MIXING, WEIGHING & CONVEYING FEATURE GET A HANDLE ON INGREDIENTS


process can be affected in terms of, for instance, the integrity of a mix of cereals, or the weight of additive being fed into a liquid tank. Additionally, data exchange from weigh controllers should be available if required to monitor and report fluctuations as well as act upon them. Ensure all the following elements are


considered and implemented at the outset to avoid costly problems down the line: - • If you don’t have a written control


Effective ingredient handling is a crucial factor in optimising production. Cathy Podevyn, marketing director at Spiroflow, suggests what to look for when selecting an equipment supplier


W


hen it comes to investment in new equipment, control of ingredients


handling is a sector of food manufacturing that’s often given lower priority than it deserves, compared to main process equipment. Yet, if the fundamentals of ingredients handling are disregarded at the procurement and design stage, it can cause havoc to your production line. And whilst it may be obvious that the mechanical or vacuum conveyors, mixers, bulk bag unloaders, sieves etc., should be of robust construction and proven design, the control of their function is often the make-or-break element. It is important to establish that the supplier has a team of electrical (as well as mechanical designers) who understand your requirements and can provide sound advice and fast back up. There are several points to consider if you wish to optimise production, reduce


waste and minimise downtime. Whilst a low-cost screw conveyor, sieve, bag emptier may “do the job” for a short campaign, it will not satisfy flexible manufacturing or 24/7 operation and may be costly in terms of spare parts, hassle and downtime. Let’s start with the ingredients


themselves, which come in every conceivable form of powder, granule, flake with varying fat and moisture content. Flow properties vary, from well-behaved granular rusk to desiccated coconut that can form compacted clumps at the sight of a conveyor screw. Apart from overcoming these challenges by correct selection of mechanical equipment, a control system must be designed to monitor flow, detect variations or interruptions in feed rates and adjust transfer rates accordingly, otherwise the


PROCESS EQUIPMENT CERTIFIED FOR HALAL AND KOSHER FOOD PRODUCTION


Increasing numbers of food processors are taking advantage of Hosokawa Micron’s FSSC 22000 food safety management, Halal and Kosher certified toll processing service to meet demands for improved cleanliness, purity and quality in food production. Whether companies lack capacity, need access to specific processing technology or are not certified to


handle certain ingredients or processes, cleaning regimes or product segregation, Hosokawa Micron can provide the solution. Kathryn Hipkins, Technical Centre manager, Hosokawa


Micron, said: “Kosher and Halal food is processed in our toll processing facility adhering to strict procedures to deliver a range of traceable, honest and pure goods. Our ability to process goods in accordance with strict procedures is increasingly of interest to those producing goods for those with food sensitivities and is becoming more widely accepted food production practice across a range of goods.” With a range of equipment and food technologies to hand,


including mixing, milling, separation, granulation, classifying, agglomeration and pack off available, Hosokawa can meet a vast range of food processing requirements tailored to meet one off or regular production needs. www.hosokawa.co.uk


/ PROCESS&CONTROL


An ingredients handling and weight control system should be designed for current demands and future changes


philosophy for your chosen supplier to follow, thrash out exactly how the system should work to satisfy process requirements, operator input, batch cycles, cleaning regimes, ATEX considerations. • Make sure the supplier has facilities to test your product to anticipate flow, smearing and hopper bridging problems, particularly if new ingredients are being introduced. • Machine demonstrations at your


supplier must reflect or simulate your process in terms of throughput rates or weight control. Thorough testing, often trialling several conveyor types can determine screw profile, hopper design, level probes, valves etc. For bulk bag unloading trials, this will involve sending a full bag in advance of your visit. Bring your operatives to the demos – their input is valuable and often reveals day-to-day operational problems or maintenance aspects otherwise overlooked. • Is the ingredient density affected


during the conveying cycle? Remember that aeration of a powder during a conveying cycle may affect the “settling time” or the amount that can be filled into a bag or weigh vessel. An ingredients handling and weight control system that is correctly designed for current demands and future changes should incorporate the technology, such as digital load cells and PLC based weigh modules with HMI screens, that allow for easy calibration of the weigh platform and modification of process variables. The weigh system will monitor and signal adjustments to feed rates, avoiding both process errors and waste caused by overfeeding of expensive additives. Data collection and monitoring is no longer just an option for GMP, nor is the ability for PLC to interface with downstream equipment and plant process control. An equipment supplier with in-house control systems capability can provide remote diagnostics of problems and technical back-up by phone, avoiding the need for service engineer call-outs. To summarise, due diligence in your


choice of equipment and confidence in your supplier’s technical expertise will save you a lot of stress in the long run.


Spiroflow www.spiroflow.com


PROCESS & CONTROL | MAY 2017 11


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