< Previous20 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netENGINEERING & COMPONENTSConsumers are demanding higher qualityproducts in increasingly large quantities andthe industry has had to find ways toincrease productivity without extendingtimescales or ramping up costs. This is nomean feat, of course, but the widespreaduse of technology is helping to hasten theproduction process without compromisingquality. This feature explores the kinds oftechnologies food and drinks companieshave been using, as well as taking a look atsome of components available that areallowing companies to continually maintainand improve their facilities. The food and drink sector createsthousands of new products every year,accounting for a large proportion of themanufacturing industry in many countries.Therefore it is no surprise that technologyis at the forefront of its activities. There aremany industrial processes that can be mademore efficient by using new and improvedtechnology, ranging from traditionallymanual tasks such as cutting and cleaningto more modern procedures such as theemulsification and de-gassing of food anddrinks products. Power ultrasoundtechnology is being used more and more toachieve both, as it provides a level ofprecision that pre-existing machinery (andcertainly human hands) cannot match. Theuse of ultrasound technology is alsobeneficial to food safety: where manualmethods of food preparation are susceptibleto compromise by bacteria that may lingeron the hands or clothes of an operative, oron working surfaces, power ultrasoundmachinery provides a heat-source that canaid microbial inactivation.In a similar way, allergen management isnow a major concern for food and drinkproducers. Rather than risk reputationaldamage, litigation, or face costly productrecalls, companies are investing in high-techtechnologies such as barcode readers,sensors and other ID readers which can spotmislabelled products on the production line.These instruments, known as OpticalCharacter Verification (OCV) devices, arenow capable of operating at bewilderinglyhigh speeds, and are sensitive enough tocatch even the most imperceptible errors.Theoretically, no product containing anallergen – nuts, shellfish, wheat, eggs and soon – will leave the factory without anaccurate warning label. The introduction ofthis kind of technology on a widespreadscale will benefit consumers, whose brandpreferences may be determined by theseconcerns, and producers alike. In the case ofthe latter, the sheer speed at which thesemachines operate means increasedproductivity, and revenues are likely toincrease as a consequence.In recent years, various companies havedeveloped systems to monitor thetemperature and humidity values ofperishable goods. These can be utilisedduring production and while the product isin transit. Historically, a high percentage ofproducts had to be discarded simply becausebasic temperature controls on theproduction line were unreliable. New,hyper-sensitive monitoring systems arehelping to increase overall efficiency bypreventing product degradation. Thermalimaging is playing an increasing role in theproduction and packaging process forKeeping thingsMOVINGKeeping thingsMOVINGWith the food and drink industry creating thousands of products amonth, the move towards new efficient technologies comes as nosurprise. 20-22_Layout 1 27/07/2015 15:59 Page 1Food & Drink International 21www.fdiforum.netENGINEERING & COMPONENTSsimilar reasons: state-of-the-art thermalcameras can detect even the smallest faultor leak in a product’s packaging, which, liketighter temperature controls, helps toprevent wastage and maintain productsafety.Companies are also investing in hygienicwaste removal technologies to ameliorateenvironmental risks. These include on-sitewaste processing systems that help to reducethe cost of haulage and ensure that anyspillages or instances of on-sitecontamination are contained in such a wayas to prevent any further damage to theenvironment. Energy efficiency is likewise amajor concern for today’s industry. Manycompanies are turning to renewable energysources and associated technologies toimprove process operation. For example, thesugar industry, which historically employedinefficient steam turbines to power its mills,is beginning to use variable speed-drivesystems and induction motors to make theprocess of crushing cane moreenvironmentally friendly. So, what kinds of mechanical componentsare available to the industry today, and howcan they help to improve facilities andultimately encourage greater productivity?Hygienic production solutions are becomingincreasingly important as retailers andconsumers continue to demand fresher,better quality products. A range ofcomponents are available to helpaccomplish this goal: in many cases,hygienic clamps and gaskets are being usedto ensure that food piped on an industrialscale is not contaminated or wasted. Carbonfibre-based jointing is also used for thispurpose due to its superior durability. Muchlike the aforementioned innovations inengineering, component development isbeing driven by the dual imperative toguarantee consumer safety and eliminatewastage, whilst increasing profitability.Several companies have begunexperimenting with complex plastictechnologies to produce components such ascan- and dispenser-seals, and they are usingsimilar materials in their quest to produceimpervious new types of product packaging.This is an acknowledgement of the fact thatquality and safety can be compromised atany stage of the production process,including when finished products are intransit. Dealing with ingredients can beproblematic for engineering companies asthe handling and control of powders,granules and liquids can be challenging. As Rocco Mastrolonardo of ProcessComponents Ltd points tells Food & DrinkInternational, “we are often faced withtricky problems and a manufacturer inStaffordshire who uses a total of fourteendifferent ingredients housed in fourteendischarge hoppers was cexperiencing serioushold ups in production due to hopperblockage and non- delivery of ingredientmaterials, so a system design change wasnecessary.Working closely with the company wewere able to offer a solution to these seriousflow problems and after carrying out a seriesof trials on the majority of ingredientmaterials, each hopper was modified toincorporate a pair of MUCON PromoflowDischarge Aids.‘Promo-Flow’ Discharge Aids are theflagship of Mucon’s flow promotion devicesfor problematic dry bulk solids stored inhoppers and silos. They comprise internallymounted screens or grids actuated byexternally mounted pneumatic vibrators.These powerful devices move difficultproducts by transmitting vibration directlyinto the material – and not into the bin.Accordingly, they are efficient, effective andSHUTTERSTOCK.COM/BRANISLAVPUDARSHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MAXIM KALMYKOV22 Á20-22_Layout 1 27/07/2015 15:59 Page 222 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netENGINEERING & COMPONENTSquiet in operation. They have the addedadvantage of being easily retro-fitted toexisting bins or silos, requiring minimalwork to the container itself.”Fortunately, the Mucon stainless steelhygienic butterfly valves has beenspecifically designed for use in thePharmaceutical, Food and Dairy sectors,where the utmost level of hygiene isparamount.Its crevice-free, smooth bore designallows the end user to maintain high levelsof hygiene and reduce the risks of productcontamination or microbiological growth.Operation of a butterfly valve is similar tothat of a ball valve they allow for quick shutoff, but are favored because they are reliableand lighter in weight, meaning less supportis required and they often prove a bettersolution for the food and beverage industry.Innovations in engineering are having ahuge impact on the food and drink industry.Processes which were once carried out byhand, such as the inspection of food on theproduction line and the cutting andcleaning of raw products, can now becompleted using the latest ultrasound andlaser technologies. Great strides are beingmade to improve the individual componentsthat make up these machines, all with theaim of improving productivity and reducingwaste. These innovations will likely shapefood and drink production for years tocome.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/EVRU20-22_Layout 1 27/07/2015 15:59 Page 3Food & Drink International 23www.fdiforum.netCONTROL & AUTOMATION SHOWCASEDimaco for the Beverage IndustryDimaco offers products that form a vital link in the traceability chain for the keg, bottle and the canned product.One example is Dimaco’s Beer Keg Leak Detection which detects leaks from worn out valve rubber seals. The opticalsystem, uses a well proven imaging technique to reliably inspect a mixed flow of kegs fitted with new and old spear types,of varying seal sizes and profiles.Detecting micro leaks from keg valves, in mix flow of new and old kegs, in motion inspection (so no stoppage), and hasautomatic height adjustment, it avoids the chances of leaking kegs reaching trade and improves product quality. It alsoreduces return costs and affords batch /date Code VerificationFor bottled and canned products Veri-Pet quickly and efficiently checks, bottle/jar fill levels. It also verifies cap placement,label verification and label placement, while Dimaco’s Veri-OCR system is a high-speed verifier of over-printed data such asBatch, Lot and Date codes on product packaging therefore ensuring complete traceability of packaged products, such asbottles and cans. It ensures the code is correct, in the proper position and legible. Standard systems are rated at 900 partsper minute evenly spaced.It verifies not only the presence and placement of codes but also the correctness and legibility, which means clients canbe sure the data is correct and legible and reduces risks of product recalls and reduces any unnecessary re-work.Tel: +44 (0) 1234 851515 Email: enquiries@dimaco.co.uk www.dimaco.co.ukPlan your campaign with Food & Drink International…...your competitors are! Can you afford not to? ....WWW.FDIFORUM.NETJoin some of the biggest names in the industry and giveyour brand the best chance of being seen by your target market.Automation solutions you can trust from YPSYPS are proud supply a range of Palletisers which are designed and manufactured in the UK to provide andeasy to use, compact and cost effective palletising solution. YPS Palletising systems are designed to be highlydurable, have a small footprint and to provide full return on costs within 12 to 24 months.The controls for the Yorkshire Packaging Systems palletiser are displayed on a simple touch screen controldevice. The system has been tested with operatives to ensure the instructions are simple to understand and follow.All the operator needs to do is – * Input the size of the pack * Input the size of the pallet * The palletiser thencalculates the best stack pattern and the operator presses GoThe standard gripper can deal with almost any common pack-types using a precision vacuum grip system,controlled by a matrix of very small holes and ball valves. The gripper head can also rotate the pack 90 degrees,allowing pallet stack patterns to be easily and quickly achieved.Key Features * Compact design to fit most work places. * Simple to operate. * Manufactured in the UK. *Highly adjustable to left, right and infeed at various heights. * Grippers to suit any application. * 10 to 12 picks perminute. * Lower cost. * Robust construction. * Full back up and support by UK engineers. * British design andBritish build.Tel: 01924 441 355 Email: enquiries@yps.co.uk web: www.yps.co.uk Stainless steel linear actuators with IP69K rating for washdownMotion Control Products Ltd recently introduced new ERD22 electric rod linear actuator from Tolomatic is a low-cost, versatilereplacement for pneumatic cylinders and an alternative to manual processes. With force capabilities up to 7000N (1,700lbf), the all-300 series stainless-steel ERD22 is a standard catalogue item featuring hygienic design and IP69k rating. Idealfor medium-force washdown applications, the ERD22 linear actuator is USDA-approved for meat, poultry and dairyapplications such as pumping, fluid dispensing, volumetric filling, slicing, cutting and chopping. ERD22 is the smallest of the hygienic group and a perfect performance and cost option for smaller-forcerequirements than the larger ERD25 and ERD30 actuators. As an economical electric actuator platform, the ERD linearactuators provides excellent efficiency and operating flexibility over its pneumatic counterparts.The ERD series electric linear actuator is now available in seven body sizes, with stroke lengths up to 1,016 mm(40 inches), speeds up to 1,460.5 mm/sec. (57.5 inches/sec.), and forces up to 20,000N (4,500 lbf).The ERD, in combination with our ACS servo system (motors & drives), creates a complete, low-cost, single-axislinear motion system. The ACS servo controller and servo drive simplifies linear motion with easy setup and infinitepositioning with EtherNet/IP™ CIP I/O command. The ACS is ODVA™ conformant.Tel: (+44) 01202 599922 sales@motioncontrolproducts.com www.motioncontrolproducts.com23_Layout 1 27/07/2015 14:43 Page 124 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netMACHINE VISION SYSTEMSThe increasing demand for completeproduct integrity in the food and drinkindustry means that the production processmust now incorporate all-encompassing andeffective inspection to ensure potentialcontaminants are located and removedswiftly. Product consistency – in terms ofsize, shape and weight – is also essential.However, the industry must do this whileretailers and consumers demand the supplychain moves faster than ever. The solution,as ever, lies with technology and this monthwe examine the ways in which visionsystems, ID readers and sensors are beingemployed to complete these tasks as quicklyand effectively as possible.There is only so much that humaninspection can achieve in any productionenvironment. Given that food safety isabsolutely essential from both a commercialand an ethical standpoint, it is vital thatany potential for error is eliminated. Thehuman eye is a powerful organ, but withAn eye forDETAILIs online vision the perfect solution for every online application, or is it only half the battle?the advent of Machine Vision Systems weare entering an entirely new – andpotentially flawless – world. For the mostpart, food and drinks manufacturers useMachine Vision Systems to carry out taskssuch as counting large numbers of units onthe production line, reading product labelsto ensure they contain accurate nutritionaland allergen information, portion control,and testing for faults in the packaging of aproduct which could result incontamination or degradation. Thesesystems are also employed during the initialstages of the manufacturing process tomeasure individual ingredients, so detailedinformation is available at every step of thesupply chain thanks to their integrationwith ever-more sophisticated hardware.100% quality control is the bottom line, andvirtually every process from harvesting tosorting to packaging is now using thesetechnologies, significantly cutting downcosts while reducing the risk ofcontamination at every stage. “Of course, from a less automatedperspective, on-line vision is not always thebest answer and while some users take thesimplistic view that vision is the perfectsolution for almost every on lineapplication, cost effective vision solutions,are rarely that simple, or that cheap, eitherto install or sustain” stresses Roy Green ofHarford Control, “For example, an on-linesystem to satisfy a retailer’s code of practicefor label verification might not be bestserved by vision but by a combination ofautomated set ups of date coders and on-line barcode scanners where the installationand ongoing system management isgenerally easier and less costly. If asupplier is only selling vision systems,however, they’ll possibly try to make everyapplication a vision application.Where we believe vision comes into itsown is for on-line component matching.Where it is the right equipment for the24-26_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:26 Page 1Food & Drink International 25www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTink detection, it soon became clear thatother issues which might previously havegone undetected were also identified, suchas: double lidding, missing lids, poorquality pre-printing of tubs/lids, and more.”It is of course welcome news for thoseusing machine vision technologies, thatthey are becoming much more costeffective: multispectral cameras – arelatively inexpensive technology that isalready used frequently in other industries –26 ÁPHOTO: HARFORD CONTROLproduction run, hence training the visionsystem to also look for presence of inkcoding. We could, of course, have set thevision system to also read the code andconfirm correctness but this would havebeen more costly and, OCR (opticalcharacter recognition) of ink jet printedcodes, whilst better than it was, is still notperfect, especially where date codermaintenance programmes may vary fromsite to site or line to line.Though the system was primarilyinstalled only to identify correct tub and lidmatches, together with presence of coderapplication, the original and ongoingimplementation time and cost is obviouslyjustified,” continues Roy.“One such application which wentespecially well for us at Harford, because itwas the only valid option to solve a set ofproblems, was the installation of vision onthe spread packing lines at Dairy Crest inKirkby, Liverpool.The original application was for tub andlid matching, to ensure that only the correctlid could be applied to the correct tub. Aspart of the same application, we were alsoasked to detect presence of date coder inkas evidence that a date code had beenapplied. On line set-up/productchangeover, we also arranged for oursystem to automatically and remotelyprogramme the on-line date coders so thatthe correct use by date would always beapplied. The only additional area of risk,not covered by remote coder set-up, wouldbe if the date coder ran out of ink during a24-26_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:26 Page 226 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netMACHINE VISION SYSTEMSneed for a costly and time-consuming re-evaluation of the kind traditionally carriedout by human operatives.Product safety – an absolute must in aquality-driven environment – can also beguaranteed through the use of MachineVision Systems. For example, lasertriangulation devices similar to those usedto measure size, weight and consistencycan be employed to ensure the overallintegrity of a product’s packaging. Toguarantee maximum freshness andprevent potential contamination, it is vitalthat any seals, lids, bags and bottle-topsare checked for flaws or signs oftampering. Triangulation devices will do amuch better job than older 2-D imagingsystems because they are able to capture afar greater level of detail, identifying eventhe smallest imperfections. The otheradvantage of using a 3-D system, ofcourse, is that it will pick up flaws onevery side of a unit of packaging or rawproduct and not just on its immediatelyvisible surfaces. Even during the nascent stages of thefood production process, such as wheneggs are checked to see if they aredeveloping at the desired rate, MachineVision Systems can play a key role.Traditional methods of checking eggswere time-consuming and laborious,involving candles and, of course, a pair ofhuman hands. But we now haveautomated candles and candle-simulatorswhich, like the other technologiesdescribed in this feature, can be integratedwith hardware and programmed to sortand discard flawed examples of theproduct, ensuring that no underdevelopedeggs find their way onto the factory floor.This is yet another example of how thetechnology can be used to increaseproductivity and prevent health risks. It is clear that Machine Vision Systemswill shape the future of the food anddrinks industry in a variety of ways.Automated systems can help save timeand money at every stage of theproduction process. They can also be usedto ensure product safety, which, in aquality-drive world where reputations areconstantly on the line, is a highlydesirable outcome. SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ALAETTIN YILDIRIMare used to inspect large quantities ofperishable harvested products such asfresh vegetables, which they sortaccording to colour systems, while lasertriangulation systems are employed toensure that the volume of each unit isconsistent. The data is then processedusing the integrated hardware and anyundesirable products are rejected. Theincreasing availability of these systemsmeans that companies can ensuremaximum productivity whilst being sureof the quality of their products; swiftproduction can now take place withoutcutting corners. We are now looking at a situationwhere the machinery can inspect over3,000 small products per minute. If you’veever wondered how food manufacturersmake the products you see onsupermarket shelves so consistent in size,shape, colour, and weight, and why thereare now relatively few cases of foodpoisoning caused by pre-packaged, mass-produced products, Machine VisionSystems provide the answer. Supermarketretailers demand absolute consistency ofportion size, and laser technology is by farthe most accurate way to achieve this.And there’s more: this technology canalso be used to ensure that the best, mostvisually appealing examples of a particularproduct appear at the top of a multipackor crate. Some vision systems can even beused to aid the assembly of multi-partproducts such as pizzas and cakes if themachinery is pre-programmed with thecorrect information and integrated withthe required robotics on the productionline.With traceability also a key concern,the advent of Optical CharacterVerification (OCV) has been a huge boonfor the industry. OCV is principally usedto ensure that products are labelledcorrectly. Use-by and best-before datesmust match the actual product, and theinformation printed on a product’spackaging must be 100% legible in case ofproduct recall and other worst-casescenarios. Most OCV devices used in foodmanufacture are font-based ID-readersthat are pre-programmed to recogniseparticular details such as specific allergenadvice and nutritional information. Incases of poor legibility, the device willautomatically reject the product, ensuringabsolute quality control and removing the24-26_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:26 Page 3efector pmd 3D from ifm electronic is a true 3D sensor, measuring a matrix of distances from a single point.· For volume, e.g. missing product· For level, e.g. uneven bulk product· To check distance and positionThe first industrial 3D sensor that can detect objects in three dimensions at a glance. The opportunities are endless.True 3D sensingwww.ifm.com/uk/pmd3d · (020) 8213 222227_Layout 1 27/07/2015 14:45 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-Line Visionfor Component Matching,OCR and otheroptionsReal timepaperless qualityAutomated Short Interval Controlon factory monitorsSTAND D6228-31_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:28 Page 1Food & Drink International 29www.fdiforum.netTRACEABILITYMetal detectors withexceptional ROI – guaranteed!Fortress Technology (Europe) Ltd • The Phantom Building • 7 Beaumont Road • Banbury • OX16 1RH • UKTel: +44 (0) 1295 256266 • Fax: +44 (0) 1295 255987 UK • www.fortresstechnology.co.uk • sales-uk@fortresstechnology.comPHOTO: PARTNER LOGISTICSOperations need to work hand in handwith supply chain services to ensuresmooth delivery of products, no matterwhat volume. Food safety has long been a concernamong consumers. Outbreaks of disease inanimals that could be transmitted tohumans, threats of bio terrorism and thepresence of chemicals above acceptablelimits in products, all have the potential toundermine the industry. Traceability istherefore a cornerstone of the industry’ssafety policy.Of course, in most parts of the world,traceability systems have been compulsoryfor food and drink companies. Businessesmust nowadays be able to identify allsuppliers of food, food products and feed, aswell as all businesses to which they supplyfood or drink. But systems these days gomuch further than this. Technology now enables systems thatquickly allows the withdraw or recall aInnovations in TraceabilityAll food and drink companies dread customer audits or recalls, fortunately innovations intraceability systems allows quick reactions and minimises risks to business andcustomer relationships.30 Á28-31_Layout 1 27/07/2015 16:28 Page 2Next >