< PreviousAchieve absolute control and‘Product Inspection Systems’consistency with the Vantage In-LineEffortless compliance with customer and legislative demands (including BRC, M&S and Tesco).Combination Checkweighing and Metal Detection SystemContact Stevens Group - Leaders in Weighing & Traceability Solutions- for a specification overview now: Stevens Group LtdGreenbank Technology Park, Challenge Way, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5QBTel:+44 (0) 1254 685200 Email:info@stevensgroupltd.comFax:+44 (0) 1254 685202 Web:www.stevensgroupltd.com20-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 1PROCESSINGwww.fdiforum.net21Each month in these pages we reporton a host of new products, much ofwhich have come about thanks toadvances in the processing sector.Certainly many of the items currently onthe supermarket shelves would havevirtually impossible to make at the speedand in the quantities that are nowcommonplace. As the industry gathers atFoodex and Anuga FoodTec this month,a host of new ideas will be under thespotlight.The organisers of Foodex expect thatthis year’s show will include a specificfocus on ingredients, given the increasedinterest by consumers into natural, cleanlabel ingredients. Customers now seemunimpressed by products that seem tooartificial, yet manufacturers have tobalance this natural approach withabsolute assurance that product integrityisn’t compromised and the need to meettight deadlines demanded by consumers.These requirements aren’t alwayssuccessfully met, and indeed despite theadvancements in processing machinery, arecent survey carried out by theorganisers of the PPMA Show suggestedthat over a third of professionals thinkthat more could be done to improveefficiency. Fortunately, the requirementto satisfy hygiene standards andregulations has led to numerous newproducts arriving on the scene, withmany companies offering bespokesolutions for business – from hygienicflooring solutions to complete productionlines.Happily, the majority of companies canprovide bespoke solutions that can meetproducers’ exact needs, without having tocompletely redesign their factories orchange their entire production processes.Hose and coupling specialists DixonEurope, for example, are able to meet acompany’ bespoke design and fabricationrequirements, including custom designedactuated ball and butterfly valves, thanksto their in-house designers.A dedication to training also meansthat many new people are entering theindustry with the skills and knowledgerequired for a smooth running processingline. Right first timeProducts can now be controlled atevery stage of the production process,from ensuring its steady flow through theline, through the detection of potentialcontaminants, down to the consistencyand quality of the finished item. This isnot just desirable, either – the newEurope-wide food labelling directive puts22 Complete controlThe processing sector is under the spotlight at this month’s big industry events – withan increased interest in product integrity The fast-moving nature of the production line can’t be anexcuse for compromising product integrity20-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 222www.fdiforum.netPROCESSINGeven greater obligations on producers toensure what’s on the label matcheswhat’s in the product to the letter.Many companies are now making useof QR codes to ensure increased accuracyin their labelling – allowing them toinclude a host of information thatcouldn’t be legibly featured on the label,and providing exact details on theproduct’s origin and content. At AnugaFoodTec, for example, Bizerba will beillustrating their system solution thatallows manufacturers to create QR codesdirectly on the labelling line. Usingplatforms such as mynetfair or fTRACE,the system passes origin and productiondata onto external data providers thatedit the information for use byconsumers.This means that during the continuouslabelling process, only the dynamicelements – batch number, time and date– change. The QR codes can then be oneof the items, along with the barcode andbest before date, reviewed by the visionsystems that are now particularlycommon on the production line.Consistency and accuracy are by somedistance the watchwords for foodprocessors today, and a large number ofsystems can ensure this is the case. Onegreat example is the Vantage system byStevens Group that provides highlyeffective recipe control.In this case, the Production Managerschedules the daily requirements for therecipe batches in advance, which are thendisplayed on the Vantage display toenable the operators to select from thelist of requirements. Once selected, theoperator is prompted through the recipeformulation process one ingredient at atime, ensuring weighing tolerances aremet and no over or under weighingoccurrences can spoil a batch. Thisenforces a strict weighing tolerance, whilethe Lot Numbers of each of the rawingredients are recorded on the system toprovide a comprehensive audit trailshould any recalls be required.In the mixEnsuring the correct ingredients areused in a product is one thing, butequally important is the need to ensurethese are processed effectively. Theincreased interest in natural ingredientsrequires processors to ensure these aren’tcrushed into an indistinct lump butcontinue to exhibit their own uniquetextures – yet without the processingequipment getting clogged up.Convenience and hygiene factors arethe major issues in selecting mixers andblenders, with manufacturers requiringCIP and SIP requirements to be met toavoid potential flashpoints. Increasedhygiene does not just allow producerspeace of mind in avoiding contamination,but can also allow for the productionprocess to run smoother with lessdowntime needed to remove blockages.Mixing and blending equipment isavailable that can deal with such issues.Advanced Engineering, for example,present a range of multishear in-linemixers that offer a number of advantagesover immersion processors for batchwork. These can be used on highlyviscous media by employing asupplementary feed pump, and, just asimportant, they are much easier to clean,as well as requiring less space as they arenot dependent on the volume of theprocessing medium.John R Boone, meanwhile, produce aHelical Blade Mixer which can providesignificant benefits over the conventionalribbon or spiral mixer. The efficient bladedesign and slow rotational speed of themixer combine with a short length to25 The All-Party ParliamentaryFood and Drink ManufacturingGroup visited the Coca-ColaEnterprises site at Edmonton tosee the latest processingtechnology in action. The Groupand the Food and DrinkFederation organised the visit togive parliamentarians a betterunderstanding of what goes oninside the food and drinkindustry, the UK’s largestmanufacturing sector.PHOTO COURTESY FOOD AND DRINK FEDERATION20-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 320-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 424www.fdiforum.netControl SystemsX-RayProduct & OCMLabellingPrintersThermal TransferTop or SideBox LabellingWeigh-Price-Labellersincluding C-Wrap applicaonscan using your smart phone or go to www.bizerba.comCheckweighersCWE for moist area’s, CWE-Dry for packed dry products and CWP Neptune for wet area’s01442 240751 info@bizerba.co.uk www.bizerba.comBizerba UK Limited, 2-4 Erica Road, Stacey Bushes, Milton Keynes, MK12 6HS20-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 5PROCESSINGwww.fdiforum.net25diameter ratio to give a fast gentle mix with low powerconsumption. The mixers can be used for a number ofapplications in the processing sector, including spice andflavours, powdered drinks and powdered soup mixes.Keeping the flow going at a consistent rate is also a priority forthe pumping sector. Kecol, for example, were called in to assist amajor breakfast cereal manufacturer who needed to increaseproduction of a new jam filled product. The existing methods ofemptying jam containers into the production system wereproving to be too slow and messy, with difficulties in handlingthe required volumes of jam with the existing 200 litre drums.To this end, Kecol designed and built two Megaprimepneumatic drum emptying pump systems capable of transferringviscous jam from one tonne bulk containers at up to 60kg perminute. A changeover panel was also supplied to allowuninterrupted supply of jam to the line. Since the introductionof this new system production rates and product quality haveimproved – along with a reduction in wastage and improvementsin factory safety due to the reduction in drum handling.Safe and secureThe increased automation of the production process in recentyears hasn’t just increased efficiency, but also ensured the healthand safety issues of the industry are being addressed. As wemention elsewhere in this issue, stringent regulations are now inplace, not only to ensure the safety of staff, but also that productquality isn’t compromised.The drive for health and safety can affect every aspect of theplant – including its furnishings. Companies such as ResinSurfaces are increasingly contacted by manufacturers to provideeffective flooring that ensures a safe environment for workers26 The Daniels Group plant in Grimsbyboasts the latest food productionfacilities and produces a wide rangeof chilled and frozen foods for theUK and overseas marketsPPMA 25-27th SeptNEC Hall 5 Stand A1120-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 626www.fdiforum.netPROCESSINGwhile also avoiding any material that may permeate the fooditself. For example, they were engaged by Midland Foods toinstall Resuthane TG69, a polyurethane screed system that has along life expectancy. The material provides a surface with highlevels of anti-slip that is suitable for both dry and wet conditions,which is highly valuable given the cleaning process means thefloor is constantly wet. In addition, Resuthane TG69 has beenclassed as a food safe product by Campden BRI, meaning thatthe system could be installed around production, keeping costlyshutdowns to a minimum.The importance of food remaining untainted was discussed atthe recent International Fresenius Conference on Residues ofFood Contact Materials in Food in Cologne. The EU is currentlyharmonising its legislation on food contact materials to ensurefood safety, and at the event, representatives of the EuropeanCommission and the European Food Safety Authority gave anoverview of the current thinking.Werner Altkofer of the Chemical State and nationalVeterinary Examination Office in Stuttgart discussed recentdebates like the ITX-crisis and the 4-Methylbenzophenoneevent. He said that in his view, the industry is prone to potentialflashpoints, “due to the complex matter of migration issues andnot fully harmonised European legislation where big gaps exist indetailed regulations on materials. The framework regulationserves as a broad umbrella but the obligations of the compliancework to be done are not fully recognised by industry. In respectof the big costs of a scandal more attention should be paid onthe conformity of the products and not only on the monetarymargins.”Rapid changes in technology and new product developmentbring with them challenges for manufacturers to create viable,efficient and effective solutions that can ensure products get onthe shelves as quickly as possible, and are of the highest qualitywhen they do. It’s clear that the fast-moving food and drinkindustry is coming up with the goods.Steck is spoton for pesto!How do you apply ten grams ofpesto sauce onto a pizza in fifteenspots at sixty pizzas per minutewithout touching the pizza orstopping it on the assembly line?No, it’s not a trick question, butit is a challenge, the sort ofchallenge Steck Depositors thriveon.When this problem wasbrought to Steck, there wasalready a six year history ofexperiments and attempts toautomate the process, yet it wasstill being carried out manually bytwo operators.Mike Wilkinson, ManagingDirector of Steck Depositors,says, “One reason this problemhad not been solved before is thatless specialised suppliers couldn’tsee a payback on developmentinvestment. As a specialistdepositing supplier we areprepared to make the investmentto get it right, knowing that onedevelopment will inevitably leadto another.”The new nozzle is anadaptation of Steck’sinternationally successful fallingpin pizza topping head. However,pesto contains basil leaf vein and stalk which quickly blocksexisting nozzle designs, so Steck developed a unique self-clearingand shearing action that doesn’t block. Coupled to a SteckHLB138 Depositor, it is capable of applying pesto sauce at a rateof up to 95 products per minute.The Operations Director of a leading UK pizza manufacturersays, “Steck solved a long running issue on pesto application forus. They were prepared to put the time and effort into this, andstuck at it until it was right, and that’s precisely what we needfrom our equipment suppliers.”For more information,visit www.steckdepositors.comPHOTO COURTESY NEWSCASTThe Pilsen brewery in the CzechRepublic, which producesSABMilller’s internationalpremium brand portfolio20-26:Layout 1 24/2/12 12:26 Page 7CONTROL AND AUTOMATION SHOWCASEwww.fdiforum.net27Cerabar M – a perfectly hygienic pressure transmitter When measuring gauge or absolute pressure in liquids, steams or gases, Endress+Hauser’s Cerabar M will meet the challenge inhygienic applications. Its design, material selection, surface quality and process connections correspond to the international hygienestandard according to EHEDG, FDA, 3-A and ASME BPE, making it the perfect pressure transmitter for your industry.With a stainless steel housing and hygienic design, this compact and lightweight instrument provides ingress protection up to IP69K. Cerabar M’s modular construction gives it maximum flexibility. It is available with a range of sensor options, allowing you to select themost appropriate sensor for your application. Cerabar PMC51 with Endress+Hauser’s unique Ceraphire ceramic sensor offers resistance tocorrosion and abrasion and is ideal for measuring level or pressure over small ranges or in vacuum applications. For control in applicationswith fast changing temperatures or where smaller process connections are required, the Cerabar PMP51’s metallic sensor is ideal. Wheretemperature functionality up to 400ºC is required, the Cerabar PMP55 includes a flush-mounted diaphragm seal. Whatever the demands of your application, Endress+Hauser’sCerabar M is the pressure transmitter for the job.Tel: 0161 286 5000 Email: info@uk.endress.com www.uk.endress.comPlatform load cell with overload stop affords high degree of protectionfor sensitive applicationsHBM has launched its PW25 platform load cell that can be hermetically encapsulated to meet both IP68 andIP69K degrees of protection for applications in the food industry or pharmaceutical sector.Applications in these areas have demanding hygienic constraints and equipment may need to be cleaned dailywith special cleaning agents and water or steam. The PW25 addresses the specific challenges to electricalcomponents that the use of such agents poses.The completely cylindrical design of the PW25 means that it can be cleaned very easily as the housing is madecompletely from stainless steel so the load cell is resistant to cleaning and disinfection agents used in the food industry.The platform load cell features an integrated overload stop to prevent damage if loads are too heavy. The overload stop is integrated into the hermeticencapsulation making it impossible to contaminate the overload gap.The PW25 is suitable for all applications where hygiene is a particular issue, such as in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical or food industry sectors. Specificuses include, for example, in filling and packaging machines, in multihead combination weighers or in static scales.HBM 1 Churchill Court 58 Station Road North Harrow Middlesex HA2 7SATel: +44 (0) 208 515 6100 Email: info@uk.hbm.com www.hbm.com Visit Foodex Stand P358Robotic demand soars at CKFCKF Systems, the Gloucester-based specialist provider of automated and robotic solutions to the food industry, has seenincreased activity from both new and existing customers in recent months.Kevin Staines, CKF’s Sales Director, says, “Automation and robotics have transformed virtually all aspects of production.With pressure at home and overseas, coupled with ever-shifting patterns in consumer tastes, businesses know thatinvestment now will realise greater levels of flexibility, quality and profitability.“It’s understandable that some businesses are resistant to change. Robotics can conjure up an image of technologiesbeyond a company’s comfort zone, perceived as a costly investment without the in-house resources and skills to eitherdetermine the best solution or manage the project and its smooth transition.“The starting point should never be a robotic solution, always the best available solution for any given situation, takingeverything into consideration. On occasions a complex system utilising the latest robots and visual recognition systems is theright way forward but often the solution is much less daunting. Once those fears are alleviated there is nothing to hold themback. Demonstrating the payback is actually the easiest thing to do!”Tel: 01452 424565 Email: info@ckf.co.uk www.ckf.co.ukThe new Eta-Plus range from WEGAlldrives & Controls are the UK representatives for WEG, manufacturers of precision drive solutions between40W and 110W. WEG have launched high efficiency 4 pole three-phase motors in the 50W to 370W power range. This highefficiency range has been achieved by optimising the motor design and is believed to be the first sub-750W energy-saving motors to comply with the Premium-Efficiency IE3 standard. The Eta-Plus range of drives – the SD range without fans for 50W to 250W and the VD range with fans for 90W to370W – will reassure engineers that their applications are not only system efficient, but fully fit for the future anduse minimal resources. Compared with standard motors, the Eta-Plus motors are 33% more efficient and require upto 25% less electrical power. With no need for cooling fins, annoying edges or protrusions, the Eta Plus range are perfect for applications in clean area industries. The smooth housingsurface without troublesome edges and the IP protection class makes it difficult for dirt to build up. As a result, the energy-saving motors can easily be cleanedwith the rest of the equipment.Tel: 01543 271899 Email: john@alldrivesandcontrols.co.ukwww.alldrivesandcontrols.co.uk27:Layout 1 23/2/12 12:19 Page 128www.fdiforum.netCAPS & CLOSURESConvenience is a word which has heldsway in the food and drink packagingsector for a while now. With ever-increasing time restrictions impacting onpeople’s lives, it is no surprise that ademand for easy, time efficient snackfoods and drinks has taken hold. Alongwith this come thoughts of practicalityand ergonomics. Why buy a huge,unwieldy bag of food when a solid, easyto use option is available? Often you willfind snack-sized or miniature versions ofestablished products when it comes tofood and we are seeing an end to thesimple screw-top when it comes tobottling drinks and liquids too. It is asimple case of ergonomics in many cases.Those on the go rarely have time to useboth hands, especially when engaging inintense physical activity, hence the ragefor sports caps in a variety of shapes andsizes. This allows ease of dispensing anda way to prevent spillage when drinks arebeing moved around in unpredictableways. If a drink is also carbonated, itallows gradual escaping of air pressuretoo. This area is not short of innovations,as with the Olympics coming up, theneed for sports drinks is going to increaseand products are being launched withthis in mind. Gateshead-basedentrepreneur Amrik, for example, hasbeen developing Mixicap bottletechnology, which allows users to addflavourings to their drinks at the touch ofa button on the cap. The system isprimarily targeted at the water marketand allows people to add flavourings,sugar and even vitamins and minerals, totheir drink after purchase. The caphouses the additives in both a liquid andsoluble form and even allows consumersto choose how strong they want the tasteto be. While this may seem like agimmick, the strict regimes athletes andthose concerned with health and fitnessfurther demand exact portioning, so thismay be the start of other companiesfollowing suit and cornering an emergingmarket.The ease of opening and reclosinghowever is what most manufacturershave concerned themselves with. WhenKings ofconvenienceWith a growing ‘food-to-go’ market emerging, theways in which caps and closures are presented canbe the difference between success and failure, sowhat innovations have appeared recently?Kings ofconvenience28-29:Layout 1 23/2/12 12:21 Page 1CAPS & CLOSURESwww.fdiforum.net29it comes to on-the-go snacking, freshnessis the issue which demands ease of re-closing. For soft and perishable goodsoften marketed as on-the-go foods, fromsweets to fruit or nuts or biscuits, beingable to eat a portion before saving therest for another time is essential. Thishas seen a rocket in the amount of flip-top, re-sealable packaging available. Aptar have recently delivered twoclosures that take these ideas intoconsideration, the Trilogy and Sim-pull.Each closure features BAP technology,which stands for Bonded Aluminiumlaminate to Plastic, meaning the contentsare kept fresh until opening, then thefreshness is further protected byresealable plastic closures. The Sim-pullhas a flip-lid design, meaning consumerscan operate it with one hand and it canbe easily used for a diverse range ofcontents, from snackfood to granularcontents like sugar.It also comes with achoice of pull ringtypes, somanufacturers canadapt their product’s look totheir specifications. The Trilogy is moresuited to semi-liquid or soft products, butfeatures a whole-lid closure, allowing easeof access and the option to re-seal easierthan usual, forming a tight seal meaningno worry of spillages on the move.It seems that although caps andclosures remain a purely functionalelement of packaging, the ways in whichthey are being used and produced arechanging. Small innovations in this areago a long way and, with advances inmachinery too, we could see some trulynew products in the next few years. Theuse of robotics is making it easier toquickly mass produce such elements too,replacing supply chains by performingseveral tasks at once. For example, CBWAutomation’s high-speed robots combineflip-top closure manufacture with aprocess that negates the need for de-scrambling and closing devices, with theclosure being clicked shut in the moldingprocess. It is small changes like this thatwill see the very best in quality possiblefor the whole industry.PHOTO: APTAR28-29:Layout 1 23/2/12 12:21 Page 2Next >