< Previous30www.fdiforum.netFLOW MEASUREMENT & CONTROLproducts and much more. Being able to see through densematerial such as cheese will give you an idea of quality notavailable in any other way. This kind of product allows you to testquality and to record a fantastic amount of information. Knowing what is happening within machinery is surely a boonfor companies dealing with vast amounts of material, often on alarge scale on a daily basis. Easily programmable equipment anddisplays giving you accurate information as it happens isadvantageous if you wish to keep a keen eye on your productionline. Knowing what has gone into the constitution of a product atthe finished stage will also provide peace of mind, knowing youare sending a quality product out into the market. To keep thingsrunning smoothly requires effective monitoring, if you let thisslide, there may be wider implications to your entire line,meaning costly repairs to other equipment. Go with the flow - itpays to in the long run.The handheld version of Rotronic’sHydroPalm can give you humidity andwater content readingsPHOTO: ROTRONICThe Ultraflo from Micronics gives readingssimply from being placed on the conduitPHOTO: MICRONICS28-30:Layout 1 19/4/12 11:43 Page 3INSTRUMENTATION SHOWCASEwww.fdiforum.net31ifm electronic Compact flow monitoring in hygienic areasAdjustment to the flow and setting of the switch points are carried out using a pushbutton. Flow and switch pointare indicated by multicolour LEDs directly on the unit. The unit offers high repeatability to ensure optimum processconsistency. The sensor can be individually, in accordance with the application, adjusted using the teach function. Atthe same time the sensor enables the detection of separation layers (water / air). Electronic locking of the settings andfactory reset of the parameters provide additional safety.• Prepared and tested for process fittings of hygienic areas.• Suitable for medium temperatures up to 120 °C.• LED bar graph for indication of switch point and flow.• Process adapters available as accessories.• Material (wetted parts) high-grade stainless steel (1.4435 / 316L).ifm electronic Ltd Kingsway Business Park Oldfield Road Hampton Middlesex TW12 2HD Tel: 020 8213 0000 Email: enquiry.gb@ifm.com www.ifm.com/ukLabfacility launch L200 8-channel digital PRT thermometerThe Labfacility L200-PT Pt100 thermometer can be used in conjunction with a PC to provide accurate,versatile eight channel temperature measurement, scanning and logging of measured values. It can also be usedas a standalone 8-channel indicator/ logger and incorporates a digital display of measured temperature.The in-built, self-calibration facility is a rapid and convenient method for on-site calibration and does notrequire any additional equipment other than two special, close tolerance resistors.The L200 is designed to provide exceptional stability with high measurement resolution and represents anideal crossover between plant practicality and laboratory performance at a very competitive price. The PCsoftware supplied with the instrument allows control, measure, logging and calibration functions. The eightinput channels accept Pt100, 3-wire sensors with up to 100m leads.Display resolution is 0.01°C and the integral backlit LCD display can indicate selected channels or automatically scroll through all inputs. The measuredtemperature can be displayed in °C or °F. Communications are provided via a USB port. The L200 is CE marked, RoHS compliant and has a two year warranty.Visit www.L200temperaturemonitor.com for more information, product video and downloads.Tel: 01243 871280/ 01909 569446 Email: info@labfacility.co.uk www.labfacility.co.ukLitre Meter LimitedLitre Meter’s high-performance Tricor Coriolis meters backed by original design expertiseUK flowmeter specialist Litre Meter is distributing a range of coriolis flowmeters from US-based manufacturer Tricor that isbacked by the engineering expertise of designers involved in many of the original patents for coriolis technology.Tricor’s engineers have been developing coriolis flow instrumentation technology since its inception. The meters aredesigned and engineered in the United States, manufactured, calibrated and tested at a state-of-the-art facility in Germanythen distributed in the United Kingdom and Europe by Litre Meter. Litre Meter CEO Charles Wemyss said: “Tricor may be a new name on the scene but Tricor engineers have been intimatelyinvolved with the development and evolution of coriolis flow instrumentation since the beginning.“Our customers can be confident that, as well as the expertise and back-up of our own engineers, they will benefit from high performance coriolis technologysupported by the very gurus who crafted the originals.”Coriolis meters are used in a wide range of applications worldwide in the oil and gas, petrochemical, food and beverage and life sciences sectors. Litre Meter isnow able to supply the full Tricor range of coriolis instruments to its UK customers.Litre Meter Limited Hart Hill Barn Granborough Road North Marston Buckinghamshire MK18 3RZTel: +44 1296 670200 www.litremeter.com Instrumentation ShowcaseWith increased interest in health and safety, companies increasingly have to ensure the absolute integrity of their products. Fortunately,sophisticated instrumentation is now ensuring businesses can offer guarantees on the make-up and the quality of their goods.Often retailers demand that manufacturers don’t just adhere to existing legislation but actually go beyond it, supplying extremely detailed productinformation to ensure complete traceability at every step of the way. The latest instrumentation allows for highly accurate readings to be taken toallow them to adhere to these requirements, thus giving them an edge of their competitors. The specialists featured on this page continue toinnovate – and help businesses reach the highest standards.31:Layout 1 19/4/12 10:17 Page 132www.fdiforum.netCONVEYINGSuch is the speed of the supply chain at present that many arelooking at increased automation and need to incorporateeffective conveying into the general production process.Effective conveying makes a major difference thanks to thesheer number of jobs in which it has to do – transporting rawmaterials and cuts onto further processing, serving as a link fromone process of automation to another, or transporting thefinished product to final distribution among them. The challengenow is to find the conveyor that will most effectively fit with theprocessor’s requirements.Fortunately, there are a host of new ideas that make the bestuse of innovative design and proven technology to createversatile conveyor solutions. Span Tech, for example, offer a fullline of straight, curving, and helical conveyors, all featuring fully-captured no-catenary chain design for quiet operation. One oftheir designs that are of use for the food and drink industry arethe continuous curving, plastic-chain Designer System conveyors,which are truly modular and capable of multiple horizontal andvertical bends within one design. The interchangeability of theDesigner System allows Span Tech to cover a variety ofcustomised applications with one conveyor design.A modular approach is proving highly valuable for manyproducers. One notable concept is the VarioFlow modularconveyor range, which comes in widths from 65mm to 320mm,and can be supplied in open section aluminium and stainlesssteel for harsher environments. VarioFlow conveyors, which areavailable from PCE Automation, have a link strength thatenables longer conveyor sections per drive set, giving lowercapital costs, lower energy usage and transfer points. Because thevaried range allows business to replace large numbers of shortconveyors from a variety of suppliers, customers have smallerparts inventory and simpler maintenance.Health and safety is also an obvious challenge for manyproducers. A major issue when it comes to conveying is theamount of static generated that can attract air-borne particles.The latest conveyors make use of air ionising to neutralise staticby totally enclosing the belt conveyor in polycarbonate hingedcovers. This means all product passes through the ionised air andtherefore eliminates any possibility of contamination.34 Smooth and secureThe new breed of conveyors combine speed and efficiency with increased safetyfeatures - ensuring a smooth-running production lineMettler Toledo Safeline’s ProfileSelect rectangular detectors aredesigned for easy integration withconveyor systems to fully automateinspection processes – a greatexample of how conveyors are nowbeing integrated into theproduction process32-35:Layout 1 19/4/12 10:18 Page 132-35:Layout 1 19/4/12 10:18 Page 234www.fdiforum.netCONVEYINGPCE Automation LtdProviders of world class automation solutions to the rigid plastics packaging and other marketswww.pce-automation.co.ukIn fact, such is the importance of avoiding contamination, it’soften recommended that outsized conveying systems should beavoided to reduce the likelihood of ingredients from one productgetting mixed up with the next item on the belt – the samereason as to why mixers and vessels shouldn’t be underfilled.A spirit of consolidation in the industry has meant that manybusinesses are now having to cope with a growing amount ofproduct and machinery in a far smaller space than has ever beenthe case. This requirement has led to the rise of horizontalmotion conveyors, such as those supplied by Heat and Control.Their FastBack horizontal motion conveyors convey product upinclines of eight degrees with their ClimbBack conveyor pan. Aswell as saving space, the FastBack conveyors are said to reduceproduct breakage up to 60% compared to vibratory conveyors,and they eliminate unscheduled cleaning downtime becauseproduct coatings don’t build up in the conveyor pan.Other kinds of conveyor can also be installed in horizontal,vertical and angular settings, such as the screw conveyors,suitable for conveying powders and granules, that are availablefrom the Spirotech Group. As well as conveying, they can beused as feeders and to control material flow in processingoperations, and also as mixers, agitators or stirrers within avariety of processes.Another way in which space can be saved on the productionline is via a series of conveyors that can be placed on top of eachother. UPM Conveyors, for example, are providing solutions forFairtrade vegetable specialists Finlay’s Fresh Produce. Theanswer to their requirements was based on a triple decker beltconveyor to allow four operators per side to transfer productfrom the lower conveyor to fill boxes on the middle conveyorwith empty boxes being transferred on the top roller conveyor ata rate of 2000 kilos per hour. UPM were selected due to theirability to offer bespoke solutions to product handling in Kenyawhere trouble free operation and zero maintenance are priorities.The move towards efficiency and space-saving has also led to aseries of versatile integrated systems that can convey while alsodoing other jobs. Heat and Control’s FastBack Sizing andSeparating Conveyor, for example, uses gentle tumbling thatdistributes products across a perforated drum for efficientseparation by size or removal of unwanted product particles –and easily interchangeable drums are available with differentopenings. This can also be illustrated by the number ofconveyors that also incorporate vision systems, or other forms ofinspection, to allow for continual review of the quality of theproduct without repeatedly needing to stop.Such is the importance of an effective conveying systems thatproducers have a number of questions to ask before they makethe commitment in purchasing and installing the new system.With this in mind, a growing number of companies are makinguse of design software that can visualise the potential placementand operation of the conveyor system.With this becoming increasingly valuable, UPM Conveyorshave invested around £50,000 in 3D mechanical solid modellingdesign software for creating these digital prototypes. Thisbenefits their customers in being able to visualise the proposedsolution for a product handling application. The image can berotated through 360 degrees, therefore eliminating any risk ofthe system not interfacing to existing equipment and beingaccommodated within the allocated production area. The newsoftware also includes assembly stress analysis allowing the inputChiorino UK have supplied Galletas Gullon with 20 HP conveyor beltsto work on their IMAFONI conveyors. The belts are used to transportcookies for most of their production cycle during which aggressive oilsare released, and the new Chiorino HP belts prove very resistant to oilsas well as fats and various chemicals such as detergents32-35:Layout 1 19/4/12 10:18 Page 3CONVEYINGwww.fdiforum.net35of driving loads; friction characteristics and dynamic componentsso they can run dynamic simulation tests to see how a productwould work under real world conditions.Many businesses have doubtless have to consider theirconveying options since the EU 1935/2004 regulation, and theassociated directives, came into force. The ruling ensures thatmaterials that come into contact with food should be safe, andmake as little impact on the products as possible – and thatmeans the belts now not only have to comply with the2002/72/EC directive, but also new 2007/42/EC and 2008/39/ECdirectives. They must meet increasingly rigorous criteriaregarding the chemical substances used in their production, andalso in what quantity these substances are used. The newestconveying solutions do, of course, pass all these tests with flyingcolours.A worrying development in recent years has been whatappears to be a growing number of accidents involving conveyingsystems, with workers becoming injured, in some cases fatally,after getting caught within the machinery of the conveyors.Though this is still a rare occurrence, two UK firms have alreadybeen fined in 2012 for accidents caused by sloppy health andsafety procedures on the production line. This shouldn’t have tobe the case, though, as the new conveying systems are far saferthan ever before, thanks to the use of guards to avoid workersgetting too close. In addition, the smaller amount of movingparts on the new conveyors, making it easier to identifymalfunctioning equipment and to clean, also has an impact onlowering potential flashpoints.Conveying systems are of huge importance for the industry soit’s vital companies make the right decision. Fortunately, thelatest systems can meet all requirements.UPM Conveyors’ tripledecker belt conveyor allowsfour operators per side totransfer product from thelower conveyor to fill boxeson the middle conveyorwith empty boxes beingtransferred on the toproller conveyor – at a rateof 2000 kilos per hour32-35:Layout 1 19/4/12 10:18 Page 4Invaluable advice fromindustry specialistsMeet the expert36www.fdiforum.netIntelligent strategies and practical solutionsEngineering Energy PerformanceWe can’t cook, bake, blanche or pasteuriseWe can reduce your costs and lower your emissionsFor a winning performance callJRP Solutions on 01454 299175or visit us at www.jrpsolutions.comFind out withPEATwww.eco3.co.ukinfo@eco3.co.uk01530 563330www.clearstreamsoluons.ie Europe +353 (0)1 297 3390 USA +1 828 581 033136-37:Layout 1 19/4/12 11:44 Page 1www.fdiforum.net37JRP SolutionsA catalyst for changeJRP Solutions, the UK based business improvement specialist, have developed an innovative new methodology designed to reduce processenergy consumption by up to 30%.This new methodology, called Energy Catalyst, has been developed in collaboration with a select number of JRP’s existing customers fromacross a number of industry sectors to help manufacturing businesses reduce their operating costs whilst also lowering their emissions.The current and potential energy performance of individual assets, process lines, buildings or even sites are evaluated and certified using a similarA – G system to that used for domestic white goods. Practical improvement opportunities that will close the energy performance gaps are identified,evaluated and costed before being uploaded to a Continuous Improvement database, used to drive implementation and measure performance. In recognising the resource constraints many businesses experience, JRP are able to manage the implementation programme from capitalapproval and tender analysis to project management. And where capital investment is required the typical payback of less than 18 monthsmeets the investment criteria of most businesses.Jes Rutter JRP Solutions founder and Managing Director, commented, “We recognised food manufacturers were aware that 80-90% oftheir energy is used within the conversion process but there was no tool that would help reduce the process energy consumption. Thedevelopment of the Energy Catalyst is an exciting prospect not just for us but all manufacturing businesses.”Further information is available from JRP Solutions via www.jrpsolutions.com or by calling 01454 299175.Lakeviewproviding the springboard for successful growth at Natural Balance FoodsNatural Balance Foods boasts a range of healthy cereal bars and flavour-infused raisin snacks that can be found in ‘free from’ sections ofTesco, Waitrose, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Boots, Holland & Barrett and other stores. The pressure increased substantially when Natural Balance Foods successfully extended its product listing with Tesco. Co-founder GregCombs says, “This meant seven-day delivery and coping with a wide range of volume requirements, which resulted in a ten-fold increase inthe number of transactions.”Previously an order was handled seven times by individual staff. With the Lakeview system this has been cut and manual intervention isonly required twice throughout the process. Greg Combs says, “This has freed up our back-office staff to undertake much more valuabletasks on behalf of the business and our customers.”Work is currently underway to incorporate an iPad app and web client to allow remote access to the Lakeview system.For more information visit www.lakeview.co.uk/food or call the Lakeview team on 0845 388 3329.Eco3 and Clearstream Solutionspresent the Packaging Environmental assessment toolPEAT is a new online packaging tool to help companies measure and report on the environmental performance of packaging, incompliance with international standards. The tool provides a set of metrics and reports for internal and external use including Walmart,CDP, EU Essential Packaging Requirements. Data sets are sourced from the most up to date global best practice resources using LCA anda PAS2050 approach.PEAT allows you to undertake an end-to-end supply chain assessment of the primary, secondary and transit impacts of packaging andcustomised versions of the tool are available to ensure it meets your exact requirements. Assessment outputs from PEAT include, but arenot limited to, carbon, water, recyclability, volumetrics, toxicity and a wide range of other critical environmental life cycle impacts.Eco3 and Clearstream Solutions have extensive experience of packaging assessment in the food and drink, clothing, software,pharmaceuticals and electronics sectors Clients include Diageo, Mars, Honeywell, Microsoft, Next, B&Q, Northern Foods, Pacombi andCert Brands. They cut through “green wash” and deliver clear straightforward help, advice and support, ensuring your packaging will standout for all the right reasons.To find out more, email PEAT@eco3.co.uk.36-37:Layout 1 19/4/12 11:44 Page 238www.fdiforum.netENVIRONMENTAL SPOTLIGHTThe food and drink sector isleading the way inenvironmental efficienciesbut there is still plenty ofroom for improvement. The environment has always been atouchy issue, and yet it has never gainedso much political and media attention asit has in the last few years. The foodindustry has certainly not been sparedfrom its gaze. Research shows thatconsumers are ever more aware of theenvironmental aspects surrounding aparticular product, and have evenchanged their shopping habits in regardsto these facts. What this all will mean forthe manufacturer of food and drink isthat retailers may soon excludecompanies whose environmental plansare not up to date, if the EU doesn’t getthere first with new sanctions! Though green issues have been aroundfor a while, it is only now that the EUhas truly started to crack down on certainissues, and when supermarkets such asTesco claim that the environment is nowfirmly at the “heart” of the company’sbusiness – then it might be time to listen. To truly become a green company is acommitment that takes a long time toachieve, and a not unsubstantial level ofinvestment. Considering many foodmanufacturers and companies will havefactories that have been in operation forwell over twenty years, suggesting thatthey change all their equipment to thelatest models will be completelyunfeasible. As in most businesses,production of food and drink is aboutgaining the most profit possible from theinitial ingredients, while maintaining theconsumer price and appeal of theproduct. As such changes or newinstallations to a plant really need tohave an immediate cost benefit that canbe expected, before they will realisticallybe considered.Waste water remains one of the largestsources of environmental impact as aresult of the food and drink industry.Water is used in nearly all forms of themanufacturing process, from washingvegetables to animal slaughter and meatprocessing. With the large scale offactories catering for hundreds ofthousands of products, there is potentialfor vast amounts of water to be used inthe process at all stages. The problem isthat the water needs to remain clean anddecontaminated in all stages of theprocess, especially prior to its release intothe environment, or re-use by thecompany.Water that has been used to washvegetables will immediately have beencontaminated with high levels of smallparticle matter and dissolved organics,and in some cases surfactants. This canlead to a large biochemical oxygendemand - how long it takes naturaloxygen organisms to break down theorganic matter in a normal environmentsituation. Keeping a low BOD levelmeans that when the waste water isreleased into the environment, natureFrom air to water, everything thatis used in the food manufacturingprocess is at some point releasedback into the environment. Balancing environmentand economyBalancing environmentand economy38-41:Layout 1 20/4/12 10:58 Page 1ENVIRONMENTAL SPOTLIGHTwww.fdiforum.net39can remove the impurities naturally, withlittle impact on the greater environment.Water used in meat processing howevercan obviously have a far greater impact.In all stages of the process the water willbe in contact with animal matter fromblood, to guts and their contents. Thisresults in the water being contaminatedwith large amounts of not only antibioticsand growth hormones, but also pesticidesused on the animal to prevent parasites. Even the final stages of preparing aproduct for sale can contaminate usedwater with organic material, salt, flavoursand colourings and various forms of acidand alkali. For fatty foods this can alsolead to dangerous quantities of oils andfats being left in the water. Not only willthis have a negative impact on theenvironment if released, but it will alsocause high levels of fouling on a facility’spipelines, requiring increased levels ofmaintenance and downtime for themanufacturer. In today’s current climate,both results are unacceptable. There are numerous ways to deal withthe different levels of waste watertreatment, and often it’s important tocarefully identify what undesirablematerials are contaminating your water,and tailoring the solution towards thatgoal. Taking cheap options that leadtowards acceptably decontaminated wastewater is a method that is often used inother industries such as the iron andsteel industry, but where the finalproduct is being ingested by humans aswith our own industry, a more carefuland thorough package is essential. UV disinfection remains one of themost successful methods atdecontaminating waste water. It works byfiring small UV wavelengths that areshorter than visible light and this breaksthe molecular bonds of micro-organismalDNA, destroying their ability toreproduce and then killing them. Highlyeffective at decontaminating a range ofdifferent organisms, the only real failingof UV disinfection was that it had to beaimed at specific areas and might misssomething. This, however, is a problem that iscompletely nullified in waste watertreatment. Unlike other forms of UVdisinfection, waste water can be kept andstored in a water tank, or pumped in aclosed circuit, allowing the UV tocarefully decontaminate 99% of thewater. The treatment itself does notdeposit any further chemicals into thewater, the UV passes through the waterand then leaves once more. UVdisinfection can be used in other parts ofthe production process, from disinfectingchillers and cooling tanks, to treatingfood products and sucrose-based syrupsdirectly. In many cases this cancompletely negate the need forpasteurisation.The benefits of UV decontaminationare not just environmental. As Hanoviapoint out, it also has huge impacts onfood hygiene and safety, particularly inthe drinks industry where water willmore commonly be used as an ingredientin the final product itself. Failing to havea careful hygiene plan in place willeventually lead to problems that can40 UV disinfection remains the mostefficient way to treat wastewater PHOTO BY HANOVIA38-41:Layout 1 20/4/12 10:58 Page 2Next >