< Previous30 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netINSTRUMENTATION SHOWCASEDeceptively small photoelectric sensors from ifmelectronicDesigned with wet areas in view, the new O6 WetLine photocells from sensor market leader ifm electronic may besmall, but contain a lot of technology. ifm electronic pioneered the manufacture of truly food-grade sensor housings,and has followed this up with the O6 WetLine – a stainless steel sensor rated IP69K, addressing many needs of userswith wet production areas. The O6 series claims to possess best-in-class optical performance, for a number of reasons. The O6H, a diffusereflection sensor with background suppression, has a sensing distance up to 200 mm, regardless of the colour of thetarget object. Even a black object doesn’t pose a problem. On the O6H, compensation of the detection in the case ofsteam and mist is built-in, and a patent for this novel approach has been applied for.Other problems in a food environment stem from the reflections off stainless steel surfaces. ifm has countered thiswith optics capable of ignoring shiny surfaces not simply behind a target, but also below the light beam path.Compatibility of the housing itself and the materials used with cleaning chemicals has also been independentlyverified by Ecolab and Johnson Diversey. Tel: 020 8213 0000 Email: marketing.gb@ifm.comHorizontal and vertical produce bagging fromErapa (UK)The Crima wrapping machine from Erapa (UK) combines the characteristics of a manual/semi-automatic flowwrapper and form fill and seal machine in one unique, compact package.The ability to be adjusted through horizontal to vertical positions to suit the product or application type provides aflexible solution to a wide range of low to medium volume packaging needs. Coupled with the additional options ofprint registration, date coding and weigh price systems the Crima offers a versatile, cost-effective method for flowpacking trays, vegetables, bakery, pasta and other granular product types as well as non-food items.The Crima is able to run polypropylene, laminated, perforated and polythene films up to 1000mm wide and canproduce bag lengths from as little 10mm to infinity.Contact Erapa (UK) to arrange a demonstration in their Luton showroom, or visit them on Stand A85 at the Total Processing and Packaging exhibition at the NEC,Birmingham, where they will be exhibiting their full range of packaging machinery.Tel: 01582 722462 Email: info@erapa.co.ukNew OPTi refractometer helps deliver consistent product qualityIn today’s competitive marketplace, the need for SMEs to provide consistent product quality has never been greater –especially when seeking new contracts and trying to maintain existing business. The use of refractometers as a quality controltool can help achieve this goal.The new OPTi+ digital hand held refractometers launched by renowned instrument manufacturer Bellingham + Stanley offersversatile measurement of total dissolved solids – commonly expressed as °Brix – across the food and beverage manufacturingprocess.With the OPTi+ available in single or dual scale derivatives covering the 0-95°Brix or scale equivalent, sample specifictemperature compensation and a digital readout, the OPTi+ provides more reliable concentration measurement results than atraditional optical refractometer. Only water is required for daily calibration and, unlike others on the market that use only expensive short life reference materials, the OPTi series has a unique “AGTest Mode” that permits the use of long-life non sucrose based AG Fluid to check instrument performance.Bellingham + Stanley, a Xylem brand, offer a complete range of hand held, laboratory and on-line refractometers suitable for measuring the concentration of solutionsacross a wide application scope within the food and beverage industry. Tel: 01892 500400 Email: sales.bs.uk@xyleminc.com www.bellinghamandstanley.comSimple accurate flow measurement from outside the pipeEvery manager and engineer knows that you need to be able to measure a resource to manage it effectivelyand process or building services flow lines are no different.If you need to establish what’s flowing where in your process or monitor energy flow or water consumptionthe new Portaflow PF330 and PF220 instruments from Micronics offer an effective solution.There is no simpler way than using one of Micronics’ Portaflow Clamp-On range of portable flow meters withintegral loggers, which are acknowledged as the easiest to use in their class. Simple to apply and simple to use, astraightforward question and answer menu provides the facility to collect valuable information with the minimumof fuss or previous knowledge and minimum instruction. When the information has been gathered it can beviewed on the instrument or downloaded for further analysis using industry standard formats.These quick to install, Clamp-On, non-invasive instruments offer simple menu driven operation and provide avaluable return in information for a minimum investment in your valuable time.For further information, call +44 (0)1628 810456 or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com30:Layout 1 19/4/13 11:25 Page 1Food & Drink International 31www.fdiforum.netPACKAGINGCertainly innovations in production in recent years have createdhundreds of new ideas that are being incorporated into packaging – yetthat’s not to say that companies can simply over-indulge inincorporating every new trick in the book as consumers and retailersalike are now on their guard for packaging that appears to be excessive.With security concerns taking on ever increased importance, it’s aconstant juggling act for packaging specialists, as those attending Totalwill testify to.Some packaging specialists think that the sector could well becomeunrecognisable in the near future thanks to the huge changes that arebeing introduced. Andy Barnetson of the Confederation of PaperIndustries, for example, says, “The digital revolution could see thebiggest change to the corrugated industry since the introduction of thecasemakers back in the sixties and seventies. It will require investmentbut the industry is laying the foundations to take advantage of futureinnovation, especially when costs for intelligent packaging are likely toreduce as interactive technology becomes more readily available.“At the turn of the 21st century, corrugated confirmed its position asthe bulk carrier of choice after supermarkets began to populate shelves24/7. Digital technology could now provide the industry with anotheropportunity for growth. We do need to focus on corrugated packagingproviding digital services as I believe it is the future.”Digital technology has certainly provided more flexibility forpackaging design, especially as legal requirements have required muchmore information is on packaging that was previously the case. Manycompanies have introduced QR codes on their products to allowcustomers to receive promotional material and much else, while it alsohas value when it comes to traceability. Cognex, for example, nowoffer intelligent image-based code reading for 1-D oriented barcodereading applications, delivering read rates above 99%. These complex33 ThetotalpicturePackaging has evolved from an effective way totransport goods as safely and securely as possibleto a high-tech, on-shelf advertising tool31-35:Layout 1 19/4/13 12:07 Page 1Constar International is among the world'sleading suppliers of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) plastic containers(preforms, bottles and jars) and one ofEurope's leading manufacturers of HDPEclosures. Both standard and barrier PETbottles are highly sustainable, contributingto the reduction of the carbon footprint forbrand owners and are recyclable inconventional PET reclamation systems.31-35:Layout 1 19/4/13 12:07 Page 2supply chain.The distinctiveness and consumerappeal will therefore tend to comefrom improvements in the quality ofthe material and the reproductionof the design. Companies such asAllied International are enjoyingsuccess with blue-chip clientsthanks to their dedication to usinghigh quality print finishes and topquality material – which sitsperfectly with the luxury brandsthat they are often called upon tocreate packaging solutions for.Ensuring brand colours are exactlyreplicated across a wide range ofproducts is of vital importance toensure instant customerrecognition.The packaging of many of theproducts on retailers’ shelvesremain in the iconic and distinctivedesigns they have kept for manyyears – but while their look hasn’tchanged, the materials used often have tocreate more effective, efficient and securepackaging. Silgan, for example, ate usingmelt-phase Rotary ThermoForming tocreate a new range of bowls designed forheat-sealing with a highbarrierplastic membrane. The containers canbe processed in retorts at up to 130°C andcan run on existing can-filling lines withlimited investment, at conventional speedsand efficiencies. Changes to productionmethods are therefore minimal but theresults are a major step forward.Energy-efficient packaging is an obviousgrowth area and companies such asFood & Drink International 33www.fdiforum.netPACKAGINGapplications previously had to uselaser scanners but can now becarried out far quicker and moreefficiently than ever before – andsupply a great deal moreinformation.Companies such as KitePackaging specialise in packrationalisation which can take acloser look at a company’s portfolioand offer suggestions on howcompanies can reduce andconsolidate their range, allowing forproduct savings because ofincreased production runs, reducedinventory and simplification of thepackaging process. This isparticularly timely now consumersare turning away from packagingthat seems to be excessive, not justdue to concerns over environmentalaspects but also because they canoften get frustrated with fiddly andover-elaborate packaging.That was emphasised at the recentPackaging Innovations show inBirmingham where “openability” cameunder the spotlight at one of the seminarsat the event. Martin Dallas, ManagingDirector at Payne Packaging Solutions,illustrated why companies should putconsumer expectations at the absoluteforefront of their development. He said,“85% of consumers experience some formof frustration with packaging. It is clearfrom the research that functionality playsa major a part in consumers’ perceptionsof good packaging. When packagingworks, it makes people feel good aboutthe product. Equally, a poor pack canhave a deeply negative effect on theirperception of the brand. People arewilling to pay more for easy openingpackaging, and packaging is the primarycommunicator.”Combined with this, though, thechallenge for products more than everbefore is to stand out on the shelves – sothe importance of a distinctive, highquality package is emphasised. Howeverthis distinctive nature has to go hand inhand with convenience in distribution anddisplay. While creativity is all-important,products that require distributors to obtainnew pallets, retailers to invest in newdisplay units and consumers to rearrangetheir kitchen shelves are unlikely to proveparticularly popular at any stage in the34 Shows such as the recentPackaging Innovations eventillustrated the latest thinking inthe sector31-35:Layout 1 19/4/13 12:07 Page 3Intelligent image-based code reading has successfully replaced laser scanners in complex barcode reading applications for years. Now this premium technology is available for 1-D oriented barcode reading applications, delivering read rates above 99%.Upgrade your laser barcode scanners now. Visit us at www.cognex.com/tryit for a FREE 30 DAY TRIAL!Try it, Buy itMeet the DataMan 50. The tiny image-based barcode reader that brings big performance to 1-D barcode reading applications.Read it. Don’t Scan it.34 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netPACKAGINGSmurfit Kappa rotatedthe direction of thecorrugations on the E-corrugated board tocreate an innovativepackaging solution thatcan avoid any part of thebox being damagedConstar are concentrating onhigh quality products such asPET bottles and HDPEclosures, which offerexceptional energy efficiencyqualities. Indeed the companyis now concentrating on plasticpackaging for technologicallyadvanced and specialityapplications – the likes of hotfillbeverage packaging which are growingat an exceptionally fast rate.Innovations certainly seem to be making a difference. FEFCO, theEuropean Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers, arereporting that in the three years to 2011, their members’ carbonfootprint has reduced by 4.8% – on top of the reduction of 11.7% inthe preceding three years. The average carbon footprint ofcorrugated packaging has been reduced since 2009 from 784 kg/t to746 kg/t, thanks in part to a considerable drop in electricity usage.New big boilers for bark and other biofuels combined with steamturbines are now consistently use used for electricity production. Inaddition, the input of recycled paper into new corrugated hasincreased from 82% in 2009 to 85% in 2012.At the Packaging Innovation conference, James Averdieck,founder of Gü Chocolate Puds, talked about the importance ofpackaging in brand positioning. He said, “Brands don’t come to lifeuntil the conception of packaging. The key ingredient is having agood product and making it look a million dollars. You make apromise with the brand and packaging, then the product inside hasto live up to that promise.”Certainly the quality of products available on the supermarketshelves has never been higher, and it’s up to those responsible forpackaging to ensure that this is emphasised with strong brands andefficient, attractive and convenient packaging.Theaveragecarbon footprint ofcorrugated packaging has been reduced since2009 from 784 kg/t to746 kg/t, thanks inpart to a considerabledrop in electricityusage31-35:Layout 1 19/4/13 12:07 Page 4Food & Drink International 35www.fdiforum.netPACKAGINGExtended rangefrom Silgan PlasticFood ContainersSilgan Plastic Food Containers has extended its rangeof stock and bespoke high-barrier plastic microwave-able containers for long shelf-life, ambient,convenience foods.Some packs aredesigned to bedouble-seamedwith an easy-openor easy-peel metalend and run onexisting can-fillinglines with limitedinvestment, atconventional speeds and efficiencies. A new range of bowls hasbeen introduced that are designed for heat-sealing with a high-barrier plastic membrane. The containers can be processed inretorts at up to 130°C. They are produced using Silgan’s unique,melt-phase Rotary ThermoForming, which offers customersunrivalled technical and commercial advantages, including superiormaterial distribution and retort performance.Having been previously owned by Rexam plc, Silgan PlasticFood Containersis a new divisionof Silgan Inc andnow enjoys over75% of the plastichigh-barrier foodcontainer marketin the US.Nick Brewin,Sales andMarketing Director, says, “This is a very exciting time for SilganPlastic Food Containers in Europe. Despite the difficult economictimes, food manufacturers are still keen to develop newconvenience food packs, to breath fresh life into existing brandnames and to tap into the growing demand for easy to cook andeat, nutritious and good quality ambient ready meals – ideal forpeople in a hurry and ‘on the go’.“Silgan has a unique range of stock, polypropylene, standardcan-size containers that can be double-seamed, thus enablingtraditional canners access to this growing market and differentiatetheir products on the super-market shelves, but without having tomake major investment.”For more information, contact Nick Brewin atnick.brewin@silganpfc.com.Packaging Specialistsdeliver innovative andcreative packagingsolutionsAllied International has recently supplied luxury packaging forthe rebranding of one of Ireland’s premium chocolatiers. NatashaMcNeill, New Business Director, says, “It was extremely importantto the chocolatier that the quality of packaging materials and printfinishes were a match for their new premium branding. “We supplied them with a range of packaging from Rigid Boxesand Soft Pouches to Ribbons and Wrapping Paper.” The packaging was produced in specialist factories that have arange of certification including ISO, BRC, and FSC. AlliedInternational ensured brand colours were properly replicated andproduced across the full range, which was launched early 2013. Thereaction to the new design and packaging has been extremelypositive and initial sales have been hugely elevated.Allied International prides itself in delivering innovative andcreative packaging solutions to companies. Their concepts andproblem solving are outstanding and they stay current on globalemerging trends in design, materials, processes and solutions.Their full service is customised to their customers needs and theyprovide value-added support to the customers to help achieveresults such as reduced time on packing lines and less packagingwaste. Allied International supply packaging to many prestige brands,from confectionery and gifting to tea and coffee manufactures.They ensure high quality, creativity and precise reliability. Finalpackaging can be found on the shelves of Marks & Spencers, Tesco,Co-Op, Lakeland and Airport Duty Frees to name a few, as well asmany smaller retailers.Tel: +353 (0) 18809150 Fax: +353 (0) 18809125Email: info@alliedinternational.ie www.alliedinternational.ie31-35:Layout 1 19/4/13 12:07 Page 536 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netFRUIT & VEGETABLE PROCESSINGHandling, preparing andpackaging fruit and vegetables isone of the most challenging taskswithin the food and drink industry.What help is out there to makesure your operations runsmoothly with such delicate andperishable goods?Because of its very nature, processingfresh fruit and vegetables is always achallenge - especially soft fruit. Withautomation running quickly in mostdefault settings, the need to be carefulwith fruit and vegetables is integral.Where most equipment would bruise,puncture or render most fruit inedible,there is machinery out there that canmean protection is part of the process.Machinery that cushions and preventsdrops from any sort of height mean lesswaste and a more integral product at theend of the process. The use of robots which come withbespoke attachments for picking andplacing also means processing oftenhugely varying sizes of fruit or vegetable isbecoming easier. Able to be used withpotted, netted, tubbed or trayed pieces,automated solutions are being made easierwith the use of intelligent and adaptivetechnology. Dennis Allison of Pacepackerexplains, “Pick and place is an area ofautomation which has historically beenwidely overlooked due to the complexityof packing irregular products. However itis also a labour intensive operation whichcan lead to product wastage due to humanerror.”For those looking for cost-effectiveoptions, use of pre-owned or second handrobotics is becoming more common. Oftenadapted from the automotive industry, it’sa great way to save on time-consumingpicking operations and used at the lesscomplex stages of handling, could be aboon for smaller operators. Using stepped gravity drops is oneingenious development in recent yearsthat means automation is possible atrespectable rates, rather than relying onoperatives processing fruit and vegetablesby hand. Equipment that can be movedround production facilities is alsoavailable, meaning several lines can berunning at the same time without fear theproduce will spoil. When netting productssuch as peppers, lemons or oranges,packaging machinery needs to be gentle sothat the product remains unspoiled.Innovations have meant that machineryreleased in the last few years includescushioned drops, soft-headed movingparts and has integrated inspectionelements too. Inspection and detectionInspecting fruit and vegetables forforeign bodies has also moved on, with X-ray technology becoming more impressiveand perhaps more importantly, affordable.The ability to find otherwise hiddenparticles of gravel, pieces of plastic orother contaminants is incredibly useful.This is particularly of use for companiesdealing with products that use fruit withinother products such as those producingcereals or mixes of seeds, nuts and fruitwhere detection becomes harder toquantify.Inspection and detection has also meantinnovation introducing alternatives to X-rays too. Beaming intense light throughfruit in particular can show up foreignbodies such as insects or impurities notvisible on the outside. The great stepFruits ofOUR LABOURPHOTO: COGNEXAutomated andaccurateinspection isreplacing manualoperatives,meaning a moreregulatedappearance andquality for fruitand vegetables.36-37:Layout 1 19/4/13 11:41 Page 1Food & Drink International 37www.fdiforum.netIntelligent image-based code reading has successfully replaced laser scanners in complex barcode reading applications for years. Now this premium technology is available for 1-D oriented barcode reading applications, delivering read rates above 99%.Upgrade your laser barcode scanners now. Visit us at www.cognex.com/tryit for a FREE 30 DAY TRIAL!Try it, Buy itMeet the DataMan 50. The tiny image-based barcode reader that brings big performance to 1-D barcode reading applications.Read it. Don’t Scan it.Use of robotics is seeing an increaseduptake, particularly among smallerbusinesses who are embracing thesecond hand and used robot market.PHOTO: PACEPACKERforward with these elements of inspection is that the light methodcan see inside the fruit without the need to puncture the skin oreven touch the fruit at all. Particularly helpful for water-rich fruit, ithas seen a large take-up in the industry alongside x-rays.Use of vision technology is also becoming more widespread. Tomake sure products are of a regulation appearance, using high-definition camera technology that can recognise size, colour, weightand shape is essential. Cognex recently worked in tandem with Design Synergy to install asystem that could correctly and effectively for a major food retailer.Retrofitted, the main advantages of using such a system are theamount of variation that can be programmed into the settings.Variation in colour, for example, is something that retailers frownupon when it comes to displaying fruit. Bananas generally need tomeet a certain hue of yellow or green - too green and consumers willbe put off due to lack of ripeness and too black or spotted black andconsumers will not select due to shelf life issues. The ability toprogramme in parameters that are more exacting than the human eyeis something to aim for.36-37:Layout 1 19/4/13 11:41 Page 238-41:Layout 1 19/4/13 11:42 Page 1Food & Drink International 39www.fdiforum.netACCURACY & MEASUREMENTAnyone dealing with bulk materials in theproduction process and trying to convertthem into standard packs will be aware ofthe issue of variation – and where this isn’tstandardised with the calculation ofappropriate control limits, operators willunwittingly create more problems throughover adjustment.Effective fill control requires both AverageQuantity Law and the setting of appropriatecontrol limits. Yet even though AverageQuantity Law has been with us since thelate seventies, many companies fail toappreciate the importance of this. In sodoing, they fail to optimise performance andcontinue to overfill unnecessarily.As Roy Green, Managing Director ofHarford Control, points out, “One of thebiggest misunderstandings we have heard isthat companies can’t pack their products toAverage Quantity Law as there is too muchvariation in their product or process, so theyhave to pack to Minimum Quantity.“In reality, the companies whose productshave the greatest natural or processvariation are the ones who stand to gain themost. The reasons for this are containedwithin natural variation. The more variationa process contains, the greater the demandfor more sophisticated analyses such asstatistical process control. To simplymeasure the average and compare this withthe nominal (declared) quantity and promptan adjustment accordingly, would be toobasic and actually counter-productive, wherevariation exists. Analysis of variation usingstatistical process control techniques, andthe setting of control limits determined byactual process variation, is essential in orderto optimise materials utilisation withminimal risk of failure against the legalstandard and with minimal overfills.“Average Quantity legislation is soundlybased upon the guiding principles ofstatistical process control and must rate asone of the few pieces of governmentlegislation to actually help manufacturersreduce costs, but greater benefits come fromimproved understanding.”Average Quantity Law allows generoustolerances. Consequently, a manufacturerpacking product to 1kg, for example, couldhave a high standard deviation of maybe 5gCompanies continue to suffer from unnecessaryproduct giveaway, but optimisation inmeasurement is easy to achieve41 PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/HYWIT DIMYADIOn the LEVELOn the LEVEL38-41:Layout 1 19/4/13 11:42 Page 2Next >