in less
wanted first to test the technology”
than 1.5 years.
Mr Hense; “The problems associated
reported Mr Hense. For this reason,
with the mechanical steam traps had
initially only two ECOFLOW venturi orifice
28 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
www.ebe-eng.com
Introducing Washdown – a high quality product assortment for cleaning purposes Whether working within the food and beverage industry, the marine, or the agriculture segment, to name a few, clean and sanitized environments and machines are a high priority. To maintain a high cleaning standard, equipment specially designed for the wash-down procedure is required. CEJN is now launching Spray-guns and stainless-steel hose reels suited for wash-down applications. The CEJN stainless hose reel AISI304 is an efficient and easy going washdown product to facilitate cleaning purposes within various environments, indoors as well as outdoors. • Ready to use • Easy to clean • Durable design
We know that not everything fits everyone. Therefore, we have different models of spray guns to choose from, with or without swivel, in stainless steel or brass material
A clean and sanitized environment in the food and beverage segment is a top priority - of course. The stages of the washdown procedure need to be done with the utmost care but can go smoothly if using well-designed cleaning equipment, like hose reels and spray guns.
CEJN’s Hose Reels and Washdown accessories are now available from authorised distributors. Find out more: www.cejn.com
GREEN MEANS GO. Find it. Get it. Go.
THE BIG GREEN BOOK
Whether you’re looking to replace a specific part, or gather the essential items to solve a design engineering challenge, it’s now even easier to get the critical components you need for the job. THE BIG GREEN BOOK is so comprehensive, it now contains a whopping 60,000 standard engineering components. Request the bumper, two-volume print version, or the USB edition, to suit your tastes. THE BIG GREEN BOOK: it’s all you need to move forward with confidence. Request your free copy today. More information at www.norelem.co.uk or Email info@norelem.co.uk
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FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 29
Effective microbiological sampling of critical surfaces and manufacturing areas Ensuring comprehensive surface and environmental monitoring and consequently cleanliness across food production lines and surface areas to deliver food products that meet the highest standards of food quality and safety, requires the ability to capture and detect the presence of microbes or microorganisms safely and accurately. Medical Wire & Equipment (MWE) produce swabs, surface wipes, sponges and kits that are designed to collect and transport bacterial samples, working across all surfaces, with a variety of sampling applicators. MWE swabs help ensure sample capture and enable reliable,
1ml. Neutralising Rinse Solution, Buffered
a pre-printed label for recording required
regulatory risk.
Peptone water, Butterfield Buffer, Letheen
details.
NRS Transwab® is MWE’s name for its
Tryptic Soy Broth.
The company also has dedicated swabs
Sampling of larger food contact surfaces
microbial contamination and sampling
and carcasses effectively, requires
of critical surfaces including nozzles and
different devices. Sponge swabs are
equipment in sterile production facilities.
accurate and precise results, minimizing
range of swab based environmental sampling devices for the food, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and cosmetic industries. All of these devices feature a leak proof labelled self-standing screw cap tube made from shatterproof polypropylene, with a high visibility blue shaft attached to the cap. The swab features a rayon or dacron bud that can remain immersed in liquid, yet retains a high standard for absorption, survival and release of microorganisms. The tubes are pre filled with a range of buffers and media appropriate for particular applications. NRS Transwab® can contain a variety of solutions filled at 10ml, 5ml or
Broth, Maximum Recovery Dilutant and
especially recommended for the sampling of larger areas for the detection of
Steriswab™ has a rayon bud and blue
controlled pathogens such as Listeria,
plastic shaft with a 45mm breakpoint.
Salmonella, and Coliforms.
It comes premoistened with a sterile
MWE’s Polywipe™ is sterile pre-moistened blue sponge swab, ready to use and highly effective for the sampling and microbiological assessment of a wide variety of surfaces. Manufactured from
phosphate buffer. The SteriKit™ also contains a tube with a semi-solid enriched growth medium. Upon incubation bacteria will grow and cause the medium to change colour from purple to yellow in 48 hours.
a bright blue special sponge material
For active surveillance, MWE also has
that prevents shedding and contains no
Isolation Transwab® which is a self-
inhibitory substances, it is convenient for
contained environmental sampling swab
flat or irregular surfaces, such as conveyor
with easy read colour change medium that
belts and machines parts, as well as floors,
can generate results within 24 hours and
walls, drains and ceilings. The wipes are
is available as dedicated Listeria Isolation
premoistened with a phosphate buffer
Transwab®, Coliform Isolation Transwab®,
and individually sealed in an easy to open tamper proof pouch, they can be stored at room temperature and are terminally sterilised by gamma radiation. It can be supplied with gloves, resealable bags and
30 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
and kits designed for the detection of
Salmonella Isolation Transwab® and Hygiene swab™ for gross microbial contamination. www.mwe.co.uk
PRECISION ENGINEERING 3D ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING REVERSE ENGINEERING TOOLMAKING
Conformal cooling in mould tools is reducing both quality errors and cooling time Conventional mould tool making has limitations, meaning the moulds are being designed larger and larger so they can take more impressions to increase numbers of components and keep up with demand. As a result, the moulding machines are being supplied as large operational units taking up significant factory space and requiring high energy for operation. Laser sintering has been demonstrated to be a more effective manufacturing process for mould tool making. However, there remain barriers to its application for mould tooling in the plastic caps and closures industry due to concerns around the mould cooling technology and the need to provide enduring wear resistance. The current cooling channels are straight drilled and cause lengthy and uneven cooling, which often results in the formation of hot spots and high scrap rates. Conformal cooling works by creating a suitable cooling channel at a well-defined distance from the cavity—which is impossible using a conventional drilled cooling mechanism—thereby reaching areas where it is difficult to do so using conventional methods. The temperature sensors embedded on each cavity will enable effective control of the cooling. Agemaspark seeks to overcome these barriers by developing a highly efficient advanced manufacturing process for the production of laser sintered mould tools with a novel ceramic coating. The mould tools will make use of the breakthrough
Agemaspark Ltd Units 1 & 2, Croft Court, Sandall Carr Road Kirk Sandall Industrial Estate, Doncaster South Yorkshire, DN3 1QL United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1302 882666 Email: admin@agemaspark.com
AGEMASPARK.COM
process utilising conformal cooling channels embedded with temperature control sensors enabling localised temperature control. This will overcome inherent deficiencies in the current plastic caps and closures mould tooling technology (pictured below left). In December 2020, we purchased an EOS 290 which is already demonstrating examples of how we can produce conformal cool in Maraging Steel with a hardness of 54 Rc, and if required, apply a ceramic coat to give increased tool life and a friction free release (pictured below right). Results show that it is possible to reduce cycle times by up to 20% and at the same time increase the continued quality of the moulding. The environmental advantage from using this method is to increase the impression on the same envelope or reduce the size of the tools and therefore the size of the mould press, reducing energy consumption. The cooling water requirements reduced from tens of thousands of litres used in any 24 hours to just 10-20 litres because the heat transfer is just local to the moulding and is contained in a closed loop system (pictured below centre). Agemaspark has also used this approach on existing tooling by removing the tops and re-sintering with conformal cooling channels replacing the moulding area.
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Avancer uk announces new products from autonics corporation read LCD display which comes in a range of models and is ONLY £65 List Price The TX Series temperature controllers feature easy-to-read LCD display with large, 15.3 mm white PV characters. The 11-segment displays used for PV and SV are useful for displaying alphanumeric characters. Features • Control options: ON/OFF control, cycle control, phase control • 50 ms high-speed sampling and ±0.3% display accuracy • Large LCD display with easy-to-read Avancer UK are pleased to announce a range of new products from the World Leading Automation Products
white PV characters • Switch between current output and SSR drive output
Manufacturer Autonics of South Korea.
• SSR drive output (SSRP function)
Used throughout the world in leading
• Communication output model
automation systems integrators and manufacturers. UK Sales director Mike O’Keeffe. (pictured) said “we are so very pleased with the Autonics Range of products and the opportunities they give us, their quality and prices offer us a price performance ratio many can only dream of”
available: RS485 (Modbus RTU) • Parameter setting through PC (RS485 communication) • Comprehensive device management software (DAQ Master) provided • Compact, space-saving design with 45 mm depth SEE FULL DETAILS
Diffuse reflective, BGS
ONLY 3.7MM DEEP
reflective(W13×H24×L3.7mm)
3.7mm deep Miniature BTF Series Photo Electric Sensors ONLY £35 List Price BTF Autonics self-developed sensing spot by using red LED visible light source. Not only minimizing
• Adopts BGS method superior than convergent reflective to minimize error by background colour or material of sensing object for stable sensing • Visible light source to check the position of sensing spot and superior
the influence of background with
to small sensing target with narrow
BGS sensing, the series can detect
sensing width
microscopic non-glossy objects up to Ø0.2mm NEW LCD 48X48MM PID CONTROLLER
Main features
The New ranges include a Beautifully
• Realization of ultra-slim size by
32 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
beam(W13×H19×L3.7mm),
NEW MINIATURE PHOTO SENSOR
Also in the range are the Beautifully
Compact PID Controller, with an easy to
• Size: Through-
adopting one-chip photo IC
• Built-in reverse polarity, output short, overcurrent protection circuit • Protection structure IP67(IEC standard) SEE FULL DETAILS
The encoders have a resolution of 36 P/R and maximum allowed revolution of 3000 rpm Features NEW SWITCH MODE DIN RAIL POWER
• 36 PULSER PER REV
SUPPLY
• Ultra-compact rotary encoders with Ø15 mm diameter
Another new range from Autonics are
• Easy installation in limited spaces
the SPB Switch Mode Power Supplies. High quality and robust and ONLY £39 for a 24V 60W model. The SPB Series switching mode power supplies feature high power conversion efficiency with low noise and ripple and minimal heat generation. The switching mode power supplies can be easily clipped onto DIN rails or mounted using screws. The series also includes safety features including terminal protection cover, overcurrent protection, output short-circuit protection and overheating prevention. Common Features • Stable power supply with minimal noise and ripple • DIN rail mount and screw mount methods • Slim and compact size • Low output voltage indicator (red LED), output indicator (green LED) • Built-in protection for inrush current, output overcurrent, output overvoltage, and overheating
compact, space-saving design (W 21.5 mm x H 28 mm) and simple 14-pin plugin sockets. The ATM series is available in 11 different timing ranges (0.1 sec to
quick reset time of 100ms, and repeat accuracy of ±5% for highly accurate timing control. Features • Ultra-compact / miniature size (W 21.5 mm x H 28 mm x D 58 mm) • 4PDT contact (250VAC, 3A) • Highly accurate timing control • Simple time setting with analog dial • Various timing ranges: 0.1 sec to 3 hr (11 available options, by model) • Power supply: ATM4-2: 24 VDC • ATM4-5: 220 VAC 50/60 Hz • ATM4-6 110 VAC 50/6 Hz SEE FULL DETAILS
PTE series tower Lights combine the latest LED technology with UL safety technology. With a new concept and
Main features • Stylish design • LED modular components
• High power conversion efficiency up
• Bright & even light distribution
to 92% with LLC circuit (SPB-240)
through prism-cut lenses
• Built-in power factor correction circuit NEW MINIATURE INCREMENTAL ROTARY ENCODERS ONLY £49 The E15S Series incremental rotary
TIMERS
BLUE
and many applications.
SPB-060/120/240 Features
NEW MINIATURE ANALOGUE PLUG IN
LIGHTS ONLY £75 FOR RED/GREEN/
towers are ideal for factory automation
type terminal
SEE FULL DETAILS
NEW MODULAR SIGNAL LED TOWER
innovative design, PTE series light
• Easy connection with rising clamp
safety
SEE FULL DETAILS
The timers feature 4PDT contact,
SPB-015/030 Features
• Terminal protection cover for user
• Power supply: 5VDC ±5%
3 hr) and various power supply options.
(SPB-120/240)
• Low moment of inertia
encoders are ultra-compact in size
• Fast & easy assembly with interlocking construction • Five different mounting styles • Optional 85dB Buzzer (fixed or adjustable volume)
(Ø15 mm) and ultra lightweight (14 g).
• IP65 rated
The small size and light weight adds
• RoHS compliant
flexibility for application in tight or
Staying with the Miniature theme what
limited spaces. The small moment of
about these Timers? ONLY £12 list The
inertia of the shaft minimizes the effect
new analogue timers ATM series with
on the rotation of applied equipment.
SEE FULL DETAILS http://avanceruk.com/
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 33
Providing complete solutions, tested to the highest standard Established in 1989 to specifically
Tempa Pano has strived to innovate to
manufacture and design enclosures and
suit the market requirements. Aiming
cabinets for low voltage applications,
to provide customers with integrated
Tempa Pano has since proved its market
solutions Tempa Pano correspondingly
presence through affordable high quality
offers a comprehensive range of
products. With offices based in the UK,
accessories to compliment the enclosures
France, Romania and Bulgaria , as well
which include low voltage busbar systems,
as distributors in the Middle East and
climate control products and facilities to
Asia – Tempa Pano constantly strives
help the client with installation. With all
• Climate Control Products.
to be within close reach of the markets’
these options Tempa Pano can provide it’s
demand. Tempa Pano’s UK operations have
Coupled with a highly experienced
customer with complete solutions, tested
been present since 2000 serving it’s UK
and qualified engineering team whose
to the highest standards.
expertise is readily available Tempa Pano
customer base with bespoke engineering solutions and customer-oriented support. Further the company is expanding it’s presence in the UK market by moving to it’s
Below is a breakdown of the Tempa Pano Enclosure and Busbar ranges:
• IP66/69K Stainless Steel Hygienic Enclosures. • ATEX Approved (Ex e & Ex ie) Enclosures • Electronic System Cabinets • Console Systems • Power Distribution Busbars
UK is confident in finding the best technical solutions with effective designs and take pride in being customers first choice
• IP66 Wall Mount Enclosures
solution partner.
year with a view to increase capacity and
• IP55 & IP65 Junction Boxes
www.tempapano.com
introduce new production capabilities.
• IP 55 & IP65,66 Floor Standing
newly acquired premises within the next
With an extensive range of products, from small junction boxes to wall mounted enclosures up to large modular systems,
34 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Enclosures • 304 & 316L Grade Stainless Steel Enclosures.
HYGIENIC
Series Range
Stainless Steel Material: Enclosure and door: Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304) Mounting plate: Sheet steel Lock insert HD: Stainless steel 304 Seal: Silicone Protection Category:
IP 66 / 69K
Tempa Pano’s hygienic enclosure solution for use in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and beverage industries
your reliable solution partner
+44 0192 581 12 90
/
sales@tempapano.co.uk
/
www.tempapano.com
Conveyor Sensor System ready to go Leuze is launching an innovative mounting bracket for their 25C sensors that saves conveyor system manufacturers both time and money New special mounting brackets for the sensors of the 25C series for pallet detection. Designed for reliable pallet detection, the sensor and bracket are supplied as a pre-assembled set to enable the conveyor system manufacturer to pre-mount to the conveyor in the factory, which is traditionally done on-site during the installation and commissioning phase of the system.
A PERFECT FIT INSIDE THE CONVEYOR The innovative new mounting brackets are designed specifically to fit the 25C series sensors. This means that the conveyor system manufacturer can install the sensor and bracket set inside the conveyor thus protecting it from potential damage. The integrated sloping front screen of the bracket deflects any dirt or debris that may fall onto it ensuring that the all-in-one solution requires less cleaning and maintenance than systems that rely on
standard retro-reflective photoelectric
The innovative new mounting brackets are designed specifically to fit the 25C series sensors.
sensors. Innovative, factory integration of the special mounting bracket with sensor for pallet detection in the inner area of the conveyor. In addition, the special ambient light configuration of the 25C sensors ensures that they are insensitive to high-frequency LED illumination used that is often found in production and logistics buildings and can cause unreliable operation of other types of diffuse sensors. Pallets are notoriously difficult to detect with diffuse optical sensors due to the differences in colour and surface. However, thanks to the detection performance and outstanding function reserve of the 25C sensors from Leuze these issues are easily overcome and reliable detection of different pallet types is ensured. www.leuze.com
36 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Leading Filling Machinery Supplier Worldwide
Food Filling Equipment - What YOU Need To Know Dean Willis, product expert and Sales Director of Adelphi Manufacturing addresses the biggest challenges faced by Food & Beverage manufacturers, and solves the most frequent questions being asked...
Q
Dean, you’ve been in the industry for over 33 years what advice would you give to manufacturers looking to invest in filling machinery?
A
For businesses of all sizes - artisan to multi-national compliance is key! Increased regional and international legislation concerning food and beverage products has come hand-in-hand with tighter interrogation of hygiene practices. It’s never too early to cover yourself, and your machinery supplier is a good place to start.
Q
Many companies find the ‘C’ word - Compliance quite daunting! What specifics should manufacturers be looking out for?
A
Reputable suppliers will always be happy to confirm their compliance credentials, so don’t be afraid to ask! ISO certification guarantees that companies adhere to strictly audited processes and procedures, and machines which meets GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines are also a great indicator of quality.
Q
You mentioned that hygiene is an area coming under particular scrutiny. How does this relate to the filling process, and what advice would you give to manufacturers?
A
It’s essential to invest in filling machinery constructed from hygienic, durable material such as stainless steel. Some suppliers use cheaper construction, and although the initial price difference can trick you into thinking you’re getting a bargain, in the long run this will prove to be false economy. The machine parts which come into contact with your product (known as ‘wetted’ parts) should be made of 316L pharmaceutical grade stainless steel, PTFE and Viton, to guarantee no contamination occurs. Also, make sure to factor-in time for thorough machine cleaning as often as required - filling machines which are quick and easy to strip-down will give you an advantage, as the longer the cleaning process takes, the more money is being lost in production downtime.
Adelphi Manufacturing & Pharma Hygiene Products Ltd (part of the Adelphi Group of Companies) are ISO 9001:2015 certified, award-winning, leading Food and Beverage manufacturing machinery and equipment suppliers worldwide.
www.adelphi.uk.com
+44(0)1444 472300
info@adelphi.uk. com
Small and powerful: GEA launches new KDB 3 dairy centrifuge skid for fresh cheese production For the production of spreadable and spoonable cheeses such as cream cheese, quark, greek yoghurt and skyr, GEA has added the KDB 3 separator as a new member to its GEA PureCon series, which includes self-cleaning separators, clarifying decanters and a range of nozzle separators of KDB and KDE types. With a capacity of up to 200 kg/h fresh cheese, the KDB 3 is the smallest centrifuge within this range and provides the same
The synchronized setup of centrifuge, sensors and control devices ensures easy operation and a consistently high performance. and reliable performance throughout the entire production cycle.
production like for specialties or for farm-based dairies, for pilot-scale and product development activities or for research and educational purposes.
MORE THAN JUST A CENTRIFUGE: CONCENTRATED PROCESS KNOWHOW ON A SKID The synchronized setup of centrifuge, sensors and control devices ensures easy operation and a consistently high
high performance as the well-established
Being the only small-scale nozzle
nozzle centrifuges with larger capacity.
centrifuge for fresh cheese
The result is an additive-free and high-
concentration on the market, the new
quality range of consumer products
KDB 3 provides a capacity of up to 800
which offer the traditionally known taste
kg/h milk for an output of fresh cheese
clarification, concentration and cleaning.
and creamy product texture even on
of 15.5 to max 18 % DS and cream
The bowl contains a 3D printed segment
small scale. Supplied on a fully piped and
cheese “light” of 18 to max 26 % DS –
insert, which eliminates dead spaces
cabled skid, the KDB 3 allows for easy
depending on the milk type. The skid
and allows for a continuous and guided
integration and operation from the start
therefore perfectly fits to small-scale
product flow to the nozzles.
38 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
performance. The KDB 3 has a nozzle bowl with a geometrically optimized profile that ensures best-in-class
The 3D insert thus also enables
in three preconfigured feature packages
for the fresh cheese hopper and an
automatic and more efficient cleaning,
“pro”, “plus“ and “prime”, is available
optionally available fresh cheese pump,
which not only saves cleaning media,
for the new KDB 3 skid, providing an
which in combination provide a smooth
but also eliminates manual, time-
advanced, smart process flow control.
and continuous product transfer for
consuming cleaning.
Thus, for example the automatic
further processing.
A redesigned solids catcher facilitates a uniform and guided product flow to the cheese hopper. To extend the operating time while maintaining a constant product quality and to prevent negative thermal impact on the product caused by hot surfaces, the solids catcher as well as the separators’ hood are cooled during production. This also prevents product adherence to surfaces by means of the resulting condensate film. During the whole process, sterile air is superimposed on the product room via a treatment system, preventing accumulation under the bowl. This prevents contamination with yeasts and moulds in all product-carrying spaces, including the solids catcher and cheese hopper, thus increasing product
whey discharge control to adjust the back pressure during separation and to activate overflow during cleaning. Another option is the automatic feed control, which ensures both the correct flow rate and thus a homogeneous feed to the machine as well as a constant dry substance of the discharged cheese. This prevents clogging due to too much feed flow or imbalances due to too less feed flow. For monitoring the whey quality, a turbidity sensor can be integrated, which indicates when cleaning is required due to a decreasing separation efficiency. Another optional feature is a flow meter that monitors the whey flow in relation to the feed flow allowing a constant nozzle discharge
safety.
supervision, blocked nozzles can thus
A range of additional options, clustered
comes standard with a level sensor
be easily recognized. The KDB 3 skid
To ensure continuous production by preventing nozzle blockages, either manual filters or automatic filters are used in the product feed, which – depending on the equipment variant – are switched over manually or automatically in the event of a blockage. In order to facilitate the selection of the right variant, GEA offers the possibility to run appropriate tests in advance of an investment. This can be done either in the Process Test Center at the GEA site in Oelde, Germany, or with a test plant at the customer’s site. Various financing options as well as leasing contracts for the plant including shipping and commissioning round off the range of services for the new KDB 3 Skid. www.gea.com
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 39
A flexible TLM packaging line from Schubert for Bahlsen Bahlsen’s new “Keks’n Cream” creation delivers a lot of taste in the layers of its filled double biscuits. To enable the pastry manufacturer to pack the sensitive products safely, quickly and attractively, a total of 24 pick & place robots had to be accommodated in a machine area of less than ten metres. Moreover, a building support post had to be integrated into the system. A customised TLM machine from Gerhard Schubert masters these challenges while offering flexible packaging options and high output within a minimum of space. INDIVIDUALLY PLANNED AND COMPACTLY BUILT The requirements with which the
able to run other tray sizes in the future as
TLM frames. Arranged in pairs, they pick
manufacturer approached Gerhard
well. Furthermore, low maintenance and
up the biscuits and place them into the
Schubert GmbH, the market leader in
low spare parts costs had to be ensured,”
trays passing by in the opposite direction.
top-loading packaging machines, initially
adds Michael Voelskow. The experts at Schubert developed a line that is ideally
After filling, the trays are rotated by 90
sounded like a standard inquiry. But the hall intended for packaging the new
adapted to the specific conditions, yet still
product range represented an additional
impresses with its extremely compact
challenge: A freestanding building support
dimensions.
post stood in the way of the packaging line, requiring a specially adapted yet
24 ROBOTS IN THE SMALLEST OF SPACES
compact, high-performance system.
At the head of the packaging line, the
“Since the post could not be removed, we
plastic trays are taken from the magazines
simply integrated it into the somewhat
and fed into the machine on both sides, so
extended system,” reports Sales Account
that the product placement into the trays
Manager Michael Voelskow. “It was
can also run on both sides of the line. A
especially important for Bahlsen to be
total of 24 pick & place robots work in four
degrees so that they can be discharged lengthwise from the picker line to the subsequent flow-wrapping machine. On one side of the new TLM system, there is also a single storage belt. At the push of a button, individual placement of the biscuits on this grouping belt for flowwrap bag packing without plastic trays can be activated. This works without having to stop the system. The individual discharging and the placing into trays then run in parallel, i.e. simultaneously on both the left and righthand side of the machine. 3D SCANNER FOR QUALITY CONTROL In the picker line, four 3D scanners ensure that only intact biscuits are detected and enter the packaging. Products containing no filling or less than the specified amount of filling, as well as those not clearly bearing the Leibniz lettering, are rejected. This ensures that only flawless products get into the packages. www.schubert.group/en
40 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
The LHS 210 / 410 Air Heater Series Leister’s new series of compact and powerful LHS 210 / 410 air heaters are suitable for installation in industrial plants where space is limited or tubular air systems such as furnaces for heat curing processes, due to their compact design and ease of integration.
NEW AIR HEATER SERIES
LHS 210 / 410 COMPACT & POWERFUL
With a choice of eight air heaters with single (SF) or dual flanges (DF), the innovative design allows for easy electrical connection, with connection housing separated from the airstream, which allows unhindered air flows through the air heater with minimal loss in pressure. The connection housing is also protected against overheating, making it possible to work with an air inlet temperature up to 350 degrees Celsius. The SF-R and DF-R air heaters are equipped with an extension on the housing connection. The ceramic inside this extension ensures that the electrical connection on the tubular air heaters is sealed off and protected from high temperatures or backflowing hot air. Tel: 0800 856 0057 E: info@welwyntoolgroup.com Web: www.welwyntoolgroup.com
EASY CONNECTION
COMPATIBLE NOZZLES
HOT AIR RECYCLING
HIGH AIR VOLUME
$ ECONOMICAL
OVERHEATING PROTECTION Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk | www.welwyntoolgroup.com
Automation security enhanced with PROFINET’s additional protection measures Security is a topic that must be continuously adapted, particularly with respect to ever increasing networking of production plants. The use of components with added value, e.g., web or OPC communication increases direct communication with higher-level systems outside of the security zone. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to separate networks. Networks are becoming larger, meaning that more and more components are connected together and interact with one another. A successful attack on a single (PC) system within such a cell therefore bypasses upfront security measures. Widely distributed plants also hinder the physical protection of networks and access points, meaning unauthorized persons could possibly gain access to the network. Concepts which rely primarily on isolating the production plants must be supplemented with new concepts that enable protection within the cell.
FORWARD THINKING …
with further safeguarding within the plant enabled by dividing into zones through the use of firewalls. Furthermore, a security component test ensures the ability of PROFINET components to withstand overloading, a concept supported by organizational measures in the production plant within the framework of a security management system.
From the very beginning PROFINET featured an extensive security concept to protect plant networks and automation components. More importantly the protective mechanisms and concepts did not interfere with the running of production operations, were easy to implement and remained affordable. They were also able to be adapted to suit ever changing developments.
PROFINET also includes a credential management system, e.g., for authentication of the devices and optional end-to-end security expansion for communication. As not every application has the same security requirements three security classes are now defined for PROFINET.
PROFINET’s IT security concept employs a defence-in-depth approach. With this method, the production plant is protected against attacks – particularly from the outside – by means of a multi-layer perimeter
More Information https://www.profibus.com/technology/industrie-40/. Click here to view PROFINET Security video
ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR END-TO-END SECURITY
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 41
Maximum user-friendliness on minimum space: Minebea Intec launches automatic weigh-price labelling system Minebea Intec, leading manufacturer
be removed for cleaning if necessary. Its
of weighing and inspection solutions, is
interoperability rounds off the system:
launching the WPL-A, their first automatic
open interfaces allow quick and easy
weigh-price labelling system. The labelling
integration into production and seamless
solution offers the ideal and complete
communication with other devices.
package for customers in the food industry: weighing, pricing, labelling and product traceability in one package. The WPL-A automatic weigh-price labelling system is the most reliable, adaptable and easy-to-use solution for high-speed labelling applications with a very compact footprint and intuitive software. Designed in accordance with hygienic design guidelines, it is predestined for use in all sectors of the food industry and scores with wellthought-out design details and smart features.
LABELLING SOLUTION WITH OPTIMUM EASE OF USE AND MANY CUSTOMISATION OPTIONS The WPL-A also scores with intuitive user guidance. The 19-inch touchscreen enables easy operation through comprehensible icon language: important production data, statistics, and the current label in production is displayed visually on the screen. Label printing is done via up to four configurable printer options: the printers can apply labels to the product from above or below
Instruments Directive). In addition, there is an E-Mark software module that guarantees the printing of statistical data. To ensure traceability, each label is identified by a unique pack number, batch, user and machine ID, which can be transmitted to ERP systems via open protocols.
and support the labelling of common
The WPL-A offers high-speed printing
SAVES TIME AND SPACE:
packaging variants such as C-wrap or
of up to 125 labels per minute,
HOW THE WPL-A OPTIMISES
full-wrap. The product sensors in the unit
made possible using advanced print
THE LABELLING PROCESS
are also able to handle light-coloured or
compression technologies.
The WPL-A price labelling system boasts
transparent products and packaging.
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS:
its modular design: this allows easy
In terms of printing technology, the
adaptation to the customer’s needs, who
customer can choose between direct
only pays for what he actually needs. The
thermal printing or thermal transfer
construction materials are perfectly suited
ribbon, if the products are heat-sensitive.
our range; in addition to high-precision
HIGH-SPEED PRINTING THANKS TO
manual labelling system, we now offer
to the food industry’s requirements: stainless steel in construction, it follows hygienic design guidelines enabling quick and easy cleaning, translating into a savings potential for cleaning costs. The material is particularly resistant and additional parts such as the belt run can
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY Labels can be customised via Nexus Label Design software with numerous options to ensure compliance with global guidelines: nutritional information, BIS, fonts, symbols or even 2D barcodes or GS1 symbols are available for label printing. The price labelling system also complies with all current legal regulations that are important for operation in the
42 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
OUR PROMISE TO THE FOOD INDUSTRY “With the WPL-A, we are expanding inspection solutions and the WPL-S a solution that drives the automation process in the food industry.” Says Sara Vivanco, Product Manager at Minebea Intec. “Often, customers only have the choice between a manual labelling solution that costs time or an automated solution with cumbersome operation. With our new product, we combine the best of both worlds: a high-speed solution that also offers user convenience at all levels.”
food industry: The WPL-A is approved
Further information can be found on the
according to NWCM NTEP (National Type
manufacturer’s website:
Evaluation Program) and MID (Measuring
www.minebea-intec.com.
Automatic in name, automatic in nature... Now Available
Automatic Weigh Price Labeller WPL-A
Increase your product quality, food safety and efficiency!
The Minebea Intec weigh price labelling family is growing. We brought you the WPL-S and now we’re excited to bring you the WPL-A, increasing product quality, food safety and efficiency, automatically!
Minebea Intec UK Limited 2760 Kings Court, Birmingham Business Park Birmingham B37 7YE Phone +44 . 121.779.3131 | Email cs.uk@minebea-intec.com
www.minebea-intec.com
Foodgrade lubricants with unique formulation - the solution to avoid pathogen’s growth By Dr. Martin Wünsch, Head of Research & Development, LUBCON Lubricants UK Ltd
The production of food and beverages requires a very high degree of cleanliness and industrial hygiene measures to prevent any hazards to consumer’s health. As a consequence, H1 approved lubricants are mandatory for all lubricating points where incidental product contamination is technically unavoidable or possible, but unlikely. Even if product contact is utterly impossible, H1 lubricants are
batches, resulting in serious health risks
recommended, due to the probability of a
for the consumers and the need for a
mix-up with standard lubricants if these
product recall campaign causing severe
are used in the same area.
THREATS CAUSED BY MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION The European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC regulates (Annex I, Section
damage to the company’s image. Obvious evidence in a petri dish: The growth of pathogens (here: Legionella pneumophilia) in a grease can evidently be reduced by the unique formulation of LUBCON Clean Series.
2.1.2.) that “instructions must indicate
negative pathogens, e.g., Escherichia coli,
recommended products and methods
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus
for cleaning, disinfecting and rinsing”.
aureus, Legionella pneumophilia and
However, in case of lubricated bearings
Bacillus atrophaeus
or other sealed components it is nearly
(see diagram). Incidental food contact
impossible to clean and disinfect the inside
with such germ-ridden grease can cause
space properly once microbial organisms
contamination of complete production
have penetrated and started growing within the grease. Microbial contamination in the environment of food and
EFFECTIVE SOLUTION: LUBCON CLEAN SERIES WITH UNIQUE FORMULATION In order to avoid these complicated situations, the application of H1 lubricants from LUBCON Clean Series based on an innovative formulation is highly recommended. The effectiveness of preventing pathogens from growth in these newly developed lubricants could be demonstrated in incubation tests by an independent microbiological laboratory.
beverages production, however,
Potential applications for LUBCON
is in particular of concern for
Clean Series lubricants are in
gram-positive and gram-
particular all processes where special measures for germ control
Diagram: Based on the example of the pathogen Bacillus atrophaeus, the diagram shows the germ formation within conventional grease in comparison to a product from the newly developed LUBCON Clean Series.
44 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
like heat, radiation, sterilization, addition of preservatives etc. are excluded, e.g., for the aseptic cold filling of fruit juice. www.lubcon.com
Increasing Maintenance Efficiency with High-Performance Food Grade Lubricants LUBCON‘s H1-certified oils and greases allow incidental food contact and thus help to avoid product recalls due to contamination. By prolonging maintenance intervals and reducing machine downtimes, LUBCON lubricants increase machine availability and efficiency of food production facilities. We are the experts for streamlining your lubricant portfolio in order to improve production processes. Don‘t hesitate to use our long time experience in tribology for optimal machine performance.
www.lubcon.com
LUBCON LUBRICANTS UK LTD. Email: uk@lubcon.com | Phone: +44 1323 561030
Packaging specialist enjoys record year of growth after securing Finance For Enterprise & NPIF CBILS backed loans
Humber-based packaging specialist, which has been helping retailers take advantage of the boom in online sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, has secured a £110,000 loan, jointly funded by alternative lending provider Finance For Enterprise and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) and backed by CBILS. Hull Boxes & Packaging, which specialises in supplying bespoke corrugated cardboard and plastic containers, saw demand for its packaging products boom during lockdown as many of its customers switched operations to online deliveries and click and collect services. Operating from a 30,000 sq ft production facility, the company recognised it
by Finance For Enterprise, with the
to recruit a number of new apprentices
remaining £55,000 of funding provided
to its workforce.
by NPIF - BEF & FFE Microfinance, part of the Northern Powerhouse
Richard Britton, Managing Director, Hull
Investment Fund.
Boxes & Packaging said:
With funding in place, Hull Boxes was
announced, like many companies, we
able to purchase a new die cutter and
had to change our operations overnight.
gluing and stitching machines, helping
Many of the businesses we supplied
the company to increase capacity and
switched from supplying retailers to
meet rising demand for its packaging
delivering directly to customers. Our
overcome supply chain problems.
services. As a direct result of the
business was working at full capacity
investment secured, the company is
and we recognised that in order to
Working with experienced Senior
on target to see turnover rise by nearly
continue to meet demand, it was vital to
Investment Manager Tim Daniels, half
£500,000. It has also successfully
upgrade some of the machinery we were
of the investment is provided directly
created three new jobs and is planning
reliant upon.
needed to invest in the machinery used to produce its product range, and after approaching finance broker Choice Business Loans, Finance For Enterprise stepped in to provide the vital funds needed to invest in its new machinery as well as providing working capital to
46 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
“When the first national lockdown was
Our business was working at full capacity and we recognised that in order to continue to meet demand, it was vital to upgrade some of the machinery we were reliant upon. during a particularly challenging time for many companies.” Melanie Ellyard, Senior Manager, British Business Bank said: “This investment into Hull Boxes & Packaging exemplifies the work that NPIF is doing across the North of England. By supporting businesses with the funds to recruit new staff and move premises, we are creating a more prosperous regional economy for the future, and in turn helping to reduce the regional disparities between the North and the South.” Hull Boxes & Packaging was founded by Richard Britton in 2013 after “We’ve worked with Choice Business
why not to lend to a business; Tim’s
Loans previously and they were able to
approach was incredibly refreshing. He
help us secure funding with Finance For
provided constructive feedback on the
Enterprise. The process was simple and
application, kept us updated throughout
straightforward and as a direct result of
the process and within a matter of weeks,
the funds we’ve received, we’ve been able
Richard was able to draw down the vital
to expand our workforce and we’re also
funds his business needed.”
hoping to invest in the next generation by creating new apprenticeships in the summer.”
Tim Daniels, Senior Investment Manager, Finance For Enterprise said: “As more and more businesses invested
spending more than 20 years working in the packaging industry. The company specialises in delivering bespoke packaging to businesses across the UK and specialises in the conversion of corrugated board and plastics used within the food and drink industry. Finance For Enterprise provides a range of tailored loans up to £250,000, aimed at supporting SMEs throughout Yorkshire and the North Midlands. The company
Sharon Cook, Loan Adviser, Choice
in online sales, demand for packaging
Business Loans said:
boomed during lockdown, but for
“Like many businesses, Hull Boxes &
businesses like Hull Boxes & Packaging,
Packaging had been initially rejected
this brought about additional pressures.
from accessing support through the
The CBILS loan scheme was created
CBILS lending scheme; however, after
to help businesses to successfully
researching different CBILS providers I
navigate their way through the COVID-19
approached Finance For Enterprise. My
pandemic. For Hull Boxes & Packaging
The Northern Powerhouse Investment
this meant responding to the challenges
Fund project is supported financially by
posed by a full order book and managing
the European Union using funding from
supply chain pressures.
the European Regional Development
Investment Manager Tim Daniels listened and after discussing the business’s plans and the impact the investment in machinery would have, not only in terms of productivity but job creation, Tim was
“The support has helped Richard’s
able to put the finance in place to help
business to enjoy a record year of growth,
Richard overcome the challenges posed
and the funding provided by NPIF and
by COVID-19. In my experience, many
Finance For Enterprise has helped the
lenders often tend to look for reasons
business to adapt and successfully evolve
is a delivery partner for the British Business Bank-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and acts as fund manager for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and Start Up Loans UK.
Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank. www.hullboxandpack.co.uk
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 47
TheFood Food& &Beverage Beverage The IndustriesAre Are Fighting Fighting Surface Surface Industries Contamination the theWrong WrongWay Way Contamination Globally, Globally, itit is is estimated estimated that that over over 600 600 million million people people become become ill ill from from eating eating contaminated contaminated food food every everyyear. year.As Asaaresult, result, result, aa lot lot of of attention attention has has always always been been paid paid to to human human behaviors behaviors that that can can significantly significantly slow slow the the spread spread of of contagious contagious diseases diseases especiallyin foodprocessing processingand and – ––especially especially ininfood food processing and packaging packaging facilities. facilities. But But over over the the last last year year we’ve we’ve all learned learned a lot about how viruses and and bacteria bacteria are are spread spread and and shared. shared. There There is is aa new new focus focus on on ensuring ensuring all all critical critical surfaces surfaces remain remain protected protected protectedthrough through throughaaawide wide wide variety varietyof of use use cases. cases. Throughout all of the food services industries industries –– from from production production productionto toplate plate thereare areso somany manysurfaces surfacesthat thatare – ––there there are so many surfaces that are are subject to contamination such subject subject to to contamination contamination such such as as as processing processing equipment, equipment, environmental environmental waste, waste, packaging packaging rooms, rooms,lavatories, lavatories, lavatories, etc. etc. and and the the World World Health Health Organization Organization and and other other government government scientific scientific bodies bodies strongly strongly recommend recommend disinfecting disinfecting these these surfaces surfaces frequently. frequently. “Theproblem problemwith withtraditional traditionaldisinfection disinfection “The “The problem with traditional disinfection liquids liquids and and sprays sprays – – no no matter matter how how efficacious efficacious –– is is that that they they only only kill kill the the bacteria bacteria or or virus virus that that was was there there before before disinfection, ” explains disinfection,” disinfection,” explains explainsKevin Kevin KevinParrish, Parrish, Parrish, Novalent, CEO CEO of of Novālent, Novālent, aa research research and and development development company company innovating innovating in in the the field field of of environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly,longlongbonding bonding antimicrobial antimicrobial solutions. solutions. “The “The “The next next person person to to touch touch the the cleaned cleaned surface surface can can contaminate contaminate that that surface surface all all over over again. again. And And there’s there’s no no way way to to wipe wipe down down aa frequently frequently used used doorknob doorknob or or elevator elevator button button each each time time someone someone walks walksin in the the
manufacturingoperations operationsand and apparel manufacturing apparel apparel manufacturing operations and other facilities with impressive results. other other facilities facilities with with impressive impressive results. results. Millionsof ofdollars dollarsare areflowing flowinginto into Millions Millions of dollars are flowing into research aimed aimedat atnew newproducts productsand and research research aimed at new products and processesthat thatseek seekto tocontinuously continuouslykill kill processes that seek to continuously kill bacteria and virusesafter afterapplication. application. bacteria and viruses viruses after application. Whilethese thesedevelopments developmentsoffer offervarying varying While While these developments offer varying degrees of promise, there is a solution degrees degrees of of promise, promise, there there is is aa solution solution
alreadymarket-tested market-testedhaving havingalready already already already market-tested having already assistedPepsiCo PepsiCoin ininhibiting inhibitingbacteria bacteria assisted assisted PepsiCo in inhibiting bacteria
and fungi fungigrowth growthat atits itsbottling bottlingplants. plants. and and fungi growth at its bottling plants. Novalenthas hasleveraged leveragedmore morethan than Novālent Novālent has leveraged more than
20years yearsof ofresearch researchto todevelop developaaa 20 20 years of research to develop portfolio of thoroughly tested regulatory portfolio portfolio of of thoroughly thoroughly tested tested regulatory regulatory approvedand andcommercially commerciallyavailable available approved and commercially available thatensure ensurethe thepractical practical products products that that ensure the practical
door. ” door.” door.”
sterilityof offrequently frequentlytouched touchedsurfaces. surfaces. sterility of frequently touched surfaces.
New New methods methods and and innovative innovative materials materials
additionto toPepsiCo, PepsiCo,Novālent Novalenthas has In In addition addition to PepsiCo, Novālent has
are are either either in in development development or or quickly quickly
withPanera PaneraBread, Bread,Starbucks, Starbucks, worked worked with with Panera Bread, Starbucks,
becoming commercially commercially available. available. These These becoming
Pilgrim’sPride, Pride,Ziegenfelder ZiegenfelderTwin TwinPops, Pops, Pilgrim’s Pilgrim’s Pride, Ziegenfelder Twin Pops,
solutions solutions are are already already being being used used in in large large
DippingCo., Co.,Tyson TysonFoods, Foods,Hanes Hanes Sabra Sabra Dipping Dipping Co., Tyson Foods, Hanes
food and and beverage beverage plants, plants,poultry poultry poultryfarms, farms, farms, food
Brands, Brands, and and has also just agreed to andhas hasalso alsojust justagreed agreedto to
48 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Equity Residential Residentialproperties properties protect protect Equity Residential properties across the United States with itslonglongacross across the the United United States States with with its its longbonding biostaticsurface surfacetreatment treatment bonding bonding biostatic biostatic surface treatment technology. technology. technology.
The Novālent Novalentsolution solutionis basedon onaaa The The Novālent solution isisbased based on biostatic, positively charged shield of biostatic, biostatic, postively postively charged charged shield shield of of carbon atoms which bonds to surface carbon carbon atoms atoms which which bonds bonds to to surface surface and creates a layer of invisible spikes and and creates creates aa layer layer of of invisible invisible spikes spikes that resist and kill bacteria and viruses that that resist resist and and kill kill bacteria bacteria and and viruses viruses on contact. It is not a disinfectant. on on contact. contact. ItIt is is not not aa disinfectant. disinfectant. Imagine a microscopic bed-of-nails – Imagine Imagine aa microscopic microscopic bed-of-nails bed-of-nails – – imperceptible to the human touch – laid imperceptible imperceptible to to the the human human touch touch – – laid laid down over a disinfected surface. Bacteria down down over over aa disinfected disinfected surface. surface. Bacteria Bacteria and virus cells are literally punctured and and virus virus cells cells are are literally literally punctured upon contact, killing thempunctured before they
upon uponinfect contact, contact, killing killing them them before before they they can or replicate on the surface can can infect infect or or replicate replicate on on the the surface surface itself. itself. itself.
The The company has recently raised more The company companyhas hasrecently recentlyraised raisedmore more than than $15 $15 million to support operational than $15million millionto tosupport supportoperational operational changes changes needed needed to meet the new neededto tomeet meetthe thenew new demand for its its technology. technology. demand for technology. www.novalent.com www.novalent.com www.novalent.com
Ensure consumer confidence in your food service operation with proven antimicrobial protection technology that inhibits the regrowth of pathogens. Only Novālent bonding antimicrobial is EPAapproved for use on food contact surfaces and
Hyperspectral seal inspection system easily detects contamination in rigid plastic packaging, even through printed film Production line inspection of rigid plastic packaging enables food producers to achieve better seal quality, higher productivity, end-of-line automation and reduced manual inspection Belgian seal inspection specialist Engilico (www.engilico.com) has introduced a new system for inline verification of the integrity of hermetically sealed plastic rigid packaging containing food. In addition to the established SealScope™ automated system for seal quality control of flexible plastic packaging, the company has introduced a new system, HyperScope™, for checking the seals on rigid trays, pots and other thermoformed packages sealed with plastic film, even when printed. Product in seal often causes issues for standard vision systems, as there might not be enough contrast between the plastic film and the contamination. In case of packaging with a printed top film, often used for more luxury products, the contamination can even not be seen.
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Engilico has solved the problem by harnessing the power of hyperspectral imaging, which analyses a wider light spectrum than just the visible range to include near-infrared frequencies. Infrared waves are able to penetrate plastic film and as different materials react uniquely to infrared light, they can be reliably detected based on their specific properties of transmission, reflection and absorption of these wavelengths. The spectrum of each pixel in the acquired image is analysed to provide information about chemical composition. Any undesired materials in the plastic seal area such as meat, fat
or oil can be detected in high contrast,
Failure to detect contamination in a seal
even through an opaque top film, and
is a serious issue, as if the package finds
is shown on the control screen in a
its way onto a supermarket shelf, air
different colour.
ingress and leakage would render the
It is noteworthy that hyperspectral imaging is perfect for this quality control process. Shorter electromagnetic wavelengths from the other side of the visible spectrum, such
irrelevant. Even worse, it could result in health issues for the consumer. In either case, an expensive product recall and potential brand damage are likely.
as X-rays, are good for seeing metal
Engilico’s hyperspectral system is
parts, for example, but have too much
installed over an existing or its own
penetrating power to resolve materials
conveyor belt and inspects every
whose density difference is small, such
individual package at a rate of up to
as plastic and food.
160 per minute. HyperScope instantly
Typical applications are 100% inspection of trays containing meat, cheese, fruits, ready meals and snacks. Investment in an automated quality control system directly integrated at the end of a
Engilico’s hyperspectral system is installed over an existing or its own conveyor belt and inspects every individual package at a rate of up to 160 per minute.
consumption date advice on the label
food production line pays for itself quickly, as it minimises the production of faulty product and automatically rejects any packages that have passed through with an unsatisfactory seal. Additionally, the costs associated with line stoppage, manual re-packaging, food wastage and machine cleaning are avoided.
recognises package orientation, processes the image and analyses the seal quality, the information being displayed on an operator-friendly touch screen. All production-related data such as product type, number of good/bad packages, date and time is saved for subsequent production quality analysis. In general, in-line seal inspection enables customers to realise better packaging quality, higher packaging productivity, end-of-line automation and a reduction in manual inspection. www.engilico.com
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The innovative partner for consultation on and distribution of laser products RAMAN LASERS FOR FRUIT QUALITY CONTROL Raman spectroscopy is a new method to control the quality of fruits. It allows a non-destructive investigation of the freshness of fruits and to sort out those fruits that are no longer attractive to consumers. Another application is the non-destructive, rapid and accurate detection of pesticide residues on the surface of fruits. FLC offers a great variety of Raman Lasers for Raman spectroscopy in the visible and near infrared wavelength range.
LINE LASER MODULES FOR ALIGNMENT OF FRUITS Sorting and quality inspection of fruits is still a time-consuming task because of the low level of automation. Natural products exhibit a greater variance compared to manufactured products regarding quality and dimensions, which complicates their automated processing. By means of a red line laser like a laser from the ML2040-Series or the HAML-F in combination with a color CMOS camera and a specially trained Convolutional Neural Network it is possible to determine the orientation of fruits. The accuracy of the orientation prediction is approximately 5 degrees, which presents very promising results for the automation of fruit packing systems. www.frlaserco.com
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Milk foam optimization for the creamiest cup of cappuccino Mhmm… what was a delicious cup of
food scientists want to learn more about
cappuccino without lots of smooth and
the stabilizing effect of the caseins, they
creamy milk foam?! – Of course, the good
must also study the viscoelasticity of the
feel in the mouth and long-lasting foam
protein layer.
stability are not left to chance. When designing a new cappuccino powder, food scientists elaborately puzzle out the best formulations. They have to choose the right ingredients and mix them in optimal proportions and with the most suitable techniques. Emulsifiers and foam stabilizers play a very important role here. They are needed to lower the surface tension, which, in the first place, allows the formation of the milk foam. Moreover, they tune the ‘viscoelastic properties’ of liquid surfaces which are especially important with regard to the foam’s stability.
STUDY OF SURFACE TENSION AND VISCOELASTICTY The surface tension of a liquid can easily be measured in a pendant drop experiment. The OCA system from DataPhysics Instruments returns the result within seconds. One finds, for example, that caseins, which possess good foaming and emulsifying properties, distinctly lower the water surface tension. This happens because these food proteins are surface-active, meaning they adsorb to the water surface and form there a self-assembled layer. However, as the
Quite conveniently, the indicated surface rheological experiment can be carried out directly with the OCA measuring system at hand. The required oscillating drop method is just a few clicks away – and there is not even the necessity to change any part of the instrumentation. In order to determine the elastic and the viscous proportions of a sample’s surface (or interfacial) layer, DataPhysics Instruments’ electronic syringe module periodically increases and decreases the pending drop’s volume and, hence, its surface area. At the same time, it is monitored how the surface tension reacts to these changes.
OSCILLATING DROP EXPERIMENTS In these experiments one observes that the measured surface tension follows the change of the surface area – either directly, or with a certain delay: That depends on the disability, or ability, of the surface-active molecules in the surface layer to quickly adsorb to and leave the surface. If there is a high exchange of molecules between the bulk solution and the surface (because the molecules try to compensate surface depletion or over-population caused by the drop enlarge- and diminishment, respectively) the measured surface tension follows the surface area changes with a distinct delay, or ‘phase shift’. Such a finding attests rather viscous surface properties; as is reflected by obtaining a comparably high surface dilatation viscosity
any changes of the surface area: As soon as it increases the surface tension also increases, because less molecules are available per unit surface area, and vice versa. One says such a surface layer behaves ‘elastic’, and measures a high surface dilatation elasticity modulus, E’. High surface elasticity has been correlated with low coalescence rates and is, besides a low surface tension, hence desirable with the objective to generate stable foams. The calculation of the surface dilatation moduli, just as the execution of the whole experimental procedure, is of course automatically performed by DataPhysics Instruments’ software. So, there is time to lean back and enjoy another cup of creamy cappuccino. If you want to know more about the oscillating drop method and all the other capabilities of DataPhysics Instruments’ OCA systems visit www.dataphysics-instruments.com, or just give us a call (+49 711 77 05 56 0) or drop us a line (info@dataphysicsinstruments.com).
modulus, E’’. On the other hand, if the molecules are adsorbed irreversibly at the surface, the surface tension reacts directly to
54 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
Understanding Interfaces
www.dataphysics-instruments.com
Smart solutions for the study of surface and interfacial parameters Viscoelastic behaviour of surfaces and interfaces
Stability of emulsions, suspensions & foams
Cognex Introduces Edge Intelligence Platform Cognex Corporation introduces Cognex Edge Intelligence (EI). The platform provides barcode reading performance monitoring and device management to help customers prevent downtime and boost productivity of manufacturing and logistics operations. “Cognex’s machine vision tools and barcode reading systems produce insight-rich data across manufacturing and logistics facilities,” said Carl Gerst, Executive Vice President, Products and Platforms. “With EI’s powerful
With EI’s powerful visualization and diagnostics tools, our customers can now use that data to identify performance issues and take corrective action faster. begins securely collecting critical device data and displaying the results in visual dashboards. Customers can use this
well as deploying configurations and firmware updates simultaneously to a large number of connected devices. It also includes audit trail capabilities that track and report any changes to device settings and connectivity features for easy integration with other Industry 4.0 solutions. Cognex EI is designed to help improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and increase throughput across a range of industries including logistics, food and beverage, consumer products,
visualization and diagnostics tools, our
data to analyze performance trends,
customers can now use that data to
monitor configuration changes, and
identify performance issues and take
capture no-read and failed validation
corrective action faster.”
images for further analysis.
For more information, visit
Within just a few minutes of
The platform can monitor multiple
EdgeIntelligence or call
installation, Cognex’s EI software
devices and lines within a single site as
+44 121 296 5163
56 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
packaging, automotive, medical devices, and electronics.
www.cognex.com/en-gb/
Enter the virtual world of Hitachi Coding & Marking Solutions As a leading supplier of industrial coding
The digital stand is open 24h/7 days. The
and marking solutions, Hitachi did not
fact that a digital presence is independent
want to wait until real trade fairs could
of time and location means that all
take place again on a normal scale and is making all coding and marking solutions available to the industry online in the newly created digital booth. Hitachi’s Virtual World offers an easy overview of the entire portfolio of industrial marking, vision system and special software solutions in 3D format. A virtual tour of the Hitachi exhibition
information can be conveniently accessed from home, from the home office or from an office desk anywhere in the world, and you can contact Hitachi Coding & Marking at any time regardless of regional office hours. After visiting the exhibition stand, visitors can use an integrated world map to navigate directly to the website for their own region in order to find out more about country-specific models.
stand is now available. The digital space
Access is available without registration via
includes the following product showcases:
www.hitachicoding.online.
• Industrial inkjet printers
The digital exhibition stand is regularly
• Laser markers
enriched by Hitachi with new content and
• Vision Inspection Systems
is therefore always a good place for visitors
• Software solutions
to quickly find out about the latest news.
Visitors have access to a wide range of additional information such as videos, brochures, video demonstrations and presentations allowing them to delve
Hitachi Laser Coder LM-C301 Series
Enter now and enjoy the virtual world of Hitachi Coding & Marking Solutions. www.hitachicoding.online
deeper into the world of Hitachi Coding & Marking products. All product brochures can be downloaded directly.
Hitachi Industrial Inkjet Printer Series UX
FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk 57
Tailor made solutions for the dairy and food industries From hygienic product protection to
Only with the new, patented punching
communication with the customer -
tools from INTECMA can multipacks
packaging must fulfil a wide range of
made of these materials be broken
functions. This includes the packaging
into individual cups just as easily as
design, product protection, ease
multipacks made from PS. The knives
of use, optimal logistics, customer
do not even have to be changed for
information and brand ambassador, but
this. Further equipment in the ZERO
also to guarantee the shelf life of the
Technology range include special
product, however the packaging must
pre-heating plates, which can be
also be sustainable. Functionality and
easily dismantled and enable simple
sustainability are on the same level in
maintenance. Further material savings
packaging development. This has to be
can also be realised by using the special
taken into consideration when developing
thermoforming moulds, which enable the
alternative packaging concepts with
use of thinner materials.
sustainable materials such as monomaterials as well as materials from
ZERO Technology offers an innovative
renewable resources.
Cutting tool
With the patented ZERO Technology tools
costs, increases the performance of the
we offer the perfect solution for the use of mono-materials such as PET, PP and PLA. The tools from the ZERO Technoloy range are the result of years of research and development. They can be applied to all cutting applications contained in an FFS machine. Their use reduces maintenance
58 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
machine and have a longer punching time. By using the tools from ZERO Technology, a quick switch from PS (polysterene) to more recyclable materials such as PET, PP and PLA can be realised and customers have now the opportunity to use these materials for their thermoformed cups.
solution on the way implementing more sustainable packaging material in existing form, fill and seal machines from our brands Erca, Hassia and Intecma (and even in machines from other suppliers) or in new machines and enables improved recyclability of cups and reduces the ecological impact. www.imadairyfood.com
ZERO Technology
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Consumers’ expectations and regulations change, and manufacturers are confronted with a growing demand for more environmentally friendly and more sustainable packaging. With the patented tools of the ZERO Technology range we offer the perfect solution for the use of mono-materials such as PET, PP and PLA which are perfectly adaptable to the FFS machines of our brands Erca, Hassia, and Intecma. Several tools have been developed for equipping new FFS lines and adapting existing ones. ZERO Technology is the technical solution for high-quality cutting and precutting of PET, PP and PLA and thus enabling easy breakable multipacks made of these materials. Using transparent PET allows consumers to see the product, which makes it more attractive on the shelf. The cup can get a PET lid and label, making the packaging completely recyclable.
More information: www.imadairyfood.com/zerotechnology/
Steamlining operations and increasing productivity with WinMan ERP The need for technology is evident, but within the food and drinks industry, businesses should have a system in place to provide full traceability and quality control to ensure food safety and compliance. WinMan ERP Solutions can help the food and drinks sector streamline operations and increase productivity while maintaining compliance and traceability. Jonathan Davies, Director from WinMan explains, ‘It is essential for businesses to have a single source of truth, where food and drinks businesses can track everything
We need that sort of visibility to see if our
from the minute it enters the warehouse
suppliers can produce in time.”
to when it leaves. Using one system to manage all operational processes, will also
SUPPORTING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
help improve efficiency and productivity throughout.’
CASE STUDY: HOW WINMAN ERP HELPED CONDIMENTUM WITH THEIR FOOD MANUFACTURING PROCESSES WinMan ERP helps companies within the food sector streamline operations and increase productivity while maintaining compliance and traceability. Operating from a purpose-built facility near Norwich, Condimentum is a new business processing mustard and mint to make quality ingredients for the food industry. With WinMan ERP central to
“Our whole focus over the next two years is continuous improvement. How can we do things better and quicker? How do we reduce inefficiencies and administration? do product traceability and to simulate a
We choose to run with a relatively small
scenario that if we had a recall, we could
team so without WinMan and the flexibility
identify very quickly which manufacturing
with mobile phone apps we’d really
batches, which products would be
struggle to drive efficiency down onto the
affected and the components used in
shop floor.”
those. WinMan has front to back and back challenge from a supplier to say they’ve
SUPPORTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
issued components to us that aren’t up
“The biggest benefit of WinMan has
to standard or there’s an issue at the
been its simplicity and its flexibility. It
customer end, we can very quickly find out
does everything we need it for as a food
what else is affected.”
manufacturer. WinMan doesn’t need
to front traceability meaning if given a
their business model, they became FSSC accredited within a few months of opening.
a massive team of people to run it. It
SUPPORTING RESOURCE & MATERIALS PLANNING
supported us through COVID, through ramp up as we started production and it will
Condimentum’s Financial Director Stuart
“We don’t have a complex set of materials
continue to support us through the next
Riches gave us his thoughts on the
but we have quick turnarounds. We
stage of development”
benefits of WinMan.
deliberately built a facility with very
SUPPORTING FOOD SAFETY COMPLIANCE
little storage so we can’t hold excess stocks. WinMan allows us to load in the demand from our customers and we can
“We‘re FSSC22000 accredited and also
immediately see what we’ve got in stock,
looking into the future to go onto BRC.
what we need to order. WinMan has the
The key with both of those is the ability to
ability to update the forecasts very quickly.
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For more information on our ERP solutions, call our consultants on 0121 749 8050 or email sales@winman.com
AstaReal achieves food safety standard FSSC 22000 certification AstaReal, the global pioneer in natural astaxanthin cultivation and related research, has been certified according to FSSC 22000, Version 5. The certification confirms that the company meets all the safety requirements relevant to the manufacturing of food throughout the supply chain. AstaReal cultivates and produces astaxanthin, which is derived from the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. To confirm the safety and consistent quality of its products for consumer consumption, AstaReal has been accredited with the FSSC 22000, V5 certificate. For AstaReal’s customers, this guarantees a well-developed food safety management system, including solid hazard analysis and risk management system that identify, evaluate and control any food safety hazards that my occur, thus guaranteeing consumer safety. The accreditation is testament to the Swedish company’s continuous efforts to not only maintain, but also improve on, its high safety and quality standards. Certification according to the FSSC 22000 standard is recognised worldwide as proof of a safe manufacturing process and a comprehensive food safety management system, and fulfils the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). For AstaReal, this is one more step towards reassuring both manufacturers and consumers about the safety of its products.
with the highest standards throughout the whole supply chain. We at AstaReal attach great importance to providing only high quality and safe ingredients, supported by a well-functioning food safety management system. We do not compromise in this area, and always put safety and food quality first. Therefore, we are delighted to have received the FSSC 22000 certification as an official confirmation of our commitment.”
Dr. Kurt Haglund, Quality Manager at AstaReal: “Our customers look for scientifically backed, natural ingredients that are produced
For further information, please visit: www.astareal.se
Food Box Specialists S Lester Packing Materials are the UK’s leading big box manufacturers. Our supply chain solutions, from Octabins to Meat Shippers, are ideal for storing and transporting all kinds of produce, from potatoes and grain through to pumpkins and meat. Like all of our boxes, they’re 100% recyclable and made from a renewable source, available in a wide range of grades from C flute to Triple Wall, and can be printed to provide an eye-catching finish. Ideal For: ■ Abattoirs
■ Farmers
■ Growers
■ Bulk Ingredient Suppliers
To find out more about how our state-of-the-art design and production facilities can help you to maximise your packaging
visit www.slesterpacking.co.uk call 01543 68 37 74
S Lester Packaging_Food & Drink Processing_180x132mm_final.indd 1
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Evaporative cooling - the ventilation based alternative to air conditioning Are you looking for a cost-effective cooling system that complies to new government ventilation recommendations? Evaporative cooling provides a simple, safe and efficient solution. Increasing summer temperatures across the UK are threatening the conditions of workers and products, while the COVID pandemic provides an ongoing risk of shutdowns if transmission rates are not reduced. With British manufacturing and engineering heading for one of its busiest summers, evaporative cooling can prevent warm weather and inadequate ventilation disrupting the productivity of your facility. EcoCooling’s ventilation-based evaporative cooling systems reduce the risk of COVID transmission while keeping people and processes cool.
Not only is evaporative cooling a green alterative to air conditioning, it can be used to cool large spaces effectively and efficiently while leaving doors and windows open. This simple cooling process guarantees temperatures never exceed 23C at point of entry. EcoCooler’s are modular; one cooler can typically provide 35kW of cooling for a 250m2 area for less than 15p per hour, a 90% saving on the cost of a refrigeration-based system.
changes per hour, reducing the risk of
companies who are not only looking for an
COVID transmission. A range of simple
efficient ventilation and cooling system but
filtration options are available to prevent
are also wanting to offer their employees a
external contaminants being brought into
healthier and safer environment to work in.
the building. In addition to this, in many
At 90% less than the running cost and
cases having a facility that has a cool,
less than 50% of the installation cost of a
steady temperature can also help improve
refrigeration-based system, EcoCooling
product stability.
provides a simple, safe and low-cost method of keeping your factory cool,
This proven solution is ideal for people,
productive and COVID safe.
process or product cooling and is already being used in over 500 facilities throughout
Cooled air is directed into the building
the UK including Greggs, Cummins Diesel,
using the EcoCooler’s inbuilt fan providing
Siemens and MERCK.
up to 3m3/s of air flow. EcoCooler’s
For further information please contact us
are installed as part of a balanced
With a large stock of products and spares
on 01284 810586 or email
mechanical ventilation system, exceeding
held in our Suffolk warehouse, UK based
sales@ecocooling.co.uk or visit our web
all government recommendations on air
EcoCooling are in an ideal position to help
site: www.ecocooling.co.uk
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Worthington launches lower energy compressors In support of the packaging sector’s
as a packaging production process,
been redesigned, to allow for easier
drive to improve efficiency and cut
Worthington’s Rollair belt-driven, screw
maintenance and removable service
carbon emissions, in line with the
compressors can be configured as either
panels enable quick access.
government’s ‘Net Zero’ sustainability
floor mounted, tank mounted or tank
agenda, industrial compressor brand
mounted with refrigerant air dryer. The
Worthington Creyssensac has launched
latter version delivers a 55% reduction
an upgraded range of oil-injected
in Global Warming Potential (GWP) over
air compressors, which deliver a
previous generation screw and dryer
significantly lower environmental
packages, which is a result of the change
footprint.
from R134a HFC refrigerant gas to
Featuring a completely redesigned air end element, Worthington’s innovative Rollair 300-850 small screw compressor models facilitate a market-leading increase of 15% in Free Air Delivery (FAD) output, as well as a reduction in energy consumption of up to 12%. In addition, the combination of an anti-condensation oil heater, tropical thermostat and a larger 500-litre air receiver enables the units to operate on very low duty cycles, where the demand for air is intermittent, without the issue of condensation forming within the oil. Where there is a need for large volumes of air on continuous demand, such
Commenting on the launch of its upgraded compressors, Mark Keen, Business Line Manager at MultiAir UK & Ireland, which supplies the Worthington Creyssensac brand to a network of distributors, said:
R513a HFO gas within the refrigerant
“Within the production and service
dryer. Compressor power ranges from
industries, compressed air is often
3 to 10 horsepower in either 8 or 10
referred to as the fourth utility, so
bar versions and distributors also have
Worthington remains committed to
the option of a pressure conversion
improving efficiency and performance, as
kit for flexibility in stock holding and
well as pursuing ways of reducing energy
to ultimately ensure the end user gets
consumption. Our latest Rollair range of
exactly the right pressure unit for their
small screw compressors are the perfect
application.
starter compressor with ‘plug and play’
Offering a fully-integrated configuration with combined air receiver, tank, filtration and refrigerant dryer, provides customers with a compact, virtually silent unit, so it can be located closer to the point of use, requiring less pipework. Internal componentry has
single person installation. Improving the work environment for operators by minimising noise has also been a key factor, so these upgraded machines are virtually silent and provide a compelling overall business solution with low cost of ownership in a challenging economic climate.” www.airwco.com
64 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
WORTHINGTON CREYSSENSAC RLR 300-850
BECAUSE IMPROVEMENT NEVER STOPS
ROTARY SCREW AIR COMPRESSOR PACKAGES
THE NEW ROLLAIR 300 - 850 CHECKS ALL THE BOXES ✓ Powerful and energy efficient: next-generation air end generates 15% more air and consumes 12% less energy ✓ Clean, dry air as standard: avoids downstream product spoilage and extends air tool life ✓ Continuous operation: screw air end allows for continuous use without cool-down periods ✓ Low operating costs: IE3 premium efficiency motor significantly lowers your total cost of ownership ✓ Low noise levels: as low as 61dB(A) the compressor can be located alongside your application, minimising pressure drops and avoiding expensive pipework runs
www.airwco.com 01925 817 803
AESSEAL® wins another Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation AESSEAL®, a mechanical seal manufacturer with its Head Office in Rotherham, has received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for a specialised mixer seal of the type required in vaccine manufacture and other complex industrial operations. This is the 12th Queen’s Award received by AESSEAL plc and the 14th for the AES Engineering Ltd. Group. The Short Canister Mixer Seal which is the subject of the latest award is the world’s first Zone 0, 1 and 2 range certified mixer seal, based on a modular platform and is capable of sealing the most difficult applications in the world by design.
Award for Enterprise flag continuously since 1989 and now we will have the
AESSEAL® is the last remaining UK
right and privilege to be able to do so for
manufacturer of a full line of mechanical
the next 5 years.
seals after their largest competitor moved its UK manufacturing base to the
“Although this is a time of celebration
Czech Republic a decade ago.
it is also a time of mourning and reflection. The late departed His Royal
While mechanical seals are a
Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh,
relatively hidden component of global
chaired a committee in 1965 which led
manufacturing processes they are
to the creation of the Queen’s Award
also vital. The best sealing technology
for Industry as it was initially called. The
makes a major contribution to the reliability, profitability and environmental
very positive and motivational impact
performance of industrial applications.
intended to add an internal and external
Without mechanical seals there would
gas lift version to its Short Canister Mixer
be no power generated, no refining, no
Seal and, continuing the company’s
fine chemical industry and a very limited
relentless pursuit of excellence, it will
pharmaceutical industry.
be introducing a full range of Zone 1 and
AESSEAL® does not claim to be the unique UK supplier of mechanical seals, but it still proudly manufactures a full
Zone 2 certified gas lift seals, suitable for use in the production of vaccines, on the 1st June 2021.
this initiative has on myself and my colleagues, particularly at this difficult time for both the Royal Family and the world, is incalculable. The morale and motivation of people is a huge ingredient in the success of any enterprise and the injection of both that our organisation gets from the receipt of this award will help drive the
product range from its Yorkshire base
Managing Director and Founder, Chris
while continuing to operate globally in a
Rea, said: “Without a shadow of doubt
strategically important area of precision
a Queen’s Award is the greatest single
engineering.
honour that can be bestowed on a
The Lord-Lieutenant, Mr. Andrew
business and the value to the morale and
Coombe, will raise the Queen’s Award
motivation of myself and my colleagues
for Enterprise flag at a socially distanced
is incalculable.
ceremony at 2.30 pm on Thursday
As pharmaceutical products in particular cannot tolerate any contamination into the Mixer or Reactor seal vessel, an inert gas is often the preferred choice of
“Part of our drive for excellence has been
barrier fluid. By design AESSEAL® always
the motivation to be able to fly a Queen’s
66 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
business to be the best that it can be in the future.”
29th April 2021. www.aesseal.com/en
MICRONEL MINIATURE FANS AND BLOWERS
BLOWERS FOR PRESSURIZED AIR AND SUCTION APPLICATIONS
ons reduce ti lu o s r e w lo b d e z Decentrali e energy! v a s d n a ts s o c g n operati PRESSURIZED AIR IS EXPENSIVE!
ADVANTAGES OF MICRONEL BLOWERS
Compressing air in a compressed air system requires a
• Compact design and flexible positioning at point of use
lot of power and results in continuous pressure losses
• Extremely small sizes – Typically 50 mm diameter
during transport from the point of generation to the point
up to 100 mm x 100 mm square
of consumption - This makes compressed air one of the
• Lower operating costs with higher efficiency
most expensive forms of energy of its kind. For this reason,
• Work independently of existing compressed air systems
Micronel‘s powerful compact blowers are becoming
• Robust aluminum housing for harsh industry conditions
increasingly utilized in the market for pressure and vacuum
• Maintenance free and long lifetime
applications.
• Quiet operation with optional silencer and accessories
Micronel UK Ltd. Unit 53, The Arches Industrial Estate Alma Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 3HY United Kingdom
Phone +44 1753 641 412 info@micronel.co.uk www.micronel.com