As dairies use more flexible packages, the equipment that handles cases and pallets might have to change. We asked two executives how plant managers can make their operations more efficient.
September 10, 2014
When Dairy Foods surveyed its readers, we found that 35% of dairies plan to purchase new conveyors or palletizers. In the same study, dairy processors also reported they are increasing their use of plastics and flexible packaging (such as pouches) and using less metal and glass.
Robotic automation equipment is common in the auto industry, but the wet conditions in dairy plants have created a need for equipment standards to comply with strict food safety and hygiene rules. Here is what we have done so far.
Traditional applications for robot-based automation in food processing have been basic pick-and-place packing operations. On the processing side, dairy plants contain many applications that are repetitive or labor-intensive. These are perfect candidates for robot-based automation.
Waiting for test results can slow down dairy processing. Faster testing methods cut wait time from minutes to seconds. In-line analyzers deliver information in real time.
Speed, accuracy and consistency are three metrics that managers of dairy processing plants should be measuring. An on-site dairy laboratory can play an important role in achieving high values in each of those metrics.
The ThermoChecker inspects the surface of 600 cups per minute, every 3 degrees, within 30 milliseconds.
July 10, 2014
Industrial Control Inc., Zeeland, Mich., has developed an adaptable, high-speed 3D vision system to detect defective parts in existing systems in the thermoforming industry.
Fortress Technology introduced its new FM software for Fortress metal detectors. This software has been developed to be compatible with all previously manufactured detectors and can be field installed on the company’s Phantom and Stealth models.
Electronic water treatment has been used by the food and beverage processing industry to remove fouling from equipment.
June 26, 2014
Scale deposits, known as fouling, can cause a number of operational problems such as plugging of equipment, inefficient usage of chemicals and increased utility costs. Electronic water treatment is a solution.