P R O FI L E
Automated solutions that meet the needs of the South African market Food security and value for money will support business growth and help feed the nation, explains Melika Seiderer, newly-appointed general sales manager, Ishida South Africa.
W
hen times are tough, being in
Today’s models can handle a much
the food industry is generally
wider variety of products and at higher
to identify the best-performing machines
For food manufacturers, the priority is
regarded as something of a
speeds than earlier versions. Design and
to help meet their production needs and
safe haven. The argument being that
technical enhancements have included
value proposition. At Ishida, a key benefit
even in straitened times, people still
the use of special contact surface
of its tray sealers is that all models
have to eat.
materials for sticky products and reduced
have the flexibility to cope with and
angles for fragile items.
switch easily between pack types and
When budgets are tight, cost becomes a critical factor in any purchase. Food
Equally important, software advances
materials, while being able to run at very
manufacturers must aim to deliver
have allowed the introduction of more
quality products while achieving
responsive hoppers and improved
Similarly, snacks bagmakers feature
maximum efficiencies and throughput
loadcells that deliver even greater
servo motors and software-controlled
on their production lines. The resultant
accuracy levels. In the early days of
variable seal time, jaw temperature
competitive pricing will allow these
multihead weighing, a reduction of
and pressure to deliver a high level of
companies to succeed – whatever the
giveaway to 0.1g was achievable; now
precision. Strippers plates clear the
state of the economy.
this can be as low as 0.01g. Aside from
seal area before sealing, which ensures
additional cost savings and efficiencies,
good pack quality, and servo-driven and
even deeper in South Africa. According
one of the most important benefits of
vacuum-assisted pulldown belts enable
to Stats SA, 6.8 million South Africans
the improvements in standard deviation
accurate and consistent bag lengths to
experienced hunger in 2017. Although
is that it can further increase pack
optimise film use and enhance
this number has halved since 2002,
consistency whilst minimising
pack presentation.
The need to deliver value for money goes
hunger still affects 1.7 million households across the country. Affordability therefore becomes a critical factor in having enough to eat.
product giveaway.
high efficiency.
Confirming the quality of the sealing
If accurate weighing is
process is equally important to prevent
essential to delivering
any sub-standard packs causing early
value for money,
food deterioration. Seal testers check
this cannot be at the expense of product safety.
the integrity of snack pillow packs and top-sealed, thermoformed, flow-wrapped or lidded trays in different materials and
It is important
sizes by applying controlled pressure
to maintain
to each pack going across a conveyor in
commercial
product quality
order to detect any unwanted ‘give’.
issues are
and freshness
driving the
and to ensure
of in-line leak detection is the Airs can
development
that it is
system that uses laser technology to
of automated
freefrom
Moral and
solutions on the production
any unwanted foreign bodies.
and packing line
to deliver products which
detect CO2 leaks from holes as small as 0.25mm in MAP packs, without stopping production and at a top speed of 180 packs per minute.
that can enable food manufacturers
A recent Ishida innovation in the field
As the testing process is very gentle, The multihead-weigher delivers pinpoint accuracy
both of these technologies further minimise food waste, so that product
are manufactured and packed safely
can be saved
and minimise waste, while maximising
and repacked.
speed and throughput to ensure the best economies of scale. This is not a new phenomenon. The multihead weigher, for example, invented by Ishida back in the 1970s, has been delivering pinpoint accuracy in the weighing of a huge variety of food products for well over 40 years. There have been many developments in the weigher’s capabilities during that time.
“Such moral and commercial issues are driving the development of automated solutions on the production and packing line that can enable food manufacturers to deliver products which are manufactured and packed safely and minimise waste”
One of the most vital areas of food quality is ensuring that packed product is free of foreign bodies. This is
Melika Seiderer
September 2020 | Food Review
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