In food and beverage, the stakes are especially high - a single point of delay can undo the efficiencies achieved everywhere else. Here, Beth Ragdale, software business manager at industrial automation and control specialist Beckhoff UK, explains why tackling bottlenecks requires a rethink of traditional production lines, moving beyond purely mechanical fixes to embrace flexible, software-driven solutions.

With its new MYZEL Lifecycle Platform, automation expert Pilz is offering a Software-as-a-Service solution for centralised management of machinery and personnel. The digital platform helps production managers and safety officers to operate their machinery safely, securely, efficiently and in compliance with the standards, throughout the entire lifecycle.

Compressed air may be invisible, but in food production it behaves like an ingredient. It drives actuators on packaging lines, blows crumbs from conveyors, transports powders, and comes into direct or indirect contact with products at multiple points. Yet many sites only scrutinise it when something goes wrong. Andy Lill, Business Development Manager for Industrial Gases at Atlas Copco, explores how air quality monitoring is shaping best practice in food processing.

OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies has expanded its TM S Series collaborative robot portfolio with three new models and a major software update, supporting manufacturers facing labour shortages and increasing requirements for flexible, high-mix production.

Global meat processors could face increasing uncertainty in the near future, underlying the need for investment decisions to maximise business efficiency and flexibility. Matt Hale, Global Key Account Director, HRS Heat Exchangers, looks at the considerations for choosing heat exchangers for meat and co-products.

Teknic says its new integrated ClearPath-IP brushless servo motor models are one of the most compact EtherNet/IP servo systems available.

The latest addition to the extensive, award-winning range of Baumer sensors is the NexSonic UF300, an ultra-compact 18mm flat ultrasonic sensor with a 3-meter sensing range and ideally suited to intralogistics applications.

Whether integrated into hospital sterilisation equipment, spray disinfection systems, automated dosing units, or pharmaceutical CIP/SIP installations, NSF-Approved 800 Series flowmeters from Titan Enterprises help maintain high hygiene standards while improving operational efficiency.

Siemens has announced Digital Twin Composer, a new software solution that builds Industrial Metaverse environments at scale, empowering organisations to apply industrial AI, simulation and real-time physical data to make decisions virtually, at speed and at scale.

Matt Hale, Global Key Account Director, HRS Heat Exchangers, examines the factors which determine the optical technology to provide electrical heat for food and beverage processes.