Food Manufacturing

Technical Articles

Improving flow control in pneumatic conveying systems

For many industries, pneumatic conveying brings a number of advantages, not least the lack of moving parts and system flexibility. However, it is essential that such systems are properly controlled in order to maintain efficiency and the quality of the product in transit. Delivering effective process control systems requires an understanding of both the technology and the industry itself. Tony Brennan, Field Segment Manager, Gas and Micro for Bürkert, looks at the advantages of pneumatic conveying and how it can be maximised.

22nd February 2017

Understanding how colour measurement sensors work

Colour measurement sensors have been used for several years in R&D and production environments. However, in recent years significant improvements in measurement speed and accuracy have created many more uses for these sensors. Therefore, in order to successfully utilise the benefits that modern colour sensors can offer, it is important to understand how sensors measure colour, says Stephen Smith, Product Sales Engineer at Micro-Epsilon UK.

15th February 2017

The future of inverter drives in the water industry

The challenges facing the water industry include climate change, rising energy costs, tightening legislation, population growth and increasing usage per head. The use of automated systems in order to make pumps and processes work more efficiently is helping keep pace with these demands; however, what does the future hold for one of the most pivotal products in the automation mix, the inverter drive? Matt Handley, Product Manager for Drive Systems, Mitsubishi Electric UK explains how inverter drive technology is evolving to help in an industry where equipment may be expected to run for 25 years and judging by current evidence, could be in operation for a century or more.

7th February 2017

Delivering on the requirement for ATEX control panels

Designing and building process control panels requires considerable experience and expertise, especially when they are destined for hazardous areas. These potentially explosive atmospheres, or zoned areas, are more common than you'd think, with applications spread across a number of industries from obvious ones like oil & gas to less well recognised areas such as food & drink or rail.

3rd February 2017

Pacepacker forecasts the next packaging automation trends

In the last decade the packaging industry has profoundly altered. External market forces have projected robotics and automation into mainstream manufacturing, with labour efficiency and productivity, implicit in Pacepacker Services earlier work, continuing to be a key driver. The automation specialist's Commercial & Information Systems Manager, Paul Wilkinson looks back on recent packaging developments and shares his predictions for the next decade.

11th January 2017

Metal detectors: the natural choice for food-on-the-go SMEs

Britain's appetite for food-on-the-go (FOTG) looks set to continue, with greater product innovations, clean and healthy eating, ethnic foods and artisan local produce driving consumers away from the daily sliced bread sandwich ritual. Fortress Technology's European Sales Director Phil Brown explores the implications that this has on the 6100-plus micro, small and medium sized enterprises who are catering to our more adventurous pallets and explains why metal detectors are the most cost-effective and popular route to protect FOTG suppliers from the most likely contaminant risk - metal.

9th January 2017

Gears for packaging machines

Most people probably open tens of packaged goods a day without even realising it. Opening jars, cereal packets and sandwich boxes are all part of our daily routine, but we don't tend to notice the packaging until something goes wrong. When milk cartons burst, drinks spill in your bag or crisps go stale when they're not properly sealed, it can be infuriating. Here, Graham Mackrell, managing director of Harmonic Drive UK looks at how gears for packaging machines keep your goods fresh.

29th November 2016

Steam control valves: getting the most from this vital component

Process control in hygienic applications, such as the food and beverage sector, demands a great deal from the components that are used to manage the manufacturing and cleaning processes. Choosing the right steam control valve can bring a number of benefits including precision, reliability, minimal maintenance and durability in challenging environments. Mark Lilley, Field Segment Manager, Hygienic Food & Beverage at Bürkert Fluid Control Systems, explains the benefits of making an informed decision when it comes to general purpose steam control valves.

21st November 2016

Flexible manufacturing through automated engineering

Science fiction has taught us to fear things that are out of our control. Whether its alien invaders from another planet, highly-evolved apes or artificially intelligent robots, sci-fi culture is built on humanity's fear of being second in command. With that being said, automated equipment and robotics are the basis of any smart factory, meaning that to stay competitive, manufacturers must learn to embrace this technology. Here, Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of EU Automation, discusses automated engineering.

15th November 2016

Flexible machines to produce at batch size 1

Lenze as an automation provider view Industry 4.0 is simply another phase in the increasing automation that has been underway for many years. Automation is being consistently advanced by digitisation, networking and the use of new communication systems. This progress allows automation providers to provide smart systems that satisfy the changing demands of makers of machinery who in turn must fulfil the market needs. One of these demands is the growing individualisation of products. A car maker no longer simply offers a wide range of models, nowadays buyers can select a mix of options that is only produced once for their car. This is batch size 1.

14th November 2016