INSTRUMENTATION • ELECTRONICS
FOR FOOD PROCESSING
SMART TOOLS
Carl Hunter explains how to boost efficiency and cut costs in food processing with ultrasonic technology
T
he need for efficiency in the supply of the food manufacturing industry is integral to meet the ever-increasing market demands. Global population
rise is placing more pressure on our food supplies. In the UK alone the expected rise in population to 70 million is leading the food manufacturing industry to grow: 140,000 new recruits are expected by 2024. With food and drink contributing to £28.2 billion to the UK’s economy, making it the biggest manufacturing sector in the country, the demand for high- quality products has resulted in an industry demand for high-quality production and management systems. Food processing companies are now calling for scientifically
and mathematically accurate, ergonomic, innovative, technology that is designed to improve maintenance and safety management systems, exemplified by the case studies below.
CASE STUDY FROM SLOVAKIA A leading food processing factory in Slovakia, which processes fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, is one of these companies. Te factory was faced with a problem in the production of apple puree, to be used in baby and toddler food and juice products. Te apple puree is stored in large steel tanks, at 4.5m in height. However, the staff had no way to check the liquid level of apple puree inside the large tanks, which was affecting their efficiency. Keen to find a solution, the team
reached out to Coltraco Ultrasonics. A site visit was conducted by Lubomir Ernst, the firm’s central & eastern European regional director. After a short trial he was able to assess that advanced portable ultrasonic liquid level indication technology was efficient in quickly and accurately gauging the liquid level of apple puree within the vessel.
Te implementation of an ultrasonic
Coltraco’s technology efficiently gauges the liquid level of various food products
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liquid level indicator allows the plant to run more efficiently and reduces risks by providing the staff with a means of accurately and non-invasively monitoring the contents within the apple puree tank. Ultrasonic technology is an effective and reliable technology for identifying a wide range of liquids in cylinders/tanks, saving time and cost whilst increasing efficiency and safety.
Ultrasonic tools are being widely adopted for food processing applications
FOOD PROCESSING FACTORY IN THE UK
In another case study that highlights the benefits of ultrasonic technology, a food processing factory based in the south of the UK approached Coltraco Ultrasonics after having difficulty with its containment of mayonnaise. Te company produces coleslaw, packaged salads and pastas for the likes of McDonalds, Tesco, Morrisons and Lidl, producing over 130,000 pots of coleslaw a day. It faced difficulty in monitoring the contents of its mayonnaise and Coltraco offered a solution to this problem. Te mayonnaise used for the coleslaw is contained in 2.2.m high stainless steel cylinders. However, the monitoring method that the factory used to check usage and remaining contents was through employees manually using ladders to peer into the cylinder and make an assumption of how
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