ProFood World August 2021

August 2021

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EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY AWARD WINNERS B&G Foods • Conagra Brands • Smithfield Foods Liffey Meats • Graphic Packaging International PACK EXPO Las Vegas Preview CTI Foods Automates Hot to Handle Taco Line Dry Processing Solutions Tech Today: Floors and Drains

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AUGUST 2021

CONTENTS 31

38 DEPARTMENTS

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6 From the Editor A new season begins for ProFood World.

9 In the News Industry expert addresses how to attract and retain a quality workforce.

ON THE COVER Eye on Sustainability From packaging reductions and recycling projects to water, compressed air, and other utility savings, food and beverage processors have not taken their eyes off the ball when it comes to protecting the planet.

12 OpX Intel Vertical start-ups are needed now more than ever.

17 Packaging Technology Active packaging technology improves seafood safety, shelf life.

38 Show Preview PACK EXPO Las Vegas is back with attendee safety measures in place.

59 Plant Floor New Products View the latest machinery and technology for production facilities.

75 Tech Perspective Big data analytics optimizes HPP equipment, processes.

FEATURES 31 CTI Foods Automates Its Hot to Handle Taco Packaging Line Tacobots efficiently upgrade and automate production with a unique two-pick mechanical tool. The recent line integration project wins a 2021 Manufacturing Innovation Award from ProFood World.

41 Tech Today: Floor Developers Focus on Fast Return to Service Food and beverage manufacturers are demanding shorter schedules for flooring installations, while also looking for more sustainable options.

Floors and drains must also stand up to higher standards of thermal shock, caustic chemicals, bacteria concerns, and more.

DRY PROCESSING SOLUTIONS 51 Case Study: Transylvania Vocational Services Bagger helps dry milk packager meet food bank demand.

53 Dry Processing New Products www.profoodworld.com

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ProFood World ISSN 2476-0676

BLEND ROTARY BATCH MIXERS • 0.25 to 600 cu ft (0.01 to 17 cu m) • 100% uniformity in less than 3 minutes • Uniform liquid additions • Ultra-gentle • Complete discharge • Fast sanitizing

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOYCE FASSL Mobile: 610/547-9814 jfassl@pmmimediagroup.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR AARON HAND ahand@pmmimediagroup.com MANAGING EDITOR NATALIE CRAIG ncraig@pmmimediagroup.com

VEE-CONE BLENDERS • 1 cup to 200 cu ft (0.5 to 5663 L) • Gentle, 5 to 15 minute cycles • Complete discharge • Ultra-fast sanitizing of smooth internal surfaces

@ProFoodWorld www.linkedin.com/ showcase/profoodworld

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS MELISSA GRIFFEN, STEPHEN PERRY, STEPHEN SCHLEGEL, JEFFREY BARACH

B U S I N E S S S TA F F PUBLISHER PATRICK YOUNG 610/251-2579 pyoung@pmmimediagroup.com BRAND OPERATIONS MANAGER CLAUDIA SMITH 312/222-1345 csmith@pmmimediagroup.com

• 1.0 to 1,150 cu ft (0.03 to 32.56 cu m) • Blends dry bulk to pastes • Shear reduces agglomerates • Low cost

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR DAVID BACHO ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR KATHY TRAVIS

REDUCE

AU D I E N C E A N D T E C H N O L O GY SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL AND DATA ELIZABETH KACHORIS

LUMP BREAKERS • Throat widths 12 to 48 in.

(30.5 to 122 cm) • Bed screens 1/32 to 2 1/2 in.

(0.79 to 64 mm) • Quick screen cleaning, inspection, removal

DIRECTOR, WEBSITES + UX/UI JEN KREPELKA SENIOR DATA ANALYST LAUREN SANZ

PUBLISHING PRESIDENT JOSEPH ANGEL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT DAVID NEWCORN PUBLISHER PATRICK YOUNG

CLASSIFYING CUTTERS • Throat widths 10 to 72 in.

(25 to 183 cm) • Bed screens 1/32 to 2 1/2 in.

(0.79 to 64 mm) • Precise sizes with minimum fines

VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT AND BRAND STRATEGY JIM CHRZAN SENIOR CONTENT STRATEGIST KIM OVERSTREET DIRECTOR, MARKETING SHARON TAYLOR SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER AMBER MILLER EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR JANET FABIANO

ADVE R TI S I N G

PIN MILLS

PRODUCTION MANAGER GEORGE SHURTLEFF

• Controlled sizing down to 400 mesh • No screens, hammers, knives or rolls • Coarse & fine grinding of friable materials • Conditioning of cellulose fibers

SENIOR DIRECTOR, CLIENT SUCCESS AND MEDIA OPERATIONS KELLY GREEBY DIRECTOR, PRODUCT STRATEGY ALICIA PETTIGREW

ProFood World • PMMI Media Group 401 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611 Phone: 312/222-1010 • Fax: 312/222-1310 Email: info@pmmimediagroup.com Web: www.profoodworld.com

COMPARE Only at Munson can you test these and 14 other blending and size reduction machines side-by-side using your material—ensuring you of top efficiency at the lowest cost.

ADVE R TI S I N G SALE S PUBLISHER PATRICK YOUNG pyoung@pmmimediagroup.com • 610/251-2579 REGIONAL SALES MANAGER BRIAN J. GRONOWSKI bgronowski@pmmimediagroup.com 440/564-5920 REGIONAL SALES MANAGER DANIEL SMITH dsmith@pmmimediagroup.com • 312/205-7935 VICE PRESIDENT, SALES WENDY SAWTELL wsawtell@pmmimediagroup.com • 847/784-0520 REGIONAL MANAGER RICKY ANGEL rangel@pmmimediagroup.com • 630/805-3892 REGIONAL MANAGER LEO GUENTHER guenther@packworld.com • 904/377-7865 REGIONAL MANAGER JIM POWERS jpowers@automationworld.com • 312/925-7793 REGIONAL MANAGER CHRISTINE J. SMALLWOOD csmallwood@pmmimediagroup.com 770/664-4600 PUBLISHER, AUTOMATION WORLD KURT BELISLE kbelisle@pmmimediagroup.com • 815/549-1034 PUBLISHER, HEALTHCARE PACKAGING LIZ TIERNEY tierney@packworld.com • 815/861-2992 PUBLISHER, OEM MAGAZINE JIM CHRZAN jchrzan@pmmimediagroup.com • 847/830-2915

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies 12930 Worldgate Drive, Suite 200, Herndon, VA 20170 Phone: 571/612-3200 • Fax: 703/243-8556 Web: www.pmmi.org

Staff at PMMI Media Group can be contacted at info@pmmimediagroup.com.

1-800-944-6644 info@munsonmachinery.com WWW.MUNSONMACHINERY.COM

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@ProFoodWorld

NEW PRODUCTS EDITOR MORGAN SMITH msmith@pmmimediagroup.com

RIBBON BLENDERS

©2021 Munson Machinery Co., Inc. MUNSON® is a registered trademark of Munson Machinery Co., Inc.

CONNECT WITH US

ProFood World ® (ISSN 2476-06760, USPS 22310) is a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. ProFood World ® is published 6x a year (February, April, June, August, October, December) by PMMI Media Group, 401 North Michigan Avenue Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2021 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.profoodworld.com. Paid subscription rates per year are $55 in the U.S., $80 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $130 Europe and South America. $200 in all other areas. To subscribe or manage your subscription to ProFood World, visit ProFoodWorld.com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: ProFood World, 401 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611. PRINTED IN USA by Quad Graphics. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: jfassl@pmmimediagroup.com. We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address. Volume 5, Number 4.

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FROM THE EDITOR JOYCE FASSL | EDITOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IN CHIEF

A New Season Begins for ProFood World Launched in 2016, ProFood World continues its successful reign as the food industry’s fastest growing media brand. However, a change is brewing.

I

am very pleased to announce that ProFood World’s (PFW) Executive Editor Aaron Hand will become the new editor in chief of ProFood World starting with the October 2021 issue. Aaron joined PMMI Media Group (PMG) in 2013 as a seasoned trade journalist. In his initial role at PMG, he was executive editor for Automation World, where he focused on the process industries. In 2019, he became editor at large for all PMG publications, covering manufacturing and automation as well as pandemic coverage that drew strong reader interest. Last fall, Aaron joined ProFood World full time as executive editor. With his vast level of pertinent editorial experience, Aaron is the perfect person to take over the helm of PFW. But wait a minute! What’s going on with Joyce and her popular Joyce’s Voice e-newsletter? Rest assured, I am not going anywhere. This year, I am celebrating 35 years of continuous service to the food and beverage manufacturing industry as a leading journalist.

I think it’s time to for me to cut back a bit and use my talents and experience where they are needed most. I will continue to be involved with all things ProFood World, focusing on writing our signature plant profile features, managing the Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards and Manufacturing Innovation Awards, honing the industry knowledge of our contributing editors, producing Joyce’s Voice e-newsletter, overseeing special editions of PFW, and, of course, working side by side with Aaron to ensure ProFood World continues its commitment to providing the best content to meet our readers’ needs.

You can still reach me at the same email address and phone number I’ve used since I helped launch PFW in 2016. In the meantime, here’s a toast to the continued success of ProFood World!

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

CHRISTINE BENSE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Ventura Coastal GREG FLICKINGER SENIOR VP, OPERATIONS Green Thumb Industries Inc. JOHN HILKER DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING Blommer Chocolate Company VINCE NASTI VP, OPERATIONS Nation Pizza & Foods JIM PRUNESTI VP, ENGINEERING Conagra Brands LISA RATHBURN VP, ENGINEERING T. Marzetti MARK SHAYE VP, ENGINEERING Ken’s Foods TONY VANDENOEVER DIRECTOR, SUPPLY CHAIN ENGINEERING PepsiCo DIANE WOLF FORMER VP OF ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS Kraft Foods BROOKE WYNN SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY Smithfield Foods JOE ZEMBAS DIRECTOR, ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES The J.M. Smucker Company

jfassl@pmmimediagroup.com

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| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE

How to Attract and Retain a Quality Workforce MELISSA GRIFFEN | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

A

t the 2021 Executive Leadership Conference (ELC) produced

by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, Gardner Carrick, vice president of strategic initiatives at The Manufacturing Institute (MI) and National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), presented technical workforce development trends, both in connection to and beyond COVID-19.

Results show that since 2010 there has been an increase of nearly a million-and-a-half jobs in manufacturing.

Those numbers decreased when the pandemic hit, but recent studies suggest they have rebounded and are returning to previous levels.

Beyond COVID-19, the second 2021 key business challenge is the continuing struggle of attracting and retaining a quality workforce. There’s not a “strong enough pipeline of individuals desiring to go into a career in manufacturing and not enough breadth of training programs to prepare them with skills to be successful in those careers,” said Carrick.

MI and NAM prioritize the success of manufacturers and their workforces—whether it be through fighting for manufacturer rights, providing news and intelligence about the industry, or through initiatives to support a diverse American workforce by providing skilled training programs.

The MI and NAM efforts, presented at ELC, are: • Creators Wanted, which exhibits in towns to invite high school students to enter the manufacturing field post-graduation. MFG Day— when facilities open their doors on the first Friday in October—has been combined with Creators Wanted. It includes virtual tours and 3D maps, as well as an MFG Day webinar series.

• Military and veteran recruitment starts these brave men and women on their next career. Individuals in their last six months of service can start training in the MI programs, which have recently been modified to include networking days with manufacturers. Both noncommissioned and commissioned officers have shown increased interest in leadership roles in manufacturing.

These programs are available at five U.S. military bases.

• The STEP Women’s Initiative, which includes training women to be role models in their communities. More than 800 women have been recognized so far.

Attracting and retaining a quality workforce in manufacturing is a systemic key business challenge.

NEWS Sabra Names New President and CEO Joey Bergstein became Sabra’s (a Strauss Group brand) new president and chief executive officer on July 8. Bergstein most recently served as CEO of Seventh Generation.

Digital Feature Debuts at PACK EXPO Las Vegas For the first time in its history, show producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, is offering a virtual component to PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO (Sept. 27-29, Las Vegas Convention Center).

PACK EXPO Xpress will allow those unable to travel to access products and innovations in digital showrooms and connect with solutions suppliers during the event, while also serving as a supplement to the on-site experience for those in attendance or their coworkers back at the office. Registration provides access to a My Show Planner account, PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO’s personalized resource planning tool and directory.

“The goal of PACK EXPO Xpress is twofold, offering access to the show experience to larger portions of the packaging and processing community, some of whom can better serve their customers remaining back on the plant floor,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, trade shows, PMMI. “At the same time, it allows in-person attendees not to have to choose, for example, one education session over another.”

The registration fee for PACK EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO is $30 through Sept. 3, after which it increases by $100. The registration fee for PACK EXPO Xpress remains $30.

Visit packexpolasvegas.com to register for the in-person or virtual event.

www.profoodworld.com

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IN THE NEWS

• The NAM Pledge of Action ensures broad-based recruiting strategies “to cast as many nets as wide as possible in order to fill the roles that we need,” said Carrick. This allows for greater diversity in the workforce by reaching out to minority communities.

• The Second Chance operation is for people with criminal records. Studies done on the retention routes and productivity of individuals with criminal records show that those in the Second Chance program have a competitive drive to keep their positions.

An apprenticeship program that Carrick highlighted is FAME, the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education—created by Toyota. FAME is a multi-skilled maintenance technical program operated by a group of companies, which promotes professional behaviors in dress and speech, and educates workers on the culture of manufacturing or, in other words, how to think as maintenance employees.

PMMI efforts to build the workforce PMMI has invested in a single-employer model with Amazon to develop an apprenticeship program.

Amazon wanted to develop a program to upscale current employees, which would build a baseline to

allow individuals to build new skills. The company had been looking for different models and certifications to provide standards with which to align.

PMMI’s mechatronics certification program became the base of Amazon’s apprenticeship program, which allows individuals to not only finish the program, but obtain certifications as well.

PMMI saw a 223% increase in utilization of the certification program throughout 2020. This increase is expected to continue as more schools offer the certification program, thanks to the Amazon apprenticeship program. PMMI is also attempting to get involved in efforts to make military personnel aware of the industry and become properly trained.

Since research shows that the majority of students who participate in manufacturing programs do not end up in the manufacturing workforce, PMMI created its Skills Fund for the future workforce. It allows companies to work with local education programs and to donate money or equipment.

PMMI then matches company donations up to $50,000.

Learn more about PMMI’s workforce development programs at www.pmmi.org/workforce/current-workforce.

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OPX INTEL: OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY STEPHEN C. SCHLEGEL | MANAGING PARTNER, FSO INSTITUTE

Vertical Start-ups Are Needed Now More Than Ever There is an exceptional opportunity for consumer packaged goods companies and OEMs to use proven best practices as a basis for developing a successful capital project delivery strategy on every project.

A

CHIEVING VERTICAL START-UPS in capital expenditure (CapEx) projects is no longer aspirational. It is a necessity, and every stakeholder— internally and externally—must get onboard with that reality. At the present time, capital projects are facing significant headwinds. Labor, material, and transportation shortages have led to extended lead times, missed shipping dates, and increased costs. Couple these with an ever-increasing demand to meet all business and customer requirements, and it is no wonder that failure to deliver vertical start-ups is not an option.

In a recent FSO Institute Manufacturing Health Survey, 60% of those surveyed agree that their company consistently uses project management

practices. It is important to note that only 5% strongly agree. However, another 33% disagree that the consistent use of project management is being effectively utilized.

With that backdrop and an obvious opportunity for improvement, FSO Institute asked three industry executives for their views on bringing CapEx projects to operational reliability through vertical start-ups: • Scott Spencer, president and COO, Island Abbey Food Science • Mark Hanley, senior corporate asset reliability manager, Land O’Lakes • Josh Becker, product manager – bakery and confection, Harpak-ULMA Packaging

CAS E I N P O I NT

SCOTT SPENCER

MARK HANLEY

JOSH BECKER

FSO: What do you see as the two or three key challenges affecting your achievement of vertical startups in today’s capital project marketplace?

SPENCER: 1. Operator training: The equipment will be coming from overseas, so there will be limited opportunity for training associates before the equipment is installed. The equipment is technically advanced over what we currently use, and there will need to be significant upskilling of team members.

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2. Formula adoption: We will be moving from a completely batch process to a more automated batch-continuous process that requires modifications to our formulas. This is in progress with the vendor on some formulations, but additional testing will need to be done once the equipment is installed. This will be a challenge in our regulated and co-manufacturing environment, as significant formulation changes may need to be resubmitted to Health Canada for Natural Product Number approval, and all changes to co-manufactured product will have to be approved by customers.

3. Process changes: The equipment represents a fivefold increase in throughput that will dramatically change how we operate on a daily basis. This could increase scrap and waste, alter the timing of runs, and otherwise have an impact on a vertical start-up.

HANLEY: 1. Asset reliability’s role in capital projects: This is more than merely being informed

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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OpX Leadership work products help CPGs achieve operational excellence, maximizing the return on time and resources invested in projects.

of a planned capital expenditure; this is asset reliability having a seat at the table. Achieving vertical start-up on any capital project is challenging at best. It requires teamwork, insights from key stakeholders, and a commitment to improved processes to deliver the intended results. With early equipment management, you are engaging the team members to focus on equipment performance long after the capital project is closed out, from the first day of production with predictable operational reliability in product quality and performance.

2. Standardization of critical assets: I can best describe this with an example. If our plants are standardized on butter printers in all dairy plants, then the benefits accrue due to reliable uptime performance, as operators and maintenance technicians know what to do and how to do it. But if, during the project, the decision is made to deviate from this standard (for a presumed business advantage), the start-up and ongoing performance of that equipment are disappointing. More training and operational oversight are required. This is certainly one important reason to be engaged in the conceptual phase of a project.

BECKER offers his unique perspective from being both an engineering manager for Hershey and Bimbo, as well as working for an OEM. 1. Integrating systems: This can be quite challenging for the customer and OEM. There is a need to validate the capability and bring to the surface any issues centered around the integration of third-party systems. During factory acceptance tests (FATs) for one piece of equipment, it may not be possible to include other systems. So, planning with full recognition that this must be done on-site can do much to mitigate conflicts, but it is not foolproof and can cause delays to a vertical start-up.

2. Facility drawings: As many projects are equipment replacements, too often, the facility drawings may not be the most current and/or just do not contain all the poten-

IMAGE COURTESY OF PMMI

tial obstructions. Two-dimensional facility drawings do not always show the utility infrastructure, leading to the lack of a three-dimensional perspective that can identify interferences that can impede efficient installation. It reinforces how important site visits are to evaluate all possible obstruction points.

3. Contractors: With existing operations and the tight restrictions on available schedule to prevent interfering with production, it is critical to have experienced subcontractors (e.g., riggers) that are proven planners and provide them with detailed task schedules, so that when implementation of the demo plan begins, there is a seamless process to achieve the reinstall of the new equipment.

FSO: How would you quantify the value of achieving vertical start-up in your major capital project? What does it mean to your company?

SPENCER: 1. It’s important to note that we can maintain our existing equipment in operation during installation and start-up of the new equipment. While this is a replacement for existing capacity, the existing equipment is not being relocated for the installation, and, therefore, customer service is not expected to be impacted.

2. Cost of goods sold (COGS): The new equipment represents a fivefold increase in throughput with the same or similar number of operators. Any delay in reaching target throughput will impact COGS negatively. Additionally, the existing equipment will be in operation during start-up to maintain customer service, so delays in start-up will cause two crews to be running and further impact COGS. 3. Delays in later phases of the project: While the existing equipment will remain in place to maintain customer service, later phases of the project, including installation of bottling capacity and building Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) improvements, require the existing equipment to be removed from the building. Therefore, delays

www.profoodworld.com

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OPX INTEL: OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY on start-up may delay later phases of the project and could impact key performance indicators (KPIs) like customer service.

HANLEY: 1. First hour full power (FHFP): To meet the business capacity requirements, FHFP is crucial.

Consider a project replacing several critical assets within a line. There is a limited amount of time to remove, replace, and then become fully operational.

Being unable to validate in advance that the integration of the new with the existing equipment will be in harmonization makes it less likely to reach FHFP. The value of achieving vertical start-up can be measured in unrecoverable downtime production losses.

2. Additionally, to provide leadership with a view into the start-up, a way of tracking the events during the start-up and a way to measure the start-up against the expected throughput need to be developed and used.

BECKER: 1. Mandatory vertical start-ups: In the baking industry, particularly with fresh baked products, achieving vertical start-ups is mandatory.

Commitments to customers are based on project schedules and anticipated supply chain requirements. If the project schedule slips, then the baker risks not having ample supply on customer shelves,

leaving open the real opportunity to lose the retailer’s business! To carry this example one step further, for the OEM that misses the vertical start-up, the cost implications are major. Not only does the OEM have to spend out-of-budget service technician time, but it also impacts another customer since the service tech is not available. However, when a vertical start-up is achieved, the value is infinite, as it opens future opportunities with that customer and potentially others as well.

FSO: Can you share some examples of how you and your OEMs have used OpX best practices documents—specifically developed to improve capital project delivery?

SPENCER: 1. Virtual FAT (vFAT) and FAT work products will be used for accepting the equipment.

Currently, a vFAT is expected to be done in the July/ August timeframe and an FAT in October when travel is acceptable.

2. More long term, Island Abbey Food Science has used the OpX OEE Guidelines as both a training tool and for development of our production KPIs and tracking systems. This will continue with new equipment, and the same OEE Guidelines will be used.

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ABOUT THE OPX INTEL SERIES OF ARTICLES HANLEY: 1. The Asset Reliability Roadmap: As a participant in the development of the OpX Asset Reliability Roadmap, I believe it provides great insights and guidance that can be applied to any organization. For example, the Asset Reliability Opportunity Calculator has been used in discussions with OEMs to help develop improvements to their equipment. In one case, we demonstrated the in-plant adaptations we made to an existing asset.

When the OEM can see the accrued benefit to the processor in operational performance, it can more effectively engineer solutions for our company, as well as other clients.

2. By blending the roadmap with the other OpX solutions, such as total cost of ownership, sanitary design, and workforce engagement, roadblocks can be all but eliminated, and a successful project conclusion can be achieved.

BECKER: In my opinion, there are three OpX best practices that are quite valuable to our client engagements: request for proposal (RFP), FAT, and remote access. First is RFP, as it sets the stage for establishing clarity in what the customer is expecting and what the OEM is going to deliver. Simply put, the better the scope and deliverables are defined, the

PMMI’s OpX Leadership Network has produced more than 20 manufacturing process-improvement documents for CPGs and OEMs. The FSO Institute has facilitated the adoption and implementation of these documents, especially for food and beverage manufacturers. This series of articles shows how CPGs are using OpX and FSO documents to improve their overall manufacturing health and collaboration with OEMs and other suppliers. Learn more at www.opxleadershipnetwork.org and www.fsoinstitute.com.

better the solution (equipment and services), and the better opportunity to achieve a vertical start-up.

Planning for the FAT demands attention to detail.

A failed FAT will almost certainly assure that the project will not achieve a vertical start-up. It’s even more important with a vFAT. It must be recognized that not being there in person can open the project up to delays. OEMs have done a great job managing the vFAT to deliver the best equipment and systems to their customers, but they do not always think like the end user/customer. Finally, having remote access provides a lifeline when additional expertise is needed to solve site-related issues.

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PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AARON HAND |

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Active Packaging Technology Improves Seafood Safety, Shelf Life The SeaWell Protective Active Packaging System from Aptar Food + Beverage – Food Protection integrates technology that keeps excess liquid from accumulating around the seafood, thereby reducing bacterial growth, preserving quality, and improving consumer perception.

T

HE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY has long faced a number of challenges at the grocery store—a perceived lack of freshness, excess liquid in the package that can cause contamination issues, and concerns about safe handling. Advances in active packaging are working to combat these problems, thereby extending seafood shelf life, mitigating in-package liquid buildup, and improving hygiene through a more touchless consumer experience.

In a study with Virginia Tech, Aptar Food + Beverage has shown the ability of its SeaWell Protective Packaging System to reduce bacterial growth and preserve seafood quality throughout the supply chain. Launched in mid-2020, the packaging integrates technology that absorbs excess liquids that would otherwise accumulate around the seafood. The absorbent materials trap excess fluids inside pockets or wells integrated into the bottom of the package—also improving consumer perception.

As the world’s most widely traded animal protein on a global basis, seafood in the U.S. is nonetheless consumed at significantly lower rates. Perceived lack of freshness and safety are drivers in this consumption gap, Aptar notes in a scientific paper focused on its SeaWell technology. “Even closer to the coasts, the seafood industry faces longstanding struggles to convince consumers of product freshness and safety,” the paper says, citing a study from Sustainable Fisheries.

“With 62 to 65% of U.S.-consumed seafood originating from other countries, even those who live near the ocean may find themselves buying seafood that has traveled thousands of miles to reach their kitchens.”

Your seafood is weeping Packaging can play a key role not only in maintaining seafood freshness and safety, Aptar argues, but also in improving consumer perception.

IMAGE COURTESY OF APTAR

The SeaWell technology can be incorporated into absorbent trays and pouches to significantly limit liquid buildup to improve safety and extend freshness and shelf life.

Often, seafood is packaged in foam trays with synthetic pads and overwrap. It’s a cost-effective solution, but it provides little protection from the buildup of bacteria and excessive liquid. Punctures and leaks are common throughout the supply chain, so those packages often need to be rewrapped as well.

Premium packaging solutions such as vacuum skin packs still fail to handle the high levels of liquids that seafood produces, Aptar says.

It’s inevitable that seafood will weep—meaning it will lose weight related to moisture emission. “However, an extensive amount of weeping is an indication of food proteins breaking down and an overall product quality degradation,” explains Christa Biggs, manager of business development for Aptar Food + Beverage – Food Protection. “The SeaWell system controls excess liquid www.profoodworld.com

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PACKAGING TECHOLOGY

that would otherwise accumulate in the package. This control of excessive liquid buildup decreases the availability of water, which in turn slows the protein breakdown process by decreasing the rates of chemical reactions and microbial growth.”

The SeaWell technology leverages a proprietary three-phase Activ-Polymer platform that can be incorporated into absorbent trays and pouches to significantly limit liquid buildup to improve safety and extend freshness and shelf life.

The trays are thermoformed with cavities into which a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) technology blend is dropped and secured with a heat-sealed piece of nonwoven fabric. This creates a “false floor” in the tray, separating the seafood from any standing liquids.

As the seafood thaws, the naturally released liquids fall through the nonwoven fabric into these cavities, reacting with the proprietary GRAS ingredients to form a gel that remains secured in the wells of the tray.

The pouch configuration works with bag packaging. In this case, the absorbent blend is housed in quilted pockets on the back of the bag, hidden by the seafood contained within it. This provides the same liquid separation effect to protect the seafood from pathogen growth.

Independent validation A study conducted by Virginia Tech showed that optimizing liquid control slowed the growth of bacteria in the package, thereby slowing product degradation.

Comparing the microbial growth and kinetics of spoilage between scallops packaged in a SeaWell-based tray vs. standard packaging, the study found that scallops stored in the control group achieved a bacterial count of 6 log CFU/g (considered the limit for food spoilage) 12-13 days after storage, while scallops stored in Aptar’s system did not reach the same threshold until 15-16 days after storage.

The Virginia Tech study also monitored the total weight changes of scallops during 20 days in storage—another way to measure microbial and chemical spoilage. Conventional packaging showed a weight/ moisture loss of 46% in the scallops while those packaged with the SeaWell technology lost only 30%. The area loss of the scallops was also significantly lower in the SeaWell-based packaging.

Packaged for food safety Though the Virginia Tech study demonstrated that SeaWell provides an increased shelf life for seafoods, that is not the primary draw, according to Biggs. “For

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more brand owners and consumers, the most important aspects are providing a superior seafood handling experience and a safer product, more so than simply elongating shelf life,” she explains. “There’s a finite interest in seafood having too extensive a shelf life, since ingrained consumer familiarity with seafood’s comparably brief peak freshness period means that further-out expiration dates may unintentionally arouse suspicion rather than convey higher quality.

However, being able to add a few extra days has certainly allowed our customers a supply chain cushion, as well as decreased food waste.”

Though retailers often look at their fresh-counter seafood as a differentiator of high quality, the consumer has no way of knowing how fresh that seafood actually is. “Most supermarkets and large retail stores have their seafood products shipped to them, often from many miles away,” Biggs notes.

“For seafood to travel these distances without spoilage or degradation, it is usually shipped and received frozen. So typically, even the seafood you see in fresh counters needs to go through a secondary thaw process before being displayed.”

The SeaWell system supports this same process, Biggs adds, the difference being that the product

can be thawed inside the packaging, eliminating the need for human handling and minimizing contamination. “The retailer can simply take the product from a frozen environment to a refrigerated one and allow it to thaw in the package before merchandising,” she says.

Aptar advocates the advantages of pre-packaged products not only for consumer comfort and convenience, but also the ability to add owner-controlled label language that can speak directly to the in-home handling process. Pre-packaged formats allow for a production date, recipes, and brand sustainability commitments. In a shelf-life challenged industry, consumers can be educated on the benefits of the active packaging a seafood provider is using.

“This suggested protocol shift has been well received, as many supermarkets have long had a difficult time keeping their fresh counters open, since it is typically a high-cost and high-labor food retail component,” Biggs says. “And now, as e-commerce emerges and evolves through conveniences like in-store pickup and home delivery, a safer way to transport seafood is necessary.”

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SUSTAINABILITY EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AWARDS JOYCE FASSL |

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Eye on Sustainability From packaging reductions and recycling projects to water, compressed air, and other utility savings, food and beverage processors have not taken their eyes off the ball when it comes to protecting the planet.

I

N THE ERA OF RISING INFLATION, shifting consumer habits, and post-pandemic operational planning, sustainability remains front and center for food and beverage manufacturers.

Concerns about environmental and social well-being are becoming less abstract and more tangible, according to a recent report from the Hartman Group.

The research says consumers are reconsidering what sustainability really means to them, how different components of sustainability affect them, and whom they will hold responsible for addressing these challenges.

In the report, 78% of consumers said they are familiar with the term sustainability, yet only 15% can identify a sustainable company. In addition, 28% of consumers told the Hartman Group they are willing to pay more for products from companies that support their values.

All this business intelligence is, of course, extremely important for food and beverage manufacturing

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success. Consequently, despite the many challenges faced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, processors never shifted their eyes away from environment matters.

Each year, ProFood World recognizes the leading projects undertaken by food and beverage facilities across North America with its Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards (SEMA). Given for one-time projects as well as ongoing programs, the awards honor companies and individuals that seek to go beyond environmental compliance. In 2020, ProFood World added a new category to the SEMA awards—the Processor/Supplier Partnership Category—to recognize the growth and importance of collaboration between processors and industry suppliers in protecting the planet.

All entries were judged by a team of food industry peers. The winners will be honored at a special session at PACK EXPO Las Vegas on Sept. 27.

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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Installation of an air-cooled air handling unit in place of a water-cooled unit at B&G Foods’ Cincinnati facility has significantly reduced water usage.

Key facets of the program include eliminating once-through water applications, optimizing process temperature settings, automating water shutoffs, maintaining water systems, and driving continuous improvement with data analysis.

Hales says the water reduction program has evolved over the past 10 years at the Cincinnati Crisco site. “On this journey, we have incorporated learnings from other manufacturing plants on water reuse, partnered with consultants, and tapped into our employees’ insights and knowledge,” she says.

“Continuous improvement is achieved by data collection, trend analysis, feedback communication, and the continued mindset to challenge the status quo,” Hales states. “Our motto, which we share with all new employees to the site, is ‘Our actions can impact the Earth…Welcome to Team Earth.’”

SECOND PLACE PROGRAM CATEGORY (TIE)

Conagra Brands Succeeds With Compressed Air, Steam, and Vacuum Leak Reduction Project

PHOTOS COURTESY OF B&G FOODS

FIRST PLACE PROGRAM CATEGORY

B&G Foods’ Water Reduction Program Empowers Employees to Make a Difference With a goal to minimize its environmental impact, B&G Foods’ Cincinnati Crisco facility has been on a journey to reduce water usage for the past 10 years. In 2020, the plant implemented several water-reduction projects, including the revision of temperature settings for process operations; installation of an air-cooled air handling unit in place of a water-cooled unit; and implementation of program changes to automate water valve shutoffs, according to Plant Engineer Karen Hales.

“These changes resulted in a reduction of water usage by 19.5% vs. the prior year, despite an increased production volume of 38%,” she states. The 2020 project’s return on investment was achieved in four months.

Since 2011, the site has reduced water consumption by more than 250 million gal, equaling a greater than 75% reduction. The program benefits not only the company in terms of lower costs, but also the community and future generations by conserving a valuable natural resource. “With a focus on minimizing water use, this program can be integrated into many manufacturing and community programs,” Hales explains. “We have also shared our learnings with many other manufacturing sites.”

This award-winning initiative involved Conagra Brands’ Menomonie, Wis., facility purchasing an ultrasonic imager. The imager detects compressed air and steam leaks in the facility and provides a survey for every leak that is detected, including an ultrasonic picture showing exactly where the leak is, the CFM

PHOTO COURTESY OF CONAGRA BRANDS

Conagra Brands’ Menomonie, Wis., team displays the ultrasonic imager that helps it identify air leaks. www.profoodworld.com

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SUSTAINABILITY EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AWARDS

rate of the leak, and the associated annual energy savings in kilowatt hours, depending on the local electricity prices. “We developed a program where maintenance will go out and use the imager to find air and steam leaks,” says Maria Peers, senior manufacturing system engineer.

“The area planner creates the work order for the leak to be fixed,” says Peers. “We have a tracker where we document all leaks, including the summary report from our partner vendor with the potential cost savings and kilowatt hours saved, the work notification, work order number, and date of completion.

We review the status of the leaks monthly.”

After five months, the Menomonie facility saved 152,829 kWh of electricity, equal to saving about $17,000, by fixing compressed air leaks. The ultrasonic imager allows the plant to identify leaks while equipment is running. The project eliminated more than 95 metric tons of scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

“The imager was purchased in March 2020, and we started using it shortly after then,” says Peers.

“Prior to purchasing the new imager, we were able to see how the unit worked to make sure it was worth the investment.”

The payback was realized in less than six months.

“This tool makes it very easy to identify and understand how large a leak is and the associated electricity cost,” adds Peers.

SECOND PLACE

PROGRAM CATEGORY (TIE)

Conagra Brands Facility Pursues Zero Waste Recycling At Conagra Brands’ Waterloo, Iowa, facility, “stars and bars” are small pieces of plastic created when formed cups are cut and separated. “Our stars and bars have long been a recycling challenge, because a foil lid stock is attached to the plastic,” states Plant Manager Steve Schultz. Recycling the waste has been a challenge for the past several years, forcing the facility to landfill this material, affecting the site’s landfill diversion efforts.

The Waterloo facility worked with its material supplier, which recently partnered with a recycling center, to invest in equipment to delaminate the foil from the plastic, making both materials more readily recyclable.

“With this new vendor, we are able to divert about 80,000 lb of plastic from the Waterloo, Iowa, landfill per month, which represents over 10% of the site’s total waste,” according to Schultz. “By recycling these materials, we are limiting our impact associated with plastics in landfills.”

There has been a significant labor reduction at the plant since completing this project. “Prior recycling efforts constituted baling the stars and bars, which 22

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CONAGRA BRANDS

Working with a new vendor allows Conagra Brands’ Waterloo, Iowa, facility to ship waste instead of landfilling it.

is a labor-intensive task,” explains Schultz. “The new method requires far less hands-on work, reducing exposure to ergonomic and other types of hazards.”

“We have been reaching out to countless recyclers and, of course, suppliers in hopes of finding a waste stream for the stars and bars material.

Through the refuse-to-lose attitude of our Waterloo team that genuinely cares for our environment, we were successful in getting this plastic into a recycle waste stream instead of placing it into our landfill by remaining passionate and persistent.”

THIRD PLACE PROGRAM CATEGORY

Conagra Brands Cuts Water Usage for Its Cherry Fresh Pack Product In 2020, an intern at Conagra Brands’ Fennville, Mich., plant was tasked with reducing water consumption during the fresh cherry packaging season. The Fennville team has implemented several projects developed during the intern’s tenure to reduce the water usage by 2.5 million gal per year.

One project replaced valves to limit water losses, which will save $11,000 in water and wastewater treatment electricity costs. Another allows water from cherry grower trucks to be reused in the plant’s chilled water system, saving another $1,500.

“By reducing our water usage by 2.5 million gal, we are working to limit our impact on the local watershed and biodiversity,” states Kayla Bradford, EHS specialist. The two projects cost less than

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

7/22/21 8:16 AM

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SUSTAINABILITY EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AWARDS

IMAGE COURTESY OF CONAGRA BRANDS

Programs to limit water losses saved millions of gallons of water for Conagra Brands’ Fennville, Mich., plant.

$2,000 in total and will result in $12,500 in savings.

In addition, the 2.5-million-gal water reduction project represents 5.2% of the site’s 12-month prior total water use. Project return on investment was realized in less than two months.

FIRST PLACE PROJECT CATEGORY

Smithfield’s Switch From Cardboard to Reusable Plastic Totes Pays Off Smithfield Foods’ Sioux City, Iowa, facility has made several positive impacts with its landfill reductions and recycling efforts. This winning project’s goal was to reduce cardboard usage at its source and decrease the amount of cardboard either sent to landfill or recycled.

Previously, 4×4×5-ft triple-wall cardboard boxes on pallets, known as combos, were used to hold raw products for further in-plant processing.

The more than 11,000 cardboard combos used annually created 100 tons of waste. In addition, cardboard boxes were used to ship processed products to other Smithfield facilities for further processing, creating another 96 tons of waste.

“Changing these two processes to utilize reusable, folding, plas-

A switch away from cardboard to reusable plastic totes and baskets not only saves money for Smithfield’s Sioux City plant, it also reduces cardboard sent to landfill.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SMITHFIELD FOODS

tic combos and baskets greatly reduced cardboard waste,” says Smithfield Environmental Coordinator Ross Weatherford. “With reusable baskets replacing boxes, the waste is further recycled beyond the Sioux City plant.

“The cardboard reduction project also helps the plant’s goal of becoming landfill free and reduces the cardboard recycling transportation costs,” states Weatherford. In addition, it saves more than 3,300 trees per year.

The project was completed in May 2020, and payback was achieved in three-and-a half months.

Projected savings over five years are expected to be more than $1 million.

This project was originally started at Smithfield’s facility in Sioux Falls, S.D. Reusable collapsible boxes were used to send product to other plants, and reusable totes were used in-house. After some research and logistical realignment, the project was implemented at the Sioux City plant for similar operations.

Any Smithfield plant that ships products to another Smithfield facility can use the reusable combos and baskets rather than cardboard combos and boxes. The use of plastic totes will increase sanitation workload, because they must be cleaned before they are reused, Weatherford notes.

SECOND PLACE

PROJECT CATEGORY (TIE)

Smithfield Air Knife Energy Reduction Project Saves Compressed Air Costs Smithfield Foods’ Kinston, N.C., facility uses air knives on two of its packaging lines to remove moisture before applying code dating, but air was discharged continuously, even if product was not coming down the line.

“Compressed air is our second-largest energy user at the facility,” states Smithfield Environmental Coordinator Charlie Prentice. “As a simple and inexpensive fix, we installed photo eyes and timers on the knives. They are now set to cut off air to the knife if an eye does not detect product within three seconds, reducing the demand on our air system and eliminating an estimated 11,351.04 kWh from our annual plant usage.”

The project was implemented in December 2020 on one packaging conveyor line where a photo-eye sensor with a timer was installed. Another packaging conveyor line had a laser with a power supply and timer installed.

“Both lines were completed using parts and materials from our own stockroom,” says Prentice. “Installation was quick and easy and completed in four days.”

When calculating the estimated energy usage of the two air knives before and after installation, the reduction is 6.5%. “This original idea was put in place by our maintenance team that has been challenged

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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The simple change of installing photo eyes and timers on its air knives allows Smithfield’s Kinston facility to cut air to the air knife when it is not needed, providing energy savings.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SMITHFIELD FOODS

with energy reduction goals of 5% over the next four years,” adds Prentice.

This very simple project provides excellent savings for the Kinston facility. “Depending on the location and size of product coming down the line, a small bracket might need to be made and possibly welded to your conveyor,” explains Prentice. “But overall, it is a quick and easy installation.”

SECOND PLACE PROJECT CATEGORY (TIE)

Conagra Brands Paper Waste Reduction Project Is on a Roll Conagra Brands’ Maple Grove, Minn., plant operates four microwave popcorn presses to support its Orville Redenbacher and Act II businesses. These lines utilize

speed splicers to make paper splices from roll to roll, which use older technology and have less precise methods for triggering a paper splice. Working with partner vendors and contractors, the plant incorporated a laser measurement to automatically trigger the paper splicer, allowing it to use more of the paper on the end of the roll.

“By utilizing more of the paper on the roll before splicing off, we reduce waste and save money in material savings and recycling costs,” says Keith Huegel, plant engineering manager. “This project saves a fraction of each roll, but over the course of the year that equals approximately 35 tons of waste and 3.3% of the site’s total waste.”

Huegel says the measurement lasers were installed on two presses in January 2020 and have been operating well since. The presses have netted about $20,000 in savings for each line, representing a significant return on investment. The project took less than two months to plan and implement.

The idea for the project emerged when a Conagra Brands plant engineer attended PACK EXPO and discussed ways to improve the plant’s current operation with an exhibitor.

“Any facility that is unwinding a material on a core may be able to benefit from the technology to use as much of the material as possible left on the core,” says Huegel. “It was important for us to get the vendor and contractor involved early to find the best solution. As we get closer to the core, the more critical it is that the vendor has a good starting wind of the material on it. We will be working with them to maximize our material use.”

Meet the 2020 Winners at PACK EXPO Las Vegas

The 2020 Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Award winners will present more details on their green projects at a special session during PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Join us on Monday, Sept. 27 at 3:30 p.m. at the Processing Innovation Stage at booth N-24020 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Register now at www.packexpolasvegas.com.

ProFood World wants to hear about your current green projects. The submission deadline and eligibility requirements for the 2021 Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards will be announced this fall at pfwgo.to/sema.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CONAGRA BRANDS

Conagra Brands’ Maple Grove, Minn., team incorporated laser measurements to automatically trigger paper splices, allowing it to use more of the paper on the end of a roll.

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

7/22/21 8:17 AM

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SUSTAINABILITY EXCELLENCE IN MANUFACTURING AWARDS

THIRD PLACE PROJECT CATEGORY)

Smithfield Packaging Reduction Nets Savings in Ham Production The Smithfield Foods facility in Kinston, N.C., was on a mission to decrease its cost for and waste of the continuous net used to apply smoke to hams. The netting arrives wrapped

in a plastic liner inside a cardboard box.

“We saw an opportunity to increase our piece count per case by increasing the length of the netting per case,” states Smithfield Environmental Coordinator Charlie Prentice.

“Adding length was favorable to the supplier, which could decrease its packaging costs, save on shipping, and have more efficient operations.”

In turn, Smithfield benefitted from a lower cost per foot of netting and decreasing the amount of packaging waste to be hauled. The netting was increased from 1,300 ft to 2,050 ft, and the test runs were successful.

Based on the plant’s annual volume for hams, the new netting reduces the number of material cases by 2,541. “This amounts to around 2.54 tons of cardboard and plastic saved,” states Prentice. “The reduced waste helps us come closer to our goal of zero waste to landfill.”

He says implementing a fundamental change such as this shows Smithfield’s commitment to decreasing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainability. The project will also have waste-reducing implications at Smithfield’s Grayson, Ky., facility where the same casing is now in use.

The project was completed in January 2020 at no cost. It took three months for the research and testing.

“We are always looking for package reduction projects,” says Prentice. “Seeing wasted netting and continuous reloading of the machine, it just made sense to look into a more cost-effective way.”

Prentice advises communicating with suppliers and your purchasing department to see if larger pack sizes are available. “If not, ask if one can be created for your location and others within the company’s network.”

PROCESSOR/SUPPLIER PARTNERSHIP CATEGORY

Liffey Meats and Graphic Packaging International Support Lidl’s Sustainability Goals A recent partnership of Liffey Meats and Graphic Packaging International will supply 2 million PaperSeal tray units annually to Lidl. The packaging includes a fully lined, cut, and glued PaperSeal tray—a barrier-lined paperboard alternative to traditional plastic vacuum skin packaging (VSP).

The new Lidl product, made exclusively for the Irish market, will feature Angus and dry-aged Angus with full farm-to-fork traceability from Liffey Meats.

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| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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“The current rate for paperboard landfilling is 8% in Europe, which is much below that of plastic packaging [24%]. That means we will prevent more than 7.66 tons of materials per year reaching landfills.”

Graphic Packaging International www.graphicpkg.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL

Retailed at Lidl Ireland, Liffey Meats uses the PaperSeal tray, a barrier-lined paperboard alternative to plastic vacuum skin packaging.

The PaperSeal tray features 80 to 90% less plastic than traditional trays, supporting Liffey and Lidl’s sustainability goals,” explains Lauren Hutchinson, senior sales manager for PaperSeal at Graphic Packaging International.

“The tray provides consistent seal integrity to keep the product fresher for longer, up to 28 days of shelf life, depending on the application, and prevents unnecessary food waste.”

For ease of recycling, consumers can easily separate the liner from the tray post-use, making the tray itself 100% recyclable to ensure circularity. The launch is part of Lidl’s “A Better Tomorrow” strategy, which involves reducing plastic packaging volumes by 20% by the year 2022, as well as delivering 100% of its fresh beef from locally sourced suppliers.

In addition to the 80 to 90% plastic reduction, G. Mondini’s Zero technology can be selected, which eliminates film waste during the manufacturing process.

The trays can be supplied formed or flat packed. For the latter, instead of shipping, for example, 3,000 nested and stacked plastic trays, up to 30,000 trays can be flat packed in transport vehicles—10 times the amount.

The introduction of the PaperSeal tray to Lidl top-tier steaks, via the Liffey Meats/ Graphic Packaging partnership, has resulted in a plastic reduction of an estimated 46.5 tons annually, based on an expected 2 million units per year, contributing to Lidl’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

“Per tray, we estimate to go from 27.5 g plastic to 4.21 g, a savings of 85%,” says Ciaran Beirne, retail sales manager at Liffey Meats.

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| August 2021 | PROFOOD WORLD

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BEST-IN-CLASS PLANT PROFILE JOYCE FASSL | EDITOR IN CHIEF

CTI Foods Automates Its Hot to Handle Taco Packaging Line Tacobots efficiently upgrade and automate production with a unique two-pick mechanical tool. The recent line integration project wins a 2021 Manufacturing Innovation Award from ProFood World.

T

HERE ARE MANY different interpretations as to exactly how the popular phrase “Taco Tuesday” originated. But at CTI Foods based in Saginaw, Texas, every day is taco day. The culinary-driven company was founded in the early 2000s by a group of industry veterans, and today, it is owned by a private equity firm and has seven plants throughout the U.S. The 187,000-sq-ft Saginaw facility was built in 2010 and started taco production in 2011.

“We’re mainly focused on high-quality, casual, fast casual and quick serve food products,” states Will Davenport, CTI Foods’ senior director of engineering.

“Our plants make a wide variety of products, almost all protein products and cooked meats. We make a dehydrated refried bean right here in Saginaw at the facility next door. We also produce a variety of soups and sauces on-site.”

Producing fresh tacos for major fast food chains and packaging them while still warm was a labor-intensive and repetitive task. In fact, the company employed 16 workers on each shift to manually load filled, soft tortilla tacos into chipboard trays that were also manually formed. The workers would orientate the tacos and load two stacks of 25 into each tray.

“The tacos have always had a very unique packaging orientation, where there’s 50 to a tray,” explains Davenport. “We’re packing them hot, and then, they go through a spiral freezer.” To keep the tacos from misshaping through the freezing process and transit, they were interwoven within the trays by hand. “We were constantly having to shift people from spot to spot to not have a repetitive motion injury,” he adds.

At the Saginaw facility, white corn is cooked, washed, hulled, stone ground, and formed into tortillas. www.profoodworld.com

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Fresh tacos that were once too hot to handle manually are now placed into trays by JLS Talon robots.

PHOTO BY JOYCE FASSL

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PHOTO BY JOYCE FASSL

Fresh tacos on four lines enter the robotic packaging system at CTI Foods.

PHOTO BY JOYCE FASSL

After being placed in trays robotically, tacos are overwrapped and then head to a spiral freezer for 4 to 4.5 hr.

“That’s roughly a 12-hr process from the time we start cooking the corn to the time we’re making tortillas,” states Davenport. Next, meat made at an adjacent CTI Foods processing area is ground, mixed with seasoning, and cooked before it is deposited into the tortillas.

“The tortillas go through an oven with about a 40-second retention time, and then, as they exit the oven, they pass by fillers that deposit the meat,” says Davenport. “When they’re packed, they’re a little over 100 °F,” he states. “It was not a fun job packing them by hand.”

Unique approach to robotic end-of-arm tool CTI Foods had been looking for ways to efficiently upgrade and automate the taco line and started discussions in 2019 with JLS Automation. “We’ve been familiar with JLS for a long time through different industry connections,” Davenport says. “As we started talking about it [the project] more, and they gained an interest in it, it just seemed like a good fit. They brought what I felt was a different approach to the project.”

The new robotic packaging taco line started production in November 2020. The project had a phased approach, where JLS developed an end-ofarm tool (EOAT) first and brought it to Saginaw to test it on warm tacos. “It was a very manual operation, just an end-of-arm tooling with some push buttons on it,” says Davenport. “We were doing it by hand, but we were able to actually pick up the product. We were able to see that if you didn’t fire that motion just right, it wanted to unfold the taco, or it would make the fold uneven. It was very beneficial to do that test ahead of time.”

According to Steele Burchell, program manager at JLS Automation, the EOAT is a mechanical gripping solution, as opposed to a vacuum-based solution.

“It’s what we call a spatula tool,” he says. “The thing that’s really unique about this is it’s actually a two-pick mechanical tool. We’ve got individual actuation of the two different sides. And to my knowledge, I don’t think 32

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anyone else in the industry has done or is doing that.”

A warm, soft tortilla with a warm portion of meat is not a stable item to pick up. CTI Foods tried to develop a way to re-thermalize tacos from a frozen or a chilled state to better simulate it at the JLS facility. “We never really could get it back to that same texture during the testing at JLS, but we were able to get it fairly close. It was a very hard thing to simulate,” explains Davenport.

“We were trying to run up to 960 a min, so you need a lot of tacos to prove a concept.”

After using the robotic taco line more than a half a year, CTI has seen significant improvements in efficiency and output. In addition, staffing challenges have been reduced by eliminating the manual packing operation. “Our pounds per man hour is up significantly,” says Davenport. “It’s roughly double, maybe a little more.” JLS designed four Talon robotic pick-and-place systems, including three IP69K-rated delta robots per unit. The new taco line includes the following equipment: • NCC Automated Systems—custom high-speed infeed conveyors • IESM—taco folding and turning conveyors • Syntegon (formerly Kliklok-Bosch)—tray erectors • Nordson—glue system for trays • B&R Automation—robotic system controls • Cognex—vision system • Sealed Air/Shanklin—tray wrapper • Wipotec-OCS—checkweigher and X-ray inspection • Vemag/Reiser—shuttle conveyor with retracting belt JLS also developed new algorithms for handling three-headed robots, with products going in the same direction as the cartons. “We call it co-flow or parallel flow,” says Burchell. “With more than two heads, it was a very challenging algorithm to develop.”

Processors never want to send cartons or cases out of a system unless they are completely full. “The ideal thing is to have as much supply of products as what you want to pick and place into that carton,” explains Burchell. “With the one [carton] that’s just about to leave your system, you always know you’ve got a product to fill it. If lines are running in the same

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

7/22/21 8:21 AM

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BEST-IN-CLASS PLANT PROFILE

PHOTO BY JOYCE FASSL

direction, you’re picking things at the first robot.

Where you want the supply to be the heaviest is down at the third robot.”

Open-frame hygienic design is worth the investment Most equipment manufacturers, including JLS Automation, are up to date on hygienic standards. But CTI Foods developed some of its own standards and wanted to review equipment specs in advance to ensure all equipment was cutting edge in terms of

2021 Manufacturing Innovation Awards Set for PACK EXPO Las Vegas The presentation of ProFood World’s fifth annual Manufacturing Innovation Awards is planned for Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 3:30 p.m. during PACK EXPO Las Vegas. Join us at the Processing Innovation Stage in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The 2021 winners are: • MWC—Highly automated, 375,000-sq-ft greenfield cheese and whey processing facility in St. Johns, Mich., that processes 25% of the state’s milk supply • Kraft Heinz—Expansion and modernization project supporting a new cheese formulation for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese at the

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company’s Wausau, Wis., facility • CTI Foods—Automated, robotic taco packaging line and system integration project at the company’s Saginaw, Texas, facility to supply fast food outlets Leaders from all three plants will discuss the outstanding aspects of their award-winning projects.

Will Davenport, CTI Foods’ senior director of engineering, would advise others undertaking a similar robotics upgrade project to thoroughly understand all aspects of the existing manual operation.

sanitation, and all cleaning surfaces could be accessed easily. Before installing the new robotic line, CTI removed all equipment from the taco packaging room, deep cleaned the room and equipment, replaced lights, and made cosmetic repairs while it had the opportunity.

“Anytime we can remove manual operations from a process, there’s food safety to manage,” Davenport explains. “Redesigning the [taco packaging] room offered us an opportunity to review all aspects of the hygienic design of the new equipment. JLS was very open and accommodating to all our input and requests to improve the hygienic design.”

Davenport also discussed whether tubular design is easier to maintain and clean. “Hygienically welded tubular framework was the industry standard for many years. However, over time, the welds can fail or holes created in the framework can be contaminated and become harborage areas,” he states.

Davenport says an open-frame design is easier to clean, because there are no hidden places. It may cost more in some cases, but CTI Foods decided to make the investment.

The JLS integration project included an open-frame design. “Originally, we were not going to do the openframe design,” says Davenport. “But after really understanding the differences, we elected to go that route.”

The taco processor also tries to avoid Lexan or plexiglass and go with a more hygienic cut stainlesssteel-type guard, which also provides a sight line into the system.

Automation solves pandemic woes, provides essential data Many food manufacturers faced increased staffing issues during the recent pandemic. Davenport says he can’t imagine the kind of problems CTI would have suffered if it didn’t have the robotic taco line in place.

Instead of trying to fill scores of jobs during the height of the virus outbreak, the company now has to fill fewer positions.

Social distancing was one of CTI’s first lines of defense on the taco line. “When COVID first hit, we were still packing by hand and had people shoulder to shoulder,” explains Davenport. Each CTI facility was closed for a short period of time. “We were able to get employee separation partitions up before we reopened and put other COVID protocols in place.”

Because CTI already had automation plans prior to COVID-19, it was not affected by the long lead

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

7/22/21 8:21 AM

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BEST-IN-CLASS PLANT PROFILE

times faced by other manufacturers that struggled to install automation at the height of the pandemic.

Despite pandemic challenges, JLS was able to meet CTI’s project deadline. Burchell says components like cylinders, which are traditionally available in a week or less, were taking eight to 12 weeks for delivery.

“To this day, we’re still doing a lot of virtual FATs [factory

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acceptance tests], but on this project, on this scale, everyone felt that it was important to do it in person, and that we could find ways to do it safely in person,” he adds.

In fact, CTI Foods conducted early FATs, particularly for its ancillary equipment. “The engineering manager went to the FATs and did a video conference call with our team back here,” states Davenport. “We did that with the tray former and the conveyor systems that we bought as part of the package. When it came time to do the main FAT with the JLS equipment, a small team of us did go to York, Pa., to witness that.”

Under normal circumstances, Davenport says the FAT would have likely included a slightly larger group. “We had representatives from QA, operations, maintenance, and engineering there.

We probably would’ve had a safety person and maybe another operations person if we could have, but we were able to do it through a web conference and get those people involved. It worked out really well.”

CTI also brought a tech operator to the FAT and sent another one a week in advance to help assemble and test the equipment to get ready for the FATs. This provided plant floor workers to obtain early training on the equipment CTI is able to pull data from the four JLS Talons or tacobots, as the CTI team has affectionately named the JLS Talons. The data tells plant management the number of successful picks, if a pick was not successful, and why the

CTI Foods’ Suppliers at PACK EXPO Las Vegas The following exhibitors will be present at PACK EXPO Las Vegas, Sept. 27-29, at the Las Vegas Convention Center:* B&R Automation

Booth C-4709

Cognex

Booth C-6156

JLS Automation

Booth SL-6168

NCC Automated Systems

Booth SL-6127

Nordson

Booth C-3000

Redzone

Booth SU-7644

Reiser

Booth SL-6325

Syntegon

Booth C-2800

Wipotec-OCS

Booth SL-6106

* As of press time

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machine did not pick it—whether it’s a bad fold, incorrect meat placement, or orientation issue.

It allows the taco processor to review data on an hourly or daily basis to solve production issues.

CTI Foods uses Redzone for its overall equipment effectiveness programs, as well as Redzone philosophies, such as huddle meetings.

Davenport says the focus here is on ensuring CTI is measuring the correct machine actions.

In other words, focusing on the right areas, the proper actions to take, and which code faults to reset to make the data easier to understand.

JLS also set up remote equipment monitoring for performance evaluation, program updates, and other services. Burchell says the system has a central point that is for remote access, but also serves as the nerve center for collecting data.

The NCC conveyor cabinet serves as JLS’s central point of communication, because there’s a conveyor between every piece of equipment. “We’re using that to allow the feeding of some data back to their SCADA systems,” states Burchell.

B&R Industrial Automation www.br-automation.com/en-us

NCC Automated Systems www.nccas.com

Cognex www.cognex.com

Nordson www.nordson.com/en

IESM www.iesm.com

Redzone www.rzsoftware.com

JLS www.jlsautomation.com

Reiser www.reiser.com

Sealed Air www.sealedair.com/products/ protective-packaging/shrink-wrappers Syntegon www.syntegon.com Wipotec-OCS www.wipotec-ocs.com/us Vemag www.vemag.de/en

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Understand manual operations Working within the small footprint of the existing taco packaging room was definitely a challenge for this project. “The way JLS approached the project and didn’t look at it as one line, but split it into four separate lines with four separate tacobots, made a lot of sense,” says Davenport.

Looking back, Davenport would advise others undertaking a similar project to really understand all aspects of a manual operation.

“We’ve always known that employees are our last line of defense, our last quality check doing a visual observation. A person can do more quality attribute checks than you can do with an X-ray or a metal detector,” he says. When CTI switched to the automated line, it found it wasn’t easy to pick up every action employees were making. Their actions were not obvious.

“They were fixing some of the folds or making minor meat placement adjsutments. It made product presentation even more important when installing the JLS equipment,” he states.

Davenport says the new line’s advantage is a predictable output. “We know what we’re getting. We know we don’t have to adjust the line, because only 10 of the 16 hand packers showed up. We get better every day with the start-ups and equipment operation. We have no doubt we’ll meet our project objectives. We’re very close to them now,” he says. www.profoodworld.com

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7/22/21 1:45 PM

PACK EXPO Las Vegas Is Back After more than a year of virtual events, the largest in-person and most comprehensive packaging and processing event in North America, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, featuring the return of the Processing Zone, will take place in September.

A

S THE COVID-19 pandemic’s grip loosens on society, in-person events are coming back, including PACK EXPO Las Vegas, which will take place Sept. 27-29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Effective June 1, Las Vegas returned to pre-pandemic guidelines, but to keep all attendees and exhibitors safe, updated health and safety protocols that meet current government regulations and industry standards are being put in place. PACK Ready (www. packexpolasvegas.com/packready), PMMI’s commit-

ment to safety, provides a detailed list of protocols implemented by the Las Vegas Convention Center and show management.

With more than 1,500 exhibiting companies, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, co-located with Healthcare Packaging EXPO and produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, will welcome tens of thousands of people.

Through in-booth demonstrations and free educational sessions on the show floor, attendees will not only see technology in action and have the opportunity to talk with suppliers, they also will learn about best practices and industry breakthroughs.

Can’t-miss seminars

PHOTO COURTESY OF PMMI

PACK EXPO Las Vegas will feature the latest packaging and processing technologies in action, where attendees can meet with suppliers and learn about best practices and industry breakthroughs.

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Returning on all three days of the show are free, educational, 30-minute Innovation Stage seminars, showcasing breakthrough technologies, best practices, and case studies, presented by industry experts. Topics will include connecting your supply chain network to build resilience; continuous improvement success based on stories from 700 food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers; and Industry 4.0 and digital transformation best practices.

The Forum will also return to PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The 45-minute sessions begin with short presentations delivered by topic experts and OpX Leadership Network members on the latest industry trends, followed by roundtable discussions with peers on issues affecting many CPGs. Keep an eye out for the sessions listing (www.packexpolasvegas.com/ education/the-forum), which will be released soon.

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INDUSTRY EVENT

s

MELISSA GRIFFEN | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

While more than 1,500 companies will exhibit on the show floor, PACK EXPO Las Vegas has put protocols in place to keep everyone safe.

built. Attendees are encouraged to see the robots, watch the demonPHOTO COURTESY OF PMMI strations, and talk with the students about the industry.

A final can’t-miss event is the Cold Pressure Processing breakthrough solutions Council Annual Conference (Sept. 28-29), which Another can’t-miss is the Processing Zone with soluwill take place in conjunction with PACK EXPO Las tions such as food processing/systems; food safety; Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO, offering engineering, design, and construction services; and education on the latest in high pressure processing more. Attendees can once again start their search for (HPP) technologies. All registrants of this conference front-of-the-line processing solutions while continuwill receive complimentary registration to PACK ing to solve their packaging challenges, all under one EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO. convenient roof. A new processing-specific Innovation Attendees are invited to download the free PACK Stage will also feature sessions focusing on the latest EXPO Las Vegas app to organize their schedules, so breakthroughs in facility design, spiral immersion systhey can participate to the fullest. It includes all the tems, and cleaning systems. features of the My Show Planner on the PACK EXPO On the Processing Innovation Stage, ProFood Las Vegas website at www.packexpolasvegas.com.

World will honor Conagra Brands, Smithfield The app allows users to create a personal itinerary for Foods, B&G Foods, Liffey Meats, and Graphic navigating the show by simply clicking on an exhibitor Packaging International for outstanding sustainabilior session and adding it to their schedules, along with ty achievements with the Sustainability Excellence in their personal appointments.

Manufacturing Awards. The award winners will discuss Registration, which includes access to both PACK their projects on stage on Monday, Sept. 27, at 3:30 p.m.

EXPO Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging EXPO, is Senior leadership from MWC, Kraft Heinz, and CTI $30 until Sept. 3, after which it increases to $130.

Foods will share the details of their 2021 Manufacturing For those unable to attend in person, PMMI now Innovation Award projects on the Processing Innovaoffers virtual aspects of the live event via PACK EXPO tion Stage on Tuesday, Sept. 28, at 3:30 p.m.

Xpress (www.packexpolasvegas.com/pack-expoWith the return of the Processing Zone to PACK xpress), where you can search for products and innovaEXPO Las Vegas, attendees will have the opportutions in digital showrooms and connect with solutions nity to discover solutions to help increase efficiency, suppliers during the event, no matter where you are. achieve total system integration, and ensure safety.

Past, present, and future innovations The PACK to the Future interactive exhibit debuts this year, showcasing the industry’s past, present, and future. It will display curated items and machinery from some of the world’s largest CPGs and packaging companies. Industry experts, futurists, and business and financial leaders will speak daily on where the industry has been, where it is now, and what the future holds for packaging and processing. These 30-minute sessions will include advancements in artificial intelligence, sustainability, and more.

The Future Innovators Robotics Showcase will feature student teams from Las Vegas-area high schools, demonstrating creations they designed and

PACK EXPO Las Vegas at a Glance Venue: Las Vegas Convention Center Dates: Sept. 27-29, 2021 Show Floor Hours: Mon.-Tues.: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Wed.: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Transportation: Free shuttle bus service between PACK EXPO Las Vegas hotels and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Register: www.packexpolasvegas.com

www.profoodworld.com

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| August 2021 | PROFOOD WORLD

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TECH TODAY: FLOORS AND DRAINS AARON HAND |

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Flooring It: Suppliers Focus on Fast Return to Service Food and beverage manufacturers are demanding shorter schedules for flooring installations, while also looking for more sustainable options. Floors and drains must also stand up to higher standards of thermal shock, caustic chemicals, bacteria concerns, and more.

A

S FOOD AND BEVERAGE manufacturers struggle to compete in an ever-changing marketplace, it’s essential that their equipment run at optimal efficiency, maintaining uptime at its highest levels. But there’s one system that takes a beating like no other and helps to support every other system in place: the flooring.

That production floor has to stand up to impacts, harsh chemicals and caustics, thermal shock, and moisture vapor transmission, and provide a stable and slip-free surface for workers to walk on. And today more than ever, the flooring is being asked to provide an extra level of bacterial protection and offer more sustainable options as well.

In a search for cleaner, more robust flooring, the industry has shifted largely from epoxies and dairy bricks to urethane cement. Food and beverage plants are looking for materials that can stand up to the harsh realities of clean-in-place (CIP) processes and be installed in less time to minimize plant downtime or to shorten project schedules.

Epoxies have faced issues because their thermal expansion differs too widely from the concrete they’re installed on, causing cracking from thermal shocks such as hot water washdowns. Cementitious urethane, conversely, provides a chemistry that is very close to concrete. “As a result, it can take very hot, even boiling steam-type applications in a food processing plant that weren’t able to be handled in the past,” says Brian Campbell, national food and beverage manager for Flowcrete.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

BIX Produce just outside of St. Paul, Minn., chose a FasTop 12S Urethane Slurry System from Sherwin-Williams for its new 30,000 sq ft operating space. The flooring system provides thermal shock, chemical and slip resistance, cryogenic and high-heat exposure tolerance, and durability.

Not your father’s dairy brick Traditionally, you would have seen a lot of dairy brick or quarry tile in a food and beverage facility to handle these types of conditions. “Dairy brick was a really robust option—it could take a lot of abuse,” says Michael Carroll, regional manager for Sika Flooring. www.profoodworld.com

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TECH TODAY: FLOORS AND DRAINS

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIKA

Despite typically using tile floors in its plants, Select Milk chose Sika’s PurCem polyurethane cement flooring system for its new dairy processing facility in Littlefield, Texas. s

Argelith often supplies flooring to breweries like New Glarus (shown here), which likes the tiles for the aesthetics and their ability to stand up to heavy-duty caustics used to clean the tanks.

The downside of dairy brick and quarry tile, however, is that they needed a lot of maintenance. “The dairy brick itself is robust, but, unfortunately, the grout and adhesive, not so much,” Carroll says. Fast forward, and the resin technology has come a long way even just over the past 10 years. “So now we can offer an extremely robust urethane cement. It is harder and more durable than the concrete it’s laid on, and it has the capabilities of expanding and contracting to withstand any extremes, be it high-pressure washing, huge temperature changes, and amazing chemical resistance. So it ticks all of the performance criteria boxes, and it also has the added benefit that it’s a completely seamless, monolithic system.”

Casey Ball, global market director for flooring at Sherwin-Williams High Performance Flooring, points to the issues his company faced when repairing dairy brick for a dairy customer: “There are grout lines that can harbor bacteria, and we’re able to go in and remove that. But then when you remove it, you might find something else below,” he says. “In this case, they had issues with ponding water, which is a problem for a food plant. We were able to take out the tile, remove 42

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the various layers of other things that were in there, install the proper drains, get the proper pitch, and slope to that drain to prevent that ponding water—and do it all within about a 24-hour period.”

In an effort to eliminate the seams that can harbor bacteria, more manufacturers are moving to seamless polymeric flooring systems instead. An alternative, however, comes from fully vitrified tiles, which provides a tile aesthetic without the problems faced by dairy brick. They were developed and brought into the market some 15 to 20 years ago, and in the past five to 10 years have become the gold standard for the dairy industry, according to Christian Nierenköther, president of Argelith Tile, who points to their use with large dairy suppliers such as Saputo, Sargento, and Land O’Lakes.

It was Argelith’s tile flooring that Midwest Cheese (MWC) used for its 375,000-sq-ft dairy facility in St. Johns, Mich., which ProFood World named as a winner of a 2021 Manufacturing Innovation Award (see “MWC Creates a Cheese and Whey Recipe for Success,” pwgo. to/mwc). Argelith provided about 150,000 sq ft of tile for the project, according to Nierenköther.

This tile is not the dairy PHOTO COURTESY OF ARGELITH brick that this sector has long been used to, however. Customers now want not only a more attractive option, Nierenköther says, but a more resilient one as well. “There’s no microbes or any contamination that goes into the pores because it’s such a low absorption rate, so everything stays surface level.”

Narrower grout lines also contribute to the floor’s hygiene level. “With our fully vitrified tile, they’re dimensionally so accurate, you can really make the joint so small and narrow,” Nierenköther says. “If you have a 1 /16-inch joint, it becomes almost like a seamless floor, which means you don’t have standing water in there, you can use a squeegee without any problems.”

Aside from dairy, the tiles are well regarded among breweries and meatpacking plants as well, according to Nierenköther. In fact, Argelith’s tiles can be found in four of the top five brewers in the U.S., including Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing. “For brewers, what’s important to them is, of course, the aesthetics because they have customer tours, and they want to show off their production facilities,” he explains. “And for them, what’s extremely important is the chemical resistance, because they use those heavy-duty caustics to clean the brewery tanks. They just dump it on the

| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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TECH TODAY: FLOORS AND DRAINS

s

Josam’s Pro-Plus Trench Drain, made from glass-fiber reinforced polyester, can withstand high fluid temperatures and fluctuations in hot and cold temperatures.

floor and any other flooring gets eaten away by the caustics.”

Despite setting its tile apart from traditional dairy brick, Argelith has nonetheless given a recent nod to the old standard with a fully vitrified tile look-alike. The tile is in a color called Mars-Red. “It’s kind of a retro look with the advanced technical properties of the fully vitrified tile,” Nierenköther says. “We specifically developed this for customers that still have dairy brick in their facilities, and they’d like that red look.”

Keeping it clean Food safety and hygiene have been getting pushed further and further to the forefront, particularly with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Listeria breakouts in food facilities have caused product recalls, halted production, and prompted plant shutdowns, and cleaning processes are not always adequate in avoiding this issue, according to Paula Bowe, vice president of sales and marketing for Josam.

“From a food and beverage standpoint, there’s been a lot of heightened sense of harmful bacteria such as listeria or salmonella,” says David Senn, director of global accounts for Stonhard. “What we are seeing industry-wide is really the heightened importance of the hygienic solution, with a flooring system that can withstand the elements but also help you to move the water, get it to the drainage systems, and get it out of the facility as safely as possible.”

This heightened awareness comes in part from changing techniques such as the introduction of CIP processes. “When you introduce these cleaning processes, you need hot, hot water, sometimes steam; you need extremely aggressive chemicals,” Senn explains.

“That does a fantastic job of cleaning the equipment and getting it sanitized. But what’s often overlooked is all of that material—all that cleaning chemical and hot water—has to go somewhere. And it goes onto the floor itself. And if you haven’t thought about that process ahead of time, you’ll see premature failures and damage to floors and walls and drains and curbs.”

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSAM

ment through a surface coat, but Flowcrete/Key Resin’s Flowfresh flooring range mixes the antimicrobial treatment throughout the product before it ships. The Polygiene material that the flooring manufacturer uses is a fine powder that gets mixed in as part of the aggregate. It uses silver as a natural way to purify and protect from bacterial infections, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to chemically manufactured antimicrobials.

Polygiene is resistant to a wide range of bacteria, including salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. Unlike traditional coatings or surface treatments, the technology remains active for the lifetime of the floor. Silver ions flow continuously to the surface of the floor, where they attack bacteria and viruses.

“We have done several projects for a bean sprout manufacturer who had a salmonella outbreak. The owner could not locate the exact source of the salmonella,” Campbell notes. Flowcrete replaced the manufacturer’s existing floors and also provided the flooring for a new addition to the plant. “The driving criteria for us to secure the project was the Polygiene antimicrobial.”

Carroll argues that there is little need for antibacterial additives in an industry that has always considered sanitation of the utmost important, with

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TECH TODAY: FLOORS AND DRAINS

already-rigorous cleaning regimens. “Monolithic systems, by their nature, don’t allow the harborage of bacteria,” he says. “If you have a seamless system, there’s nowhere for bacteria to be in place. If it’s damaged, if there was a crack in it, or if there’s damage through impact, absolutely, if left unattended, that could be an area. But by their nature, seamless resin floors are antibacterial.”

Nierenköther also points to the inherent abilities of ceramic tile to keep floors bacteria-free. “We have natural materials—ceramic is naturally inert, and microorganisms can’t really reproduce on ceramic,” he says. “And because of the high density of the tiles, anything will stay surface level and then can be cleaned with a harsh cleanser. So you achieve this antimicrobial effect through this.”

It’s important to consider drains as well in efforts to curb bacteria growth, Bowe notes. “Food processing facilities often do not know they could be fostering unsafe amounts of bacteria in areas below the surface, particularly in drainage areas,” she says.

“With more and more facilities discovering bacteria such as listeria in drains, hygienic drainage products need to be considered.”

Josam’s stainless steel drainage system offers a

non-porous surface with hygienic characteristics that help control the risk of bacteria, Bowe says. They have a long life expectancy and can be customized to meet specific hygienic drainage needs, she adds.

Sanitary drainage has been consistently more required of late, agrees Holden Bunko, marketing manager for FoodSafe Drains. “Whereas before you could just have a trench drain or a couple area drains, set it and forget it, now you have to be concerned with salmonella, listeria, all that kind of issue popping up in food,” he says. “Because of that, the drains have really become a focus almost like any other piece of machinery on the production floor. They need to be getting that same kind of washdown focus.”

Food-grade stainless steel is vital for the food industry, Bunko notes. “But what comes along with that is making sure that you have a strong enough stainless steel and that the drains are designed in such a way that the stainless steel is not going to pit or bend or break,” he adds. “Because even if you’ve got good food-grade stainless steel, the design could be flawed so that a forklift goes over the drain once or twice and a bend occurs, and then a crevice starts happening next to a drain, then that starts to harbor bacteria.”

Josam also offers the Pro-Plus Trench Drain

Our

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System, made from glass-fiber reinforced polyester pressed from sheet molding compound. “This drainage system is often used in food and beverage applications for its ability to withstand high fluid temperatures and fluctuations in hot and cold temperatures,” Bowe says. “It can handle fluid temps of 212 °F continuous and 394 °F intermittent.”

Addressing a different type of pain point, FoodSafe Drains has been working on a locking magnetic strainer for area drain and larger catch basins. Facility managers hold the magnetic keys for the strainers so that—whether through sabotage or employee error—they can keep large solids from going down the drain and causing an expensive backup further down the line.

Getting in at ground level Anything placed on or installed in the industrial flooring system can certainly affect the possibility of flooring defects. With this in mind, the drainage system employed at a food and beverage facility can greatly impact not only how a particular flooring option reacts but how the whole facility reacts.

Sika wanted to better understand how to manage that relationship between floors and drains, so

IMAGE COURTESY OF FLOWCRETE/KEY RESIN

Flowcrete’s Flowfresh flooring uses an antimicrobial treatment called Polygiene, mixed in as part of the aggregate. Silver ions flow continuously to the surface of the floor, where they attack bacteria and viruses.

it teamed up with drain maker ACO to research and study the connection and provide evidence-based design guidance for the food and beverage industry.

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TECH TODAY: FLOORS AND DRAINS

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thermal shock from production processes, and shrinkage of cementitious substrates over time. The results of the tests will ultimately lead to establishing new ways of designing floor drainage connections.

Ball sees room for improvement among flooring and drain suppliers, particularly in understanding how the two pieces work together. “The coefficient of expansion of that metal in a certain environment is the piece that’s challenging,” he says.

There’s been a trend over the past few years to convert from long trench drains to smaller box drains, simply to reduce the amount of surface area that could potentially harbor bacteria. “That leads to more sloping and pitching because you don’t have

PHOTO COURTESY OF STONHARD

this long trench drain there,” Ball says.

How the choice of drain affects the slope of the floor is a key reason that Senn argues that drain selection should be made during the design phase of a project. “The design of the floor should really be happening when you’re selecting the drain,” he says. “It should be grouped together as one larger decision because it is really one integral system working together.”

Senn also notes how the increasing use of CIP processes comes with harsher chemicals and their potential attack on the floor—and the connecting

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E T S

drain. “It’s not only the flooring material that we think about as a resinous manufacturer—it’s the connection point of our material to something else as well,” Senn says. That is the point where your building structure is at its most vulnerable, where two unlike products come together.

Stonhard has published whitepapers providing engineering details about the criticality of understanding all the connection points that its floors are exposed to. “We make a resinous floor here at Stonhard, but it’s the connection point at the drain that we’re really concerned with,” Senn says.

It certainly helps for the drain company to be involved early in the facility design process, Bowe notes. “When we understand the application, building construction approach, and floor system details, we are better equipped to make helpful recommendations and provide the correct solution.”

Bunko agrees. “It’s all like an ecosystem that works together,” he says. “It is best, we find, to work with people from the ground up. You don’t want to come in for projects and they’ve already figured out room layouts and such and then are just using drainage as an afterthought.”

You want it when?

What Ball has seen change the most in recent years for flooring is the increasing desire for customers to want to fast-track the construction of the floor. “That is one of the things that always comes up—how we can get a board installed faster, earlier,” he says.

Carroll agrees, noting that requests for fast install have become very common, whether it’s for a new build with tight construction schedules or for an existing facility that’s trying to reduce shutdown time. “That’s certainly driving the R&D side from a resin standpoint—to innovate and come up with faster curing technologies,” he says. “Our PurCem [urethane] has a fast set option that’s cutting cure time from 24 hours down to six.”

Sherwin-Williams is focusing much of its effort on fast return to service in flooring installation, Ball says. “As we look at our polyaspartic, we’re investing in the next generation of those technologies that are super-fast return to service but also easy for the applicator to install,” he says.

Carroll recalls a case in which Sika was able to put its broader portfolio to use to speed the process along further. “We had a large national account who were looking for repair works to their drainage system in the facility, and they were concerned about the downtime,” he says. “The existing drains were being removed, the piping was also being removed and getting a completely new install.”

Working with concrete manufacturers and using some Sika accelerants as well, Sika and its partners were able to design a concrete mix that was rapid curing, enabling install of the urethane cement five days after laying the concrete rather than the typical seven. “Then we also offered up our relatively new urethane fast-set system, which was installed over the course of the two days, so we pretty much bought them four days over the whole works of the project.”

Stonhard has developed a rapid-curing flooring system called Stonclad UF designed to replace a single-step acrylic technology called MMA (methyl methacrylate). “[MMA] is fantastic to go into existing spaces because you can put it down, and it’ll be cured and hard in about an hour,” Senn says. “The problem with MMA is it smells like nail polish. So imagine going into a lettuce plant and opening up this canister of nail polish, right? It kind of limits you; you have to build enclosures and ventilate the air.”

Stonclad UF is a single-step, low-odor, fast-curing urethane product developed specifically for the food and beverage industry. “What that’s allowing us to do is come into sites that have existing flooring issues and be able to come in and do a retrofit with this new single-step product in an extremely short downtime,” Senn says.

ACO www.acodrain.us

Sika usa.sika.com

Argelith www.argelithusa.com

Stonhard www.stonhard.com

Flowcrete/Key Resin www.keyresin.com/flowcrete

Sherwin-Williams High Performance Flooring www.sherwin-williams.com/ resin-flooring

FoodSafe Drains www.foodsafedrains.com Josam www.josam.com

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Dry Processing SOLUTIONS

CASE STUDY TRANSYLVANIA VOCATIONAL SERVICES AARON HAND | EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Bagger Helps Dry Milk Packager Meet Food Bank Demand With a new contract to serve increasing food pantry needs amid the pandemic, the maker of ready-to-eat foods and various powdered products chose a VFFS bagger and auger combination to help improve efficiency as well as sanitation.

A

BILITYONE IS A U.S. GOVERNMENT program that employs more than 42,000 individuals who are blind or have significant disabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the non-profits that work with the program saw exponential growth in demand, especially for personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitizing products. There was also high demand on food banks during the pandemic, with an estimated one in six Americans facing hunger.

Transylvania Vocational Services (TVS), founded in 1967 to provide meaningful employment to people with disabilities, employs 209 people at its plant in Brevard, N.C. The company packages ready-to-eat foods and various powdered products and distributes them to food banks, military bases, and others in need throughout the world. Thanks to an AbilityOne contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), TVS needed to increase production of its instant non-fat dry milk to better serve the food banks.

To do this, TVS needed to replace its obsolete bagging system with something more efficient. “We needed additional packaging capacity to keep up with a growth in demand while trying to stay within an existing building footprint,” says Steve Green, director of plant operations for TVS. “We were using intermittent motion pouch filling equipment that had become obsolete from a service and parts standpoint.”

After considering several options, TVS turned to Triangle Package Machinery. TVS also needed to find a system with improved sanitation. As a government contractor of ready-to-eat foods, TVS needs to meet 3-A Sanitary Standards. The manufacturer chose Triangle’s Model XYRJ vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS) bagger and an auger from Spee-Dee Packaging Machinery, both of which offer 3-A certification.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIANGLE PACKAGE MACHINERY

Capable of multiple package styles Designed and introduced by Triangle in 2015, Model XYRJ can run a wide variety of bag styles, including three-sided seal, stand-up pouch, pillow, gusseted, flat bottom, and zippered bags. The bagger’s easily rotatable sealing jaw allows packagers to run multiple package styles on the same machine. Additional benefits include ease of setup and maintenance, better product flow, improved sanitation, and better production.

The machine is designed to operate with milk powder in the air, and also for full washdown. For TVS, the fact that Triangle baggers include Rockwell Automation controls and servo motors was also beneficial.

“Model XYRJ is built with a solid stainless-steel frame, equipped with Allen-Bradley PLCs, utilized continuous motion engineering for the desired throughput, and possessed the needed 3-A sanitary design rating,” Green says. www.profoodworld.com

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Thanks to a new AbilityOne contract, Transylvania Vocational Services needed to increase production of its instant nonfat dry milk to better serve food banks.

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CASE STUDY TRANSYLVANIA VOCATIONAL SERVICES

Dry Processing SOLUTIONS

The primary product packaged on the Triangle/Spee-Dee system at TVS is instant non-fat dry milk. The auger measures a 12.8 oz fill and dispenses it into the bagger, which forms a three-sided seal bag with integrated resealable zipper. The company runs three-sided seal, zippered bags at speeds up to 70 bags per minute, depending on the product.

Spee-Dee’s 3A-certified sanitary auger filler is designed to package powdered infant formula, whey protein powder, nut-based protein powPHOTO COURTESY OF TRIANGLE PACKAGE MACHINERY

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In addition to high sanitary standards, the new bagger/auger combination has helped TVS more than double its production. Within 60 days of commissioning the new Triangle XYRJ, the team at TVS was able to increase throughput of powdered milk from 20,000 lb/day to more than 50,000 lb/ day per machine with lower scrap factors, enabling TVS to meet the increased demand. Production has increased from about 45 zipper bags per minute to 70 bags per minute, with improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

With a continued upsurge in business, TVS installed a second Model XYRJ VFFS bagger and Spee-Dee sanitary auger in late 2020. Today, both systems run milk powder, pancake mix, or a superfood powder blend, depending on production demands. TVS has purchased a third machine, which will be operational by Q1 of 2022.

“This capacity increase has meaningful impact in that the additional output alone provides close to a million incremental gallons of fluid milk per month, when reconstituted, for needy Americans seeking nutrition from food pantries,” Green adds.

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NEW PRODUCTS

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MAGNETS OFFER SIMPLE INSPECTION POINTS IN SPOUTING LINES Designed to inspect for any ferrous or weakly magnetic stainless-steel contaminants, IMI spouting line magnets feature a 52 Grade Rare Earth balanced circuit, with a blend of 9,500 gauss and 16.7-lb of pull strength on a ½-in. ball. The SLIM Series is mounted to a clamped door plate assembly and

remains in the product flow. The magnets should be strategically placed at several locations throughout the process stream, such as the discharge points of mixers, sifters, screws, and anywhere else that product drops into a gravity spout.

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FLEXIBLE SCREW CONVEYOR ELIMINATES DUMPING FROM SAFETY CAGES The Flexicon flexible screw conveyor includes a 25-ft long beveled-edge spiral driven by a motor positioned beyond the discharge point. The BEVCON conveyor features a charging adapter consisting of a trough at the outlet of a pyramidal hopper that exposes the intake end of the spiral to the powdered mix. A pneumatically actuated vibrator fitted to the hopper wall promotes the flow of powder into the trough, as the rotating spiral moves it at a 45-deg incline through the enclosed tube, discharging it into the screener. A 12-ft high caster-mounted frame with a support boom enables operators to roll the unit into position with the conveyor discharge directly above the screener and, then, to a cleaning area.

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TUBULAR CABLE DRAG CONVEYORS ALLOW FAST CLEANING WITHOUT DISASSEMBLY

DUAL DRY BULK CHEMICAL SILOS PROVIDE OPTIMAL APPLICATION FLEXIBILITY Acrison dual dry bulk chemical storage silos with integral feeding and dissolving systems are typically mounted close enough to each other to allow for a single ladder with a safety harness to access one silo roof and a catwalk spanning both silos to allow access to the second roof. Silo fill lines are routed to a single loading point via a truck-fill panel that operates both systems.

Once material is in the silos, flow into integral feeders is provided strictly on an as-needed basis, without use of air. Mix tanks or wetting cones can be provided to dissolve chemicals in water prior to discharge to the application point.

Acrison | acrison.com

G e n t l e

C l e a n

Totally enclosed, Spiroflow tubular conveyors have in-line hygienic features that make them suitable for dry bulk foods and powders. Cableflow tubular cable drag conveyors come with a variety of cleanin-place options. Wiper discs (oversized urethane discs attached offset onto the cable) scrape off buildup, dust, and debris as product runs through the tube sections. Inserted at strategic points in the conveying line, air knife purge units continually blow compressed air on the cable and disc assembly as it moves through the outlet housing, while stationary brush boxes scrub buildup off conveyor flights.

Spiroflow spiroflow.com

R e l i a b l e

C o n v e y i n g

8” Systems Moves up to 80,000 lbs/hr (36,287 Kgs/hour)

System Capacity: • 8” (203.2mm) tube diameter • Moves up to 2,000 Ft³ (56.6 M³)/hr • Moves up to 80,000 lbs/hr (36,287 Kgs/hour) (depending on bulk density of materials)

• Leader in Tubular Drag Conveying • Gentle on your materials!

• Starts & Stops Under Load • Dust-Free Enclosed System • Clean-in-Place Options • Low Maintenance • Energy-efficient

The Heart of the System

Cable & Discs

(641) 673-8451 www.cablevey.com Cablevey® Conveyors is a registered trademark of Intraco, Inc. 07 /2021

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DUMP STATIONS REDUCE MANUAL HANDLING, PROMOTING WORKER SAFETY Volkmann bag dump stations automatically capture bulk materials discharged from bags and stage the powders, granules, tablets, and/or pellets for transfer into storage or directly into a production process. Installed with a companion pneumatic vacuum conveying system, the stations empty into mixers, vessels, and other equipment. Featuring a standard model bag station and dump station, the modular stations can be configured to meet FDA requirements for sanitary processing or to ATEX requirements for explosive atmospheres, as well as for non-regulated environments. They include stainless-steel construction and can be fitted with HEPA filtration, an integrated glove box, dust hood, empty bag compactor, and a range of other equipment.

Volkmann USA | volkmannusa.com s

LEVEL DETECTORS PROVIDE DEPENDABLE OPERATION IN DUSTY ENVIRONMENTS

Dynatrol level detectors can be used as plugged chute detectors for most types of conveying, as well as high-, mid- or low-point level detectors on vessels, storage bins, or hoppers equipped with vibrators. Suitable for bulk solids materials ranging from low-density flakes and powders to pellets and heavy granular materials, the DJ detectors rely on mechanical oscillations to determine if the probe is covered or uncovered. Signals from the units operate a single-pole, double-throw relay within the control unit; the relay contacts actuate alarms, indicator lights, or process control equipment.

Automation Products – DYNATROL Division | dynatrolusa.com

> extruders > feeders > components > pneumatic conveying > complete systems

COPERION COMPONENTS. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY. HYGIENIC DESIGN.

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Highest operational reliability Optimal accessibility Residue-free cleaning CIP versions available RotorCheck contact monitoring

Coperion innovative rotary and diverter valves set standards in sanitary applications. They save time and costs with fast efficient cleaning and have proven themselves in demanding applications such as the production of powdered milk and baby food. www.coperion.com/components/hygienic

2021

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NEW PRODUCTS

Dry Processing SOLUTIONS

PNEUMATIC CONVEYOR CONTROL SYSTEM SPEEDS COMMISSIONING Featuring a pre-programmed, embedded system design, the Gericke pneumatic conveying control system offers a plug-n-play approach and operates continuously without recurring software license fees. With the STP 61 system, an operator selects the bulk density of the conveyed material, desired throughput rate, and other properties on a full-color, touchscreen control panel. It is

included as standard equipment on Gericke dense phase pneumatic conveying systems or can be integrated into a programmable logic controller (PLC) environment via Ethernet IP, Modbus TCP, Profibus, or Profinet.

Gericke USA | gerickegroup.com

BLOWER SOLUTIONS FOR YEAST AND ENZYME PRODUCTION BATCH WEIGHING SYSTEMS ENSURE ACCURATE INGREDIENT HANDLING Coperion K-Tron batch weighing systems can be set up to deliver a varied number of ingredients without manual intervention. Capable of weighing several macro ingredients via a scale hopper, the automated systems are available with controls integration featuring detailed recipe control and barcode scanning.

Coperion | coperion.com

LET’S TALK David Salazar, Application Manager 484-718-3516 david.salazar@aerzen.com

Aerzen offers three blower technologies with reliable process control while requiring low maintenance for yeast and enzyme production. Aerzen Blowers feature: • Side-by-side Installation to reduce footprint • Quiet operation for operator safety • Energy efficient providing cost savings LET’S TALK about the best blower technology for your yeast and enzyme production process.

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Flexible Screw Conveyors

Vacuum Conveyors

Tubular Drag Conveyors

Bulk Bag Handling

DURABILITY Count on Hapman equipment for an excellent return on

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Your customers have more on the line than dinner...that’s why we built the XR75 X-Ray. It protects consumers by detecting the smallest contaminants in the industry, while advancing product quality and overall food safety.

Learn more about the industry’s most precise and reliable inspection detection equipment with unmatched performance and low cost of ownership at anritsu.com/infivis.

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COBOT REDUCES REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURIES The Apex cobot integrates into a variety of production setups. The Baker-Bot cobot offers tool-less maintenance and has touchscreen controls that allow users to change production on the fly. It can be used for tray racking and depanning; packaging and palletizing; targeted filling, depositing, and spraying; and decorating and writing.

Apex Motion Control | apexmotion.com

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DEPOSITOR OPTIMIZES PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND INGREDIENTS HANDLING Suitable for working over vacuum form, fill, and tray sealing lines, the Unifiller depositor is compatible with triple-lane production systems. Used for the clean depositing of relatively viscous-to-liquid products, with or without chunks, the M3 depositor features adjustable nozzles, each of which provides individual portioning. The depositor can be used as a standalone unit or integrated into a production line for applications, including batters, fruit fillings, sauces, mousse fillings, salad dressings, soups, and deli salads. It is available in a servo version, consisting of a programmable logic controller (PLC)-controlled machine capable of multiple deposits, recipe storage, and conveyor integration.

VIBRATORY CONVEYOR MAXIMIZES SANITATION, IMPROVES OPERATOR ACCESS Available in lengths from 30 to 50 ft and 20- to 40-in. widths, the Key vibratory conveyor achieves conveying speeds greater than 50 ft/ min, depending on the application. The Marathon conveyor with monobeam construction positions the sloped frame and spring arms underneath the stainless-steel bed to enable workers to get closer to it. The conveyor uses natural-frequency vibratory motion to distribute bulk foods long distances. The conveyor bed can be tilted to draw product to one side; flow direction can be controlled with optional side outlet diverters. The conveyor can be used for a range of bulk food applications, from raw receiving to packaging, including product collection, transfer, and distribution, and is available in four finishing standards.

Key Technology | key.net

Unifiller Systems | unifiller.com

Food & Beverage manufacturing software that gives you the freedom to change the world one product at a time DELMIA|Works’ ERP and MES software provides the freedom to improve the way you do business to best serve your customers, changing the world with every product you ship.

866.367.3772 • www.3ds.com/delmiaworks • delmiaworks.sales@3ds.com

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

TUBULAR CHAIN CONVEYORS RETAIN PRODUCT INTEGRITY Built to meet design standards for dairy, meat, and poultry product conveying applications, Luxme tubular chain conveyors also comply with petfood sanitary standards.

Available in 4-, 5-, and 8-in. diameter sizes, SaniLux conveyors move up to 1,100 cu ft of material per hr, delivered through a closed and sealed pipe assembly. The units come in 304 and 316L low-carbon stainless-steel construction. Washdown cycles can be programmed to correspond to a specific production SKU number, with washdown options, including manual, semi-automatic, and automatic.

The conveyors are suitable for use upstream and downstream of food processing and packaging equipment.

Luxme International | luxme.com

BLENDER WITH UNLOADING STATION EMPTIES BAGS SAFELY

We look at food differently.

Today’s processors must adapt to a quickly changing market: Deville takes care of helping you achieve the perfect cut while designing hygienic, simple, versatile and easy to clean cutting solutions that enable processors large and small, to keep up with demand. Because we don’t just see food, we see the whole picture.

Come see us at Pack Expo Sept 27-29, 2021, Las Vegas, NV – Booth N-26008

1.866.404.4545

www.devilletechnologies.com

Equipped with a bag dump workstation, the Ross ribbon blender allows an operator to empty bags of powder through a bar grating, while a contiguous vibrating tray assembly catches foreign debris and off-spec ingredients. The Model 42N-18SS blender utilizes safety limit switches that prevent operation of the agitator if any access ports are open, or if the grating is removed. All interior and exterior surfaces are stainless steel, polished to 150-grit sanitary finish. The blender features a sanitary 4-in. spherical disc discharge valve with a pneumatic actuator, UL-listed operator controls in a NEMA 4X stainless-steel enclosure with fan shrouds, a variable frequency drive, digital speed and amperage readouts, dial-type potentiometer, cycle timer, and E-stop.

Charles Ross & Son | mixers.com

Deville Technologies is the exclusive North American distributor of FAM.

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| August 2021 | www.profoodworld.com

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IMPROVE OPTIMIZE GROW FUEL YOUR SUCCESS. ENGINEERING | ARCHITECTURE | CONSTRUCTION | CONSULTING

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

SOFTWARE OFFERS COMPLETE PRODUCT INSPECTION MANAGEMENT Based on Industry 4.0 principles of secure machine-tomachine communication, Mettler Toledo software delivers full-digital track and trace and real-time food safety compliance. ProdX 2.4 software has enhanced security features, including rules to enforce the use of strong passwords, seamlessly shared with high-end systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution system (MES). Full support for batch changeovers allows an individual product to be automatically traced via its unique serial number, while a fail-safe testing regimen for product inspection ensures due diligence and compliant performance.

Mettler Toledo Product Inspection | mt.com/pi

Clean, safe conveying FlexLink’s high-performance production flow delivers results.

Our solutions for the food and dairy industries are safe and modular with a one-week shorter ramp-up compared to the competition and reduced cleaning time by over 25%.

The Flexlink offer, including conveying solutions, handling functions and line control, lowers your total cost of deployment, and increasing your overall equipment effectiveness by one percent or more.

For more information call FlexLink on +1 610-973-8200 or email us at info.us@flexlink.com.

flexlink.com

TRANSPORT SYSTEM CONTROL CREATES REALISTIC REPRESENTATIONS OF COMPLETE SYSTEMS The Beckhoff transport system includes an application-specific humanmachine interface (HMI) control for the visualization of dynamic product transport. The mechatronic eXtended Transport System (XTS) generates matching visualizations from an existing XTS track configuration with one mouse click. The control is automatically linked with all necessary parameters for the user’s application and can directly display the current positions of all movers within the system.

The solution consists of three levels and combines with other HMI controls or animated images, as required. The control can locate certain movers in complex transport systems through color highlighting, and can be used in simulations prior to building and commissioning systems.

Beckhoff Automation | beckhoff.com

FlexLink is part of Coesia, a group of innovation-based industrial solutions companies operating globally headquartered in Bologna, Italy. www.coesia.com

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FOOD SAFETY

CONCERNS?

Rely on 98 years of sanitary protein bagging experience • 3A-certified forming tubes • Electropolished frame with continuous weldments • Patent-pending dye-filled film rollers

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

PILOT HOMOGENIZER TEST RECIPES PROVIDE A NEW LEVEL OF VERSATILITY Capable of running either lab tests or small-scale production, the SPX Flow pilot homogenizer validates tests in real-world scenarios with scalable, repeatable performances. Compact in size, the APV Pilot 4T unit homogenizes immiscible liquids into an emulsion.

Liquids are forced through a small gap in the valve at high pressures, increasing velocity, decreasing pressure, and causing a turbulence/ pressure differential that disrupts and disperses particles. Integrated variable speed drive and controls adjust flow and pressure, enabling the testing of multiple recipes and applications. A three-plunger design provides stability for pump, single-, or two-stage homogenization.

SPX Flow | spxflow.com

ANTI-SLIP EPOXY SYSTEM PROVIDES HIGH TRACTION AND DURABILITY

Gorman-Rupp | grpumps.com

Wooster Products | woosterproducts.com

AERATION DEVICE OPERATES IN A VARIETY OF PUMP CONFIGURATIONS

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Designed to add dissolved oxygen into wastewater as it is being pumped, the Gorman-Rupp aeration device degasses and reduces the size of organic solids. Depending on the Gorman-Rupp pump it is paired with, an EchoStorm static Venturi aeration device can provide flows from 50 to 1,300 gpm with up to 857 lb of dissolved oxygen per day. The device comes in 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-in. sizes. Typical applications include wet well influent; aerobic sludge digestion; lagoons; oxidation ditches; and fat, oil, and grease digestion.

Wooster Products anti-slip coating meets OSHA and ADA standards, as well as ASTM slip-resistance requirements. Eco-friendly, the Walk-A-Sured Water Clear Heavyduty 20 twocomponent epoxy system contains polymer grit for added traction. Water, solvent, and chemical resistant, the system is available in 1-gal kits that cover 150 to 225 sq ft. It cures completely in 6 to 8 hr at an ambient temperature of 77 °F. Compatible surfaces include concrete, metal, wood, glass, ceramic tile, terrazzo, marble, stone, and previously installed coatings.

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FILTRATION SYSTEMS ENSURE CLEAN COMPRESSED AIR

Certified to meet EHEDG guidelines and 3-A Sanitary Standards, the Alfa Laval piston pump features a crevicefree design with no dead zones; all product-wetted elastomers are made of FDA-conforming materials. With flow rates up to 150 m3/hr (660 gpm), the DuraCirc circumferental piston pump handles operating pressures up to 40 bar (580 psi). It has a front-loading single seal; long-lasting bearings; a single gearbox lubricant; external shimming; and fully interchangeable components. Available options include a range of sealing alternatives, an aseptic model, a heating/cooling jacket, horizontal and vertical mounting, and a rectangular inlet for high-viscosity products.

Alfa Laval | alfalaval.com

TOGGLE LATCHES SECURELY CLOSE FLAPS, LIDS, COVERS, AND HOODS

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Festo filtration systems lower the risk of particle contamination when compressed air comes into direct contact with food or food packaging. Preassembled with safety and total productive maintenance features, MS series filters conform to FDA and Food Safety Modernization Act guidelines for clean air, and meet or exceed Safe Quality Food Institute Codes Edition 9, 3-A standard 604-05, British Compressed Air Society Guideline 102, and ISO 2200:2005.

Compatible with fittings from NPT 2 to G 1/8, they are rated for airflow ranging from 360 L/min to 7,800 L/min.

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PISTON PUMP IS ENGINEERED FOR DURABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND EFFICIENCY

Made of zinc plated steel or stainless steel, Winco toggle latches have holding forces of 225 lbf (1,000 N), 450 lbf (2,000 N), and 674 lbf (3,000 N). GN 761 medium-weight latches are supplied with a loop- or T-shaped latch bolt with a thread that allows adjustment of the travel distance of the actuating lever. On the GN 761.1 version, the safety hook integrated into the body automatically latches into the actuating lever at the end of the closing movement and remains closed.

JW Winco | jwwinco.com

Festo | festo.us

Spraying Solutions Quality: • Non clogging spray • 100% mist containment • Reduced maintenance

1954 Est.

Value: • No spray nozzles • Sanitary • Flexible, sprays many liquids and slurries

VPLS Shown with Optional Infeed Conveyor

Results: • Save on ingredient waste • Unrivaled accuracy • Improve food safety

General Oil Equipment • Phn: +1 716 903 8005 • inquiry@goe-asf.com • www.goe-asf.com

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

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CONDITION MONITORING SOLUTION EXTENDS THE LIFE OF COMPONENTS AND MACHINERY

The Nord condition monitoring solution utilizes the internal programmable logic controller (PLC) within the variable frequency drive to integrate drive-related actuators and sensors into a system that detects undesired operating conditions at an early stage. Drive and status data are recorded periodically or continuously. The results are then provided via the PLC output parameters, and can be sent and saved to a local dashboard via Industrial Ethernet for visualization. An interface for digital and analog sensors, including virtual sensors, enables the PLC to calculate information, such as the optimal oil change time.

s

Nord Drivesystems | nord.com

DESICCANT DRYERS ARE COMPACT AND HEATLESS Kaeser desiccant dryers are built for point-of-use or other low-flow applications from 7 to 40 scfm and pressures from 58 to 218 psig, as well as sensitive applications that require pressure dew points from -40 °F to -94 °F. DC-HF twin tower regenerating dryers include a controller with Modbus TCP communications, remote on/off control, maintenance timers, and operational displays. They feature aluminum desiccant cartridges, purge solenoid valves, shuttle valves, and coalescing pre-filter and dust collecting after filters. The desiccant has uniform, crushresistant beads to maximize the accessible surface area.

Kaeser Compressors | us.kaeser.com

ROBOTS PROVIDE CONTINUOUS, FAST OPERATION AT ALL PAYLOADS Capable of performing assembly, packaging, and a variety of handling operations, Fanuc SCARA robots have a brake release switch on each arm to allow error recovery; a controller that allows layout and installation flexibility; a webbased user interface for setup and programming on a PC or tablet; integrated vision; conveyor tracking; and fieldbus connectivity. The SR-3iA/H and SR-6iA/H 3-axis variants have a compact footprint and are an alternative to small linear slide products. The higher-payload SR-12iA and SR-20iA models feature a large vertical stroke, internal cable routing to eliminate interference, and an environmental option for harsh conditions.

Fanuc America | fanucamerica.com

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Eagle Product Inspection

er High ughput o Thr Hygienic Design

Visibly focused.

At Eagle, we focus on advanced x-ray systems that help automate product inspection so you can focus on the visible needs of your business, like lower operating costs, improved operations and increased line efficiencies.

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Simply the best vacuum conveyor

PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

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SLICER OFFERS GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND PRECISION Designed for smoother cutting, the GEA slicer has eye-level electronics and a clear-view operator panel that provides a high-definition window into the control system. Able to be mirrored in left- and right-hand versions, the OptiSlicer 6000 operates at up to 1,500 rpm. The cross section, up to 500 mm wide x 200 mm high, simultaneously handles multiple product logs up to 1,850-mm long. An idle-cut rotor moves the blade, not the product, during idle cuts. An optional line control allows an authorized person to manage the whole line from any individual control panel. The slicer is intended for regularly shaped products, such as calibrated sausage, salami, cooked ham, and cheese, as well as difficult-to-slice products, without the need for crust freezing.

GEA | gea.com

LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM IS ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED Engineered for locating leaks in all types of flexible, semi-rigid, and rigid packages, the Ametek Mocon leak detection system is used for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), as well as other packaging methods. The Dansensor LeakPointer H2O visual bubble leak detection system pinpoints small holes in packaging with little or no headspace, regardless of the gas mixture within the package. Complying with the ASTM D3078 standard, the instrument fills and drains water by utilizing a vacuum generated from compressed air. It includes a mounted hydraulic lid, removable tub, and quick-release hose to fill and empty the tub.

Ametek Mocon | ametekmocon.com

DECORING EQUIPMENT REDUCES WASTE AND CARBON FOOTPRINTS

• Lean, dense phase, plug-flow

• • • • •

The JBT FoodTech decoring machine features fully automatic decoring solutions, coupled with a manual infeed for produce, such as iceberg lettuce, radicchio, and romaine lettuce. Capable of decoring up to 2,400 heads/hr, the CoreTakr Flex intelligent, flexible decoring unit utilizes robotic systems to automate repetitive labor tasks in a hygienic way, while also capturing data, including production overviews, raw material data, and details of the incoming product, which can be stored and used to predict maintenance. All potentially hazardous areas of the machine are fenced, locked, and non-reachable during operation.

conveying of powders & small particles Gentle - segregation & damage free Conveying rates up to 10,000 lbs/hr Safe, explosion free Quiet, hygienic, reliable No tools assembly

PUT US TO THE TEST

JBT | jbtc.com

www.profoodworld.com

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PLANT FLOOR NEW PRODUCTS

LIQUID ANALYSIS SENSORS FUTURE-PROOF MEASURING POINTS Endress+Hauser sensors convert a measured value to a digital signal and transfer it inductively to the transmitter. Memosens 2.0 liquid analysis sensors store numerous relevant data points, such as operating hours, minimum and maximum temperatures, measured values, calibration histories, and load matrices. Equipped with integrated electronics, the digital sensors are backwards compatible and can be integrated into existing systems.

Endress+Hauser USA | us.endress.com

ROTARY PRESS SAVES ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND REQUIRES MINIMAL MAINTENANCE The Evoqua rotary press delivers high cake solids and quality filtrate. Employing pressure and friction, the pre-assembled, compact system operates continuously at a speed of <1 rpm to develop the pressure differential and frictional resistance to dewater a variety of types of sludges.

Evoqua | evoqua.com

DETECTOR TECHNOLOGY CAPTURES GREATER INFORMATION ABOUT PRODUCTS BEING INSPECTED Eagle Product Inspection X-ray technology is available in several Eagle X-ray machines. Suitable for a variety of product types across different food segments, Performance detector technology can be used for hygienic application environments with single-lane or multilane setups. Used together, the technology and Eagle SimulTask PRO software read and interpret data for desired fill level inspection, mass measurement, zonal measurement, package integrity, and component counts, as well as the identification of missing items within a tenth of a second.

Eagle Product Inspection | eaglepi.com

STRETCH WRAPPER ENSURES PRECISE APPLICATION OF PROGRAMMED WRAPS Compact and fully automatic, the Orion stretch wrapper integrates with new or existing 18-in. pass-height conveyors.

The RTC rotary tower stretch wrapper attaches the stretch film at the cycle start, cutting it at the end. The forklift operator places the pallet load on the infeed conveyor and pulls a lanyard switch, while moving away to collect the next load. The unit includes technology with a photo-eye sensor carriage; separate up and down film carriage speed control; and top and bottom adjustable wrap counts.

Orion Packaging Systems | orionpackaging.com

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7/22/21 9:39 AM

FUNCTION TERMINAL BLOCKS SUPPORT TROUBLESHOOTING Used to protect circuits, Wago function terminal blocks feature connection technology and an intuitive orange push-button, which can be actuated using a standard tool. TOPJOB S functional terminal blocks come in four basic styles: mini automotive blade fuses or mini-circuit breakers; a pivot-style glass fuse holder; blade disconnect; and base carrier style for pluggable glass fuse holders, orange disconnect plugs, or electronic component modules.

Wago | wago.us

CONVEYORS ARE ENGINEERED TO HANDLE ZONE FUNCTIONALITY Equipped with roller technology, Dorner conveyors feature no-contact zones, each of which acts independently of the others, powered by a brushless DC gearmotor. ERT250 roller pallet conveyors use pallet sensors and control logic to determine when a pallet is free to move forward, or if a pallet is stopped downstream. If a pallet is required to stop, it will do so in the next zone. The motors operate only when pallets advance forward or backward. Multiple 100to 960-mm wide zones can be created on a single conveyor. ERT250 roller tray handling conveyors also are available.

Dorner | dornerconveyors.com

SENSOR OFFERS RELIABLE DETECTION OF MULTIPACKS Based on Contrast Adaptive Teach (CAT) technology, the Leuze sensor is installed above a conveyor belt to detect all objects that differ from the conveyor belt surface. Only one DRT25C.R dynamic reference diffuse sensor is needed per roller conveyor.

After the operator presses the teach button once, the conveyor surface is saved as a reference value.

The sensor detects six-, eight-, and multipacks of transparent or printed film-wrapped bottles and cans. Object independent, the sensor is suitable for beverage containers of a variety of shapes and heights. It has an operating range of 450 mm.

Can your bearings standup to harsh washdowns?

Leuze | leuze.com

GRAPHALLOY® bearings.

Self-lubricating.

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Each of the following market leading companies participates in ProFood World ’s Leaders in Processing program. Leaders in Processing companies receive prominent, year-round exposure on ProFoodWorld.com. ProFood World sincerely thanks its participants!

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AD INDEX COMPANY

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ABB Drives & Mechanical www.new.abb.com/drives/energy-efficiency

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COMPANY

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Eriez Magnetics www.Eriez.com

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Aerzen USA, Inc www.aerzen.com/en-us

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ESI Group USA 28-a (select issues) www.esigroupusa.com/about-esi/events/

ANRITSU www.anritsu.com/infivis

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Flexicon Corporation www.flexicon.com

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Apex Motion Control, Inc. www.apexmotion.com

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FlexLink Systems, Inc www.flexlink.com

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Ashworth Bros., Inc. www.ashworth.com/profood

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FoodSafe Drains www.foodsafedrains.com

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General Oil Equipment www.goe-asf.com

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Automation24 Inc. www.automation24.com

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Bunting www.buntingmagnetics.com

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Graphite Metallizing www.GRAPHALLOY.com

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Busch Vacuum Solutions www.buschusa.com

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Hapman www.hapman.com/profood

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Cablevey Conveyors www.cablevey.com

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Hillbrush, Inc. www.hillbrush.com/us

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Camfil APC www.CamfilAPC.com

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Industrial Magnetics, Inc. www.magnetics.com

Cleveland Gear Company www.clevelandgear.com

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Josam Company www.josam.com

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Columbia Machine, Inc. www.palletizing.com

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Key Resin Company/Flowcrete www.flowcreteamericas.com

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Coperion K-Tron www.coperion.com/components/hygienic

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King Plastic Corporation www.kingplastic.com

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CRB www.crbgroup.com

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Klöckner Pentaplast www.kpfilms.com

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DELMIA WORKS www.3ds.com/delmiaworks

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Linde www.lindefood.com/vision

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Deville Technologies Inc. www.devilletechnologies.com

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Lubriplate Lubricants www.lubriplate.com

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Dorner Mfg. Corp. www.dornerconveyors.com

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M&M Refrigeration www.mmrefrigeration.com

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Mettler Toledo www.mt.com/pi

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PACK EXPO Las Vegas www.packexpolasvegas.com

68

PE North America a ProMach Product Brand www.PELabellers.com • www.AxonCorp.com

18

PPM Technologies www.ppmtech.com

27

ProFood World Leadership In Automation www.profoodworld.com

72

Radar Process, S. L. www.radarprocess.com

66

ROSS Mixers www.mixers.com/web-app

23

SEW Eurodrive, Inc. www.seweurodrive.com

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Shick Esteve www.shickesteve.com

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Sika Corporation - Flooring www.sikafloorusa.com

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Starview Packaging Machinery www.starview.net

15

Tippmann Group www.tippmanngroup.com

37

Triangle Package Machinery Company www.trianglepackage.com

63

Urschel Laboratories, Inc. www.urschel.com

33

VAC-U-MAX www.vac-u-max.com

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VDG www.vandergraaf.com/PF

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Volkmann, Inc. www.volkmannUSA.com WIPOTEC-OCS, Inc. www.wipotec-ocs.com

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Wire Belt www.wirebelt.com Yaskawa America, Inc. www.yaskawa.com

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ProFood World ® (ISSN 2476-06760, USPS 22310) is a registered trademark of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

ProFood World ® is published 6x a year (February, April, June, August, October, December) by PMMI Media Group, 401 North Michigan Avenue Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.222.1010; Fax: 312.222.1310. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, IL, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2021 by PMMI. All rights reserved. Materials in this publication must not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Applications for a free subscription may be made online at www.profoodworld.com. Paid subscription rates per year are $55 in the U.S., $80 Canada and Mexico by surface mail; $130 Europe and South America. $200 in all other areas. To subscribe or manage your subscription to ProFood World, visit ProFoodWorld.com/subscribe. Free digital edition available to qualified individuals. POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: ProFood World, 401 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60611. PRINTED IN USA by Quad Graphics. The opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of PMMI. Comments, questions and letters to the editor are welcome and can be sent to: jfassl@pmmimediagroup.com. We make a portion of our mailing list available to reputable firms. If you would prefer that we don’t include your name, please write us at the Chicago, IL address. Volume 5, Number 4. www.profoodworld.com

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| August 2021 | PROFOOD WORLD

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TECH PERSPECTIVE AARON HAND | EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Big Data Analytics Optimizes HPP Equipment, Processes Springing in large part from its acquisition of HPP equipment provider Avure a few years ago, JBT’s iOPS cloud-based performance optimization platform helps to improve utilization, visibility, and control in HPP facilities. The software continues to evolve with more sensors, more data, and a view toward artificial intelligence.

W

HEN JBT ACQUIRED Avure Technologies in early 2017, it gave the high-end equipment supplier for the food and beverage industry an entrée into the increasingly popular field of high-pressure processing (HPP). Avure was known for its HPP systems, and JBT could see the potential for market adoption of the cold pasteurization technology in the protein and liquid food sectors that it served.

From Avure’s perspective, they gained access to some considerable resources—applied not only to equipment development but also to communication and data analytics tools that Avure had been working on, according to Tim Boyle, JBT Avure’s director of customer care and support. From that sprang iOPS, a cloud-based performance optimization platform that analyzes JBT equipment and processes in real time.

The overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) software was created to improve utilization, visibility, and control in HPP facilities.

Boyle explains how iOPS is evolving and why it’s important to HPP tolling customers and the food industry beyond.

PFW: Tell me how iOPS came about. Why develop this OEE solution in-house?

Boyle: We wanted to develop something in-house that could go across the entire JBT product line. JBT has been purchasing companies like Avure and growing through acquisition but also growing the base, so we’ve got different operating systems, different platforms, throughout all of our equipment. It made sense to the IT guys at the time to look at how we could use one base tool that can go across all the platforms to keep that control in-house.

We look at iOPS as a dual-fold benefit for both the customer and for us. The customer can get real-time operational performance data—they can get alarm histories, they can get a lot of differ-

ent analytic data—brought back to them on a nice, clean dashboard.

But also, we get to collect data on our machines on the backside with a cloud solution, so it allows us to keep looking at the overall picture of all of our equipment out there and start developing some different features along the way that can do things like predictive maintenance. And we can develop better tools so we can continue to improve performance for the customer along the way.

PFW: How do your customers feel about all of that data being fed to the cloud?

Boyle: The nice thing about utilizing the cloud solution is we work with a lot of different security functions. We’ve got military-grade, airport-grade security functionality in the cloud. And the nice thing about utilization of the cloud vs. utilizing direct access into the machine is that the customer’s machine is transmitting data to the cloud, and we’re pulling the data and doing the business analytics in the cloud solution.

So we’re not interfacing with the customer network.

We’re also not interfacing directly into their equipment, so it protects the customer.

We have some customers that are still wary of the data security. So the primary focus for us is making sure all data communications, all interfaces are completely secure to protect the customer. We also make sure all the data between the customer is proprietary—we don’t share that data with anybody. When we look at machines, we’re consolidating and we’re not pulling customer information into the consolidation; it’s just looking at machine data, so it’s random and anonymous. There’s no risk to their proprietary or customer information. www.profoodworld.com

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Tim Boyle, JBT Avure

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JBT has developed iOPS to provide performance optimization across not only its Avure HPP offerings but across its full equipment line.

PFW: Was iOPS developed specifically for HPP or is it being applied to other processes as well?

Boyle: We were working on our own solution for HPP [at Avure], and then we got acquired by JBT. Now iOPS is across all of JBT’s product lines. If we’ve got a customer that has multiple JBT pieces of equipment in their buildings, we can have one iOPS solution and even travel through dashboards based on which machine you want to look at.

PFW: Tell me more about what iOPS offers to JBT equipment users.

Boyle: We are still kind of in our infancy with iOPS. But what the customers are getting is a nice clean dashboard where they can look at all the data analytics. We’re using a system called Power BI [a data visualization tool from Microsoft]. Once we get the data in the cloud, we’re going back and looking at the data, and we’re reporting operational efficiency, uptime, alarm histories, if they have anything that’s causing the machine to have downtime—anything that’s going on. We can monitor any sensor—anything in that machine—and report on it and graph it.

For example, on our machines, we have some thermal gauges, and we can get a readout on those thermal gauges and say, ‘OK, if we start seeing a trend above a certain temperature, it means you’re starting to get a water leak in the system.’ We can pinpoint that water leak based on that sensor and tell the customer they need to take a look at this particular part and do maintenance on it in advance.

PFW: What are examples of how your customers are making use of iOPS? Boyle: We’re working with some key customers now that are really utilizing the system very well. There’s a customer in the Netherlands called Pascal Processing, and then we’ve got a customer in Ohio that is called Hydrofresh. Both of them are tolling customers, so they provide HPP services and other services to customers.

Those customers make their money based on how many pounds of product they can run through, and how efficiently they can run it. So iOPS gives them the tools to really monitor and check their systems to keep looking for better efficiency improvements, better throughput improvements and less downtime.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JBT

PFW: What sorts of things have they been able to achieve?

Boyle: With Pascal, we were able to find that they were kind of starving the machine. The machine was up and available, but they weren’t utilizing it as much as they should. So they are changing how they prepare their process equipment or product to get it ready for the machine. They were able to increase their overall throughput because they were seeing that their operation in advance of the machine wasn’t feeding it at the right rates.

We were also able to look at their alarm histories and see that they were actually triggering an alarm breaking the light curtain when they were offloading material. Every time they’d have to break the light curtain, they’d have to go back and reset it, and the machine would stop running. It was something we were able to reconfigure with them and have them do the offload outside of the light curtain system.

It’s just a simple thing that was causing a lot of downtime and delays. But they weren’t aware of it.

Once management saw what was going on, they were able to address it and keep the machine running more consistently.

PFW: How do you see iOPS continuing to evolve?

Boyle: What we really want to get to is predictive maintenance. As we collect more and more data, we’re going to start seeing: OK, this is the trend that started right before a part needed to be replaced.

We want to continue to kind of home in and mine all that data to give predictive responses to customers. Today, we already send out to the systems an email saying you’re coming up on your 4,000-cycle service, or you’re coming up on your 3,000-cycle service. We send that email to them about 200 cycles prior to them needing the maintenance. But we want to evolve to give real-time responses back to the customers saying, ‘Hey, you’ve got a temperature issue on this check valve on this intensifier on this side of the machine. You need to get that maintained right away before it does any further damage.’

We’re seeing it evolve to be more of an interactive response back to customers to get them prepared to keep the machine running as much as possible.

JBT www.jbtc.com

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