Data acquisition
FORTRESS SUPPORTS MILLING FIRM WITH DAILY DATA
Food safety specialist Fortress Technology has been assisting select Mennel Milling plants in the United States to protect product quality, as well as safeguard its people, processes and productivity. Addressing machine downtime while simultaneously boosting operational excellence, the fifth-generational family firm highlights why they are supportive of the Fortress metal detection and checkweighing data software package.
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eadquartered in Ohio, The Mennel Milling Company has been on a strategic expansion mission. Currently the seventh largest flour milling company in the US, for over 138 years Mennel Milling has
traditionally produced and distributed its products in bulk quantities via rail car, semi-truck trailer, 2,000-lb super sacks and 50-lb bags. Recently however, with the addition of smaller, retail bag pack systems to address consumer demand, Mennel has prioritised the efficiency and performance of its quality control inspection and checkweighing solutions. Always seeking to drive operational excellence and standardise equipment, Senior Corporate Packaging Engineer Dieter Flick is part of the Mennel team who has been charged with this effort. Utilising decades of experience, Dieter is responsible for maintaining and upgrading existing equipment, to enhance personnel safety and boost production efficiency.
ROBUST RAPTOR REDUCES DOWNTIME Since installing its first Raptor Combination metal detector and checkweighing system in Newton, North Carolina on
the packing line in 2023, Jonathan Mace reports that they have incurred no unplanned downtime on the new equipment so far. The Project Engineer cites simplicity, robustness and reliability as some of the biggest benefits of these machines. Producing, packaging, and the inspection of approximately 750,000 lb. of flour daily requires durable and reliable machinery. Jonathan expands: “In a milling and packaging environment,
screens can be easily damaged, and clearances can be extremely tight. Sometimes the products themselves contain salt and phosphate, which can be corrosive. The Raptor’s stainless steel construction has held up so far in these challenging environments.”
Highlighting the plastic cover over the HMI panel as another useful design feature Jonathan adds: “This is a great addition as it helps to prevent damage to the screen. This plastic cover helps prevent loose flour circulating in the environment from settling onto the conveyor, building up and negatively impacting weighing accuracy.” As a seven-story milling plant with a variety of moving machinery operating around the clock, vibration could potentially affect the performance
March 2025 Instrumentation Monthly
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