< Previoust.FFUPWFSMFBEJOHTVQQMJFSTt/FUXPSLXJUIJOEVTUSZQFFSTBOECVJMEOFXDPOUBDUTt4FFBOJNQSFTTJWFMJOFVQPGCSBOETBOEFYQFSUTJOBQSPHSBNNFPGGSFF-FBSOTIPQTt1MVTMPUTNPSF16 & 17 September 2015 0MZNQJB-POEPO94% 0'7*4*5034.&55)&*30#+&$5*7&499% 0'7*4*5034'06/%5)&*37*4*550#&8035)8)*-&Register for free at: XXXFBTZGBJSTDPN1*-POEPOXXXFBTZGBJSTDPN-VYVSZ1BDLBHJOH0''*$*"-.&%*"1"35/&34)084611035&344*-7&3410/4034(0-%4611035&343&(*45&3NOW19-23_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:50 Page 2Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKINGCoding Management and Packaging Verification Solutionswww.autocodingsystems.commanufacturing facility in any given day,there is also a necessity for a flawless andefficiency system that can work with batchesof well over 10,000 individual products. Allof this with minimal downtime, efficientenergy usage and unparalleled accuracy. The task only becomes more complex asthe amount of details required on labelsincreases, and with the new Food LabellingRegulations that came into force lastDecember, many companies foundthemselves struggling with increasingburdens. Ideally the goal for labelapplication should always be automation,but that is not always the ideal solution.This was the problem faced by premiumdesserts manufacturer Pots & Co, whoexperienced rapid expansion that saw theirweekly production increasing from 10,000 to60,000 within the space of two years. Theirlabelling for sell-by dates used to be hand-stamped, which was a manageable solutionwhen they were producing 2,000 desserts aday, but quickly became impossible whenthe volume increased by five to six times. As Operations Director Fraser Thomsonpoints out, “Cash was tight in the early daysand we weren’t in a position to throw£80,000 at a packaging line.” The solutionprovided by coding specialists Rotech, wasan RF2 offline sleeve coding system – astandalone friction feed overprinting systemthat would enable Pots & Co to codesleeves offline and bring them to theproduction line already printed. The speedof the machine would allow the company topre-code the sleeves for an entire day’sproduction in less than an hour, withoutthe need for a complicated assembly orpackaging line. Fraser says “The RF2 prints date andbatch codes with ease in the correct positioneach and every time. Without the Rotechcoder we would have needed three peoplededicated to hand stamping sleeves and,apart from anything else, it would bedifficult to find three people willing to dothat.” Rotech specified a system that usedthermal inkjet rather than continuous inkjetprinting, to better suit the company’ssituation. Rotech’s Director Richard Petherexplains, “CIJ is fine if you are leaving theprinter running all the time, but not sogreat if you want to run it intermittentlythroughout the day, which is the typicalusage pattern at Pots & Co. TIJ is a muchcleaner, easier-to-use technology, that youcan switch on and off as frequently as youneed to, without having to run a cleaningprogramme every time.” Rotech’s RF2 Offline sleevecoding systemROTECH22 Á19-23_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:50 Page 3Label PrintersBizerba GLP label printers can be used for product labelling with shipping and warehouse labels in the food processing industry, in the manufacturing industry and in logistics. In combination with Bizerba weighing technology it is the perfect entry in manual price labelling.Weigh Price Labelling System GLM-ImaxxBased on individual requirements the GLM-Imaxx flexibly adjusts to all kinds of requirements such as package sizes and label types. And thanks to numerous hardware and software components this system can be gradually expanded.Weigh Price Labelling System GLM-IevoSetting new standards with the GLM-Ievo series. Thanks to the modular design and an output of up to 200 packages/minute there are no limits for today's and future requirements in the industrial food area. These fully automatic weigh price labellers are impressive in terms of flexibility, robustness and functions such as .Plug-In® LabelWeigh Price Labelling System GLM-EExact weighing, accurate labelling, saving time. The GLM-E series offers a sophisticated concept in space-saving design which has proven successful as entry level class of fully automatic weigh price labellers. And that’s not all: It can be used as a stand-alone device with manual feeding or be integrated into existing production lines.LabelsOriginal Bizerba quality labels have what it takes for legal requirements, consumer information and advertising effectiveness. They are perfectly coordinated with Bizerba labeling systems and are particularly economical and innovative. Flexible production according to customized design requirements. 01908 682740info@bizerba.co.ukwww.bizerba.com22 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKINGOffline systems such as thisare an ideal way for companiesto automate their labelling orcoding without the need forinvestment in larger packaginglines. While more automatedpackaging lines can be moreefficient for manufacturersdealing with higher levels ofstock, offline systems are perfectfor companies that are eitheractively expanding, or whoseproducts are not quite so mass-produced, for instance hand-made artisan goods. Automating the process ispreferred wherever possiblehowever, even when dealingwith relatively low levels ofthroughput in a factory.Automation not only increasesspeed in terms of unitsprocessed, but also offersreliability in terms of where andhow the label is applied, howcorrect the information is, andhow quickly a labelling systemcan be changes to account for adifferent product line. One suchsolution is to invest in someform of auto coding system,which can work to automate thecoding and marking elements ofa labelling system. “In simple terms, anAutoCoding system insuresagainst any potential coding andpackaging errors, as well asproviding additional benefitssuch as increased speed andreliability of the line set-up anda reduction in job change overtime,” explains a spokespersonfrom AutoCoding Systems. Many people use AutoCodingto meet retailer codes of practicerelating to coding and packagingverification, but soon look toexpand the system out ontofurther lines after experiencingthe benefits. Relevantinformation, such as date codingrules, packaging artwork,barcodes and coding profiles areentered into a secure database,thereby allowing validation priorto use. This goes on to removethe need for operators on apackaging line, cutting down onanother risk of human error. This remains the number onecause for concern in labelling,ROBERT KNESCHKE / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM19-23_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:50 Page 4not only in terms of a personstamping or applying a label to aproduct, but also monitoring theinformation that goes on the labelsin the first place. Software systemsoften come as part and parcel of thesystem, and while these can oftenaccurately measure, weigh anddetermine correct information onlabels, it is still important that thesebe checked and monitored byoperators on a day-by-day basis. It is often best to look for asoftware system that can beintegrated with other checkingsystem at the same time as thelabelling one, allowing it to label theproduct accurately based on the results itreceives from weighing machines or visiondetection systems. Some method of traceability is alsosomething that many supermarkets arelooking for in product labelling now as well,with some demanding at the very least amethod of determining point of origin orbatch numbers for any recalls within 24hours. In cases where the labelling andcoding takes place in the samemanufacturing facility, then QR codes arean attractive option.These not only work well with codingmachinery, which can easily be adapted toprint them on labels, but will allowconsumers access to information, shouldthey wish it, as well as the supermarkets inthe undesirable case of product recalls. In terms of regulations and laws, thelabelling industry is ever-evolving, and whilethe focus in recent years has been onexpanding clarity in ingredients and caloriesinvolved in food products, it seems thefocus now is shifting towards empoweringconsumers to make the healthy choicesthemselves. In France, there are currentlyproposed colour-coded labels which will tellpeople on a five-point colour scale whetherthey are purchasing food that should beconsumed rarely or regularly. This couldcreate difficulties for some manufacturers,whose products, through no fault of theirown, will never be considered truly healthy.The major concern is the very obviouscoloured label would turn people away fromthe product. There is no real indication at this stageas to whether the labels will become Frenchlaw, and less on whether they will beconsidered in other parts of Europe. Butthe trend towards prodding consumers intomaking healthier choices should be lookedat, because, as always, it will be thelabelling industry that is expected tospearhead this. Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.netLABELLING, CODING & MARKING“We can help you label every stepof the way, manually, semi andfully automatically”Norpak Ltd, 3 Mitre Court, Cutler Heights Lane, Bradford, W. Yorks, BD4 9JYTel: 01274 681022 Enquiries to info@norpakltd.comwww.norpakltd.com Proudly supplying British made packaging equipment and labelling machines for over 50 years 1964 - 2015SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/RTEM19-23_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:50 Page 524 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netAutomation is a must in the food anddrink industry and even the smallestcompanies reap the benefits. But, it is thespeed and flexibility of the automation inthe individual companies that provides theuser with that vital competitive advantage.Making use of more effective automaticand semi-automatic processes can have ahuge effect – it can eliminate a productionbottleneck, remove a hazardous manualfunction and, in turn, make a substantialcontribution to cutting costs throughoutproduction.In the food and drink industry one of themajor challenges in production is ensuringfood doesn’t get caught up in small parts,leading to machines breaking down orbecoming unhygienic, so the choice of gearscan often be decided upon in this regard.Another vital aspect in the choice ofgears is that of efficiency, which is now notjust desirable but absolutely essential. Thisis due to the fact that, since the start ofthis year, electric motors rated from 7.5 to375kW are required to reach the IE3The increased requirement for fast and efficient supply chains haveled to many companies considering the quality of the gears anddrives that ensure their production lines keep moving smoothlySmoothoperators24-25_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:52 Page 1Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netGEARS & DRIVESstandard – representing premiumefficiency. That will be the case for allmotors above 0.75kW from 2017. Allmotors should meet the IE2 standardalready and these changes will clearlyrequire further study when they come tobe replaced.Those who have invested in IE2 motorsin recent years and are uncertain of theexpense in replacing them yet again dohave an alternative, though, as companiescan still use IE2 motors with a variablespeed drive. These drives are particularlyvaluable for the food and drink industrywhich, with safety in mind, can oftenmake use of motors with oversized drives.Often these motors are running at partialloads losing a great deal from the runningefficiency, but this can be dealt with byintroducing frequency inverters that canmatch the varied demand.Indeed, businesses that have installedfrequency inverters have reportedsubstantial cost savings on the regularrunning costs, especially those that makeuse of cold plate mounting. These removethe heat sink that is usually standard atthe back of the drive, to ensure the motorruns at a low enough temperature to stopit overheating, and instead make use of asubstantial metal mounting surface.Running costs can also be reduced by theintroduction of more protective coveringswhich can cope with particularly humidatmospheres and close contact withchemicals. These coverings can now befound on servo and geared motors.The latest motors available for the foodand drink industry all reach these highstandards of efficiency, as well as meetingmany of the other unique requirements ofthe industry, such as those that allowthem to be used in explosive atmospheres.Companies such as Rulmeca specialisein motorised pulleys which areparticularly useful for the food and drinksector. They are compact in design andbuilt with motor, bearings and gearboxhermetically sealed inside the shell, whichmean they provide a space saving solutionthat’s easier to install compared toconventional drives. The high outputefficiency, fewer installation parts andease of installation result in significantreductions in design and handling costs.Rulmeca introduced the renewed LSrange at the recent Ipack-Ima event inMilan. The Light Industrial Steel Gearedrange of motorised pulleys are available inmild steel or stainless steel finishes, andthe various food quality options ensurehigh levels of hygiene in wetenvironments, with frequent and highpressure washdown, in high risk areassuch as meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit.Nanotec Germany, meanwhile, has thefood and drink industry in mind with thenew Nanotec SC3518 series steppermotors. In the UK and Ireland these aredistributed by Alldrives & Controls. Thenew stepper motor range not only featurea very high torque, but also have excellentEMC properties. The SC3518 is a 2-phasehybrid stepper motor with frame sizeNEMA 14 (35 mm) and 1.8° step angle,depending on the motor length. Theholding torque is between 0.18 N.m and0.32 N.m. With the shielded cable, which isstandard equipment, the two outer pins ofthe connector are attached to the motorhousing, creating a shield to housingconnection with excellent EMCperformance. Radiated EMC Interferencefrom the motor lines, which can causeproblems in existing systems, is effectivelysuppressed.One other issue that can affect theefficiency in gears and drives is the use ofoils. However, Mobil SHC Cibushydraulic oils, which form part of theMobil SHC Cibus series of advanced NSFH1-registered food-grade lubricants, canoffer benefits. Compared to aconventional oil, Mobil SHC Cibushydraulic oil has the potential to helpreduce the energy consumption ofhydraulic equipment by up to 3.5%,helping to reduce power consumption andrealise significant cost savings.The energy efficiency potential andperformance benefits of Mobil SHCCibus hydraulic oil have been highlightedfollowing laboratory and commercialpump testing including the Eaton25VMQ run under the controlledconditions of ASTM D7721 energyefficiency testing, the FZG Gear Scuffingtest and various industry and in-fielddeposit evaluations. The testsdemonstrated the flagship oil offeredenergy efficiency potential, reducedequipment wear and the potential toextend oil drain intervals due to lowdeposit formation. This can help foodand drink manufacturers to boost plantproductivity, reduce maintenance and cutcosts. The product range is alsoformulated to nut, wheat and gluten freespecification and suitable under KosherParve and Halal dietary requirements.Keeping automation running smoothlyis a top priority for manufacturers and,happily, technology exists to ensure this isthe case.SHUTTERTOCK.COM / 06PHOTO24-25_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:52 Page 226 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netGEARS & DRIVESRulmecamotorized pulleysand rollers arehighly efficientThe Rulmeca Group has been well-known for many years as aleading manufacturer of rollers and motorized pulleys for Bulkhandling, and is now prominent in unit handling, too. Its latestofferings include hygienic stainless steel motorized pulleys androllers for food production, packaging and storage logistics.Rulmeca possesses considerable in-depth production capabilityand manufactures almost all components itself – irrespective ofwhether they are metal or plastic. OEM customers in machineryand plant construction may also be supplied with customisedversions of the standard product portfolio. Mass production-orientated vendors of rollers and motorized pulleys are not able toprovide this type of service.The strong emphasis on quality and customer orientation is alsomirrored in the structure of Rulmeca’s distribution organisation. Asthe company is committed to act globally, customers worldwide canalso obtain service and support for their installations at any location.A particular focus of the unit handling business relates to the areaof rollers and unit handling components for conveying goods inlogistics. These products are used in most of the processes installedin food production industries, from receipt of goods through topackaging, storage and shipment operations. Rulmeca offersproducts both for passive use via gravity or active use via motorisedconveyors. There are product variants specified for different weights,for different secondary drives such as chains or belts and for specialapplication-related installations such as tapered rollers for curves.Motorized pulleys made in stainless steel also meet the moststringent requirements on hygienic designs. In contrast toconventional driving components, such as side-flanged gear motors,these additionally offer a minimal space requirement and higherefficiency. In addition, the hygienic design saves space. Motorisedpulleys also achieve outstanding overall levels of efficiency, withfewer frictional losses than exposed drives.Components for gravity conveyors range from ball transfer units and wheeltracks for different weights up to omni-directional wheels or speed controllersThe new Rulmeca unit handling rollers are suited for gravity-, chain- and belt-driven conveyors – including curves24-25_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:52 Page 3Food & Drink International 27www.fdiforum.netMANUFACTURINGExcellenceis expectedFood and drink companies havealways strived for high standards,but their customers now oftenexpect them to go above andbeyond their legal requirements toensure absolute quality before theyaward contracts. This meansmanufacturers need to ensure theirequipment and procedures areabsolutely exceptional.For many companies, leanmanufacturing has helped concentrateminds and ensure quality, thanks to theelimination of waste throughout theassembly process. That could be via shortproduction runs, multiple variants or justin time manufacture. As Roy Green ofHarford Control warns, however,“Manufacturing excellence is often talkedabout but rarely done well, or as costeffectively as possible.”Roy says, “In theory, it should be veryeasy, in that quality and total complianceare a universal expectation and thoughthere is no direct financial payback fromachieving these expectations, there arepotentially enormous costs associated withgetting something wrong. Any shrewdmanufacturer will ensure all factory floorchecks are systemised and, whereverpossible, automated to minimise the riskof operator error.“Consistently acceptable quality andcompliance, whilst essential, are not theonly things modern manufacturers needto be concerned about. Manufacturers willalmost certainly be supplying some, if notall, of the UK supermarkets whosestandards and demands are arguably thehighest in the world. Undoubtedly themanufacturer will continue to experienceprice increases for raw materials,SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/GORAN BOGICEVIC29 Á27-31_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:53 Page 1GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT througha SINGLE INTEGRATED SOLUTIONThe Harford END to END Manufacturing Execution SolutionAutomated coding &labelling verificationto meet retailers' codes ofpracticeOptimisedAverageQuantity LawRoving quality audits,H&S checks,engineer lineattendance, HACCP Automatedline efficiency& OEEIntegrated productionperformanceimprovementOn-lineVisionReal timepaperless qualityAutomated Short Interval Controlon factory monitorsSTAND D6227-31_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:53 Page 2PCE Automation Ltd For the new Bosch Rexroth VarioFlow plusConveyor range, ONLINE.www.pce-online.co.uk Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netMANUFACTURINGmanpower and energy usage, with little orno opportunity to pass these on tocustomers who are slashing prices in theirown bid to regain market share. Thoughmany manufacturing operations arenecessarily complex, they can onlyrealistically cut costs by simultaneouslyachieving total compliance anddriving upefficiencies.“From our many site visits we seewastage, in all its forms, we see poorlyexecuted risk management programmesand enormous opportunities forperformance improvement. Large financialpenalties are imposed by somesupermarkets when mistakes are made,where sometimes large batches have to bescrapped – but this doesn’t need to be thecase.“The technology already exists toeliminate operator error across a widemanufacturing spectrum, while reporting,analysing and prioritising actions to reducewastage and improve performance. Thiscan’t be achieved on paper based systemsbecause they don’t produce useableanalysed information quickly enough toinspire confident action and because theyimpose no real operator discipline.“A well designed and comprehensivelydeveloped system, on the other hand,helps drive performance improvement byvirtue of the fact that actionable, analysedinformation is displayed in real time,making it impossible to miss theopportunities which, when acted upon, dominimise errors, reduce wastage andimprove efficiencies.”One of the best examples ofmanufacturing excellence in action comesfrom a collaboration between HarfordControl and the Morrison Bowmorebottling plant in Glasgow. Roy says, “Theybegan their journey with us about sevenyears ago when they ordered our fullyintegrated factory floor informationmanagement system. At that time theirnet profit per annum was around £2million. By the time we spoke with CraigMochrie of MB at Food & DrinkInternational’s PPMA Show seminar in2014, their annual net profit per annumhad risen to £15 million.“This result was achieved through doinga lot of things a little better than before,but as Craig pointed out, it was notachieved through the Harford systemalone but through training, retraining andcoaching of the manufacturing team. Theyneeded to know why the changes werenecessary, what had to be done and howthey should do it. Craig and his teamshowed total commitment and support ofthe workforce while they gainedconfidence in the new ways of workingand in the information generated.“Craig was also quick to point out thatsuch achievements can only be made andsustained with patience and understandingduring the change process. Even the bestsystem in the world can’t achieve suchdramatic and sustainable results withouttotal buy-in from the whole managementand operational team. Craig says it isn’tfor the faint hearted, but well worth theeffort.”SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MOMENTE30 Á30 Á27-31_Layout 1 19/06/2015 14:53 Page 3Next >