Food Engineering April 2011

SPECIAL REPORT: WATER RECYCLING, LANDFILL REDUCTION YIELDS FINANCIAL RETURNS April 2011 |

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THE MAGA ZINE FOR OPER ATIONS AND MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT

Plant of the Year Shearer’s Foods Rethinks the Food Plant

ALSO THIS MONTH ` THE BATTLE OVER GREEN CRED ` FOCUS ON DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY ` TECH UPDATE: HUMAN MACHINE INTERFACES

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• The E TranSlicer uses the same 20" wheel and delivers the same types of cuts as its predecessor, the TranSlicer 2000 Cutter. • The machine accepts infeed of 4" (102 mm) in diameter of firm products and compressible products up to 6" (152 mm) diameter. • The E TranSlicer provides a newly designed cutting wheel mount/holder assembly that simplifies cutting wheel changeovers. • Hinged/sliding access panels offer full access to all key areas of the machine. • To further ease washdowns, surfaces are sloped. • Sanitary design ensures that all mechanical components are separated from the food zone.

• Electrical cables are slightly raised off of the machine frame to simplify washdowns and alleviate trapped food particulates. • The E TranSlicer is available with across-the-line start or with a variable frequency drive. • Other options include a prep table to assist operators and a remote operator stop button. • The integrated electrical box uses circuit breakers instead of fuses and incorporates a brake motor button to easily release the brake when needed. • Durable stainless steel guardlocks and sensors offer indicator lights that illuminate when guardlocks are properly engaged. • The machine features continuous operation for uninterrupted production.

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APRIL 2011

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FEATURES COVER STORY

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Plant of the Year: Shearer’s Foods Rethinks the Food Plant Some additional upfront cost already is paying dividends to this manufacturing organization, with the biggest returns yet to come.

57

Reuse’s Dollars and Sense For food and beverage companies focused on water recycling and landfill reduction, the effort yields solid financial returns.

69

Tech Update: HMIs Human machine interface technology has advanced by leaps and bounds—to the point where food manufacturers can now control and monitor plants from virtually anywhere.

79

Dry Processing Technology Mancini Packing Company delivers accurate powder blends to roasted peppers via loss-in-weight batch feeders. Cover photo by Vito Palmisano for Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Magazine

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DEPARTMENTS 8

Editor’s Note

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Calendar of Events

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Manufacturing News Prepare now to test and verify imported ingredients and other products.

69

17

The battle over green cred

21 Connect with FE on Facebook www.facebook.com/FoodEngineering

Follow FE on Twitter

50

Plant of the Year Profiles

94

Field Reports Metal detector for discerning cheeses

96 Food Engineering Magazine

Technology Sourcebook Focus on Heat Exchange

http://twitter.com/FoodEng

Join FE’s Group on LinkedIn

Food Packaging

103

Classified Advertising Engineering R&D Research as continuous improvement www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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www.foodengineeringmag.com EDITORIAL Joyce Fassl Editor in Chief [email protected], 610-436-4220 ext. 8519 Kevin T. Higgins Senior Editor [email protected], 847-405-4045

Providing the Full Spectrum in Separation Technology

Wayne Labs Senior Technical Editor [email protected], 215-345-4548 Morgan Smith New Products Editor [email protected] Richard Stier, Jaan Koel, Allen Merritt, Mark Huffman, Olin Thompson Contributing Editors ART & PRODUCTION Karla Fierimonte Art Director [email protected] Suzanne Fairman Advertising Production Manager [email protected], 253-946-6854 MARKETING Marge Whalen Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference Manager [email protected], 847-405-4071 Amy Kozyra Marketing and Event Coordinator [email protected], 847-405-4022 Chris Frost ProcessTechnologyXchange [email protected], 952-224-4390

No matter the task, our full line of equipment is up to the job. Besides offering stand-alone separators, clarifiers and decanters in multiple sizes and capacities, GEA Westfalia Separator can work with you to solve complex food processing challenges. In many cases, we can even recommend a complete processing solution that will efficiently meet your needs.

Jill L. DeVries Corporate Reprint Manager [email protected], 248-244-1726 LIST RENTAL Rob Liska List Manager (postal) 800-223-2194 x726, [email protected] Shawn Kingston Account Manager (email) 800-409-4443 x828, [email protected] AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Amy Schuler Group Audience Development Manager Megan Neel Corporate Fulfillment Manager Carolyn M. Alexander Audience Audit Coordinator FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION OR SERVICE, PLEASE CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE AT: Tel. 847-763-9534 or Fax 847-763-9538 or e-mail [email protected]

To learn more about the spectrum of separation technology we can provide, contact Philip Cunningham at 510-432-4732 or email him at [email protected].

FOOD ENGINEERING Volume 83, Issue 4 (ISSN 0193-323X) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: FOOD ENGINEERING, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to FOOD ENGINEERING, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

Liquids to Value GEA Mechanical Equipment US, Inc. 100 Fairway Court · Northvale, NJ 07647 Phone: 201-767-3900 · Fax: 201-767-3901 Toll-Free: 800-722-6622 24-Hour Technical Help: 800-509-9299 www.wsus.com See Food Master, p. 65

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Directories Nikki Smith Human Resources Marlene J. Witthoft Conferences & Events Emily Patten Clear Seas Research Beth A. Surowiec

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

See Food Master, p. 64

EDITOR’S NOTE

Come hell and high water: a time for reflection and action

L Joyce Fassl, Editor in Chief e-mail: [email protected]

ast month’s devastating earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear disaster in Japan have given new meaning to the challenge of keeping the global food supply safe and have caused economists who predicted America was on the road to economic recovery to rethink their position. While the chance of any contaminated food from Japan getting into North American markets is slim, the face of food safety has been altered by the fury of Mother Nature. Neighboring nations such as South Korean are screening all imported Japanese foods, while Hong Kong has plans to source food from alternate suppliers. The Japanese disaster has also caused America and other nations to rethink dependence on nuclear power and call for domestic nuclear plant inspections. Meanwhile legislators and the American public are asking what Uncle Sam is doing to protect his citizens from potentially affected foods and the air they breathe. According to FDA, foods from Japan make up less than 4

percent of foods imported from all sources. (In contrast, food products from Canada and Mexico each make up about 29 percent of all imported foods.) New York Times and Wall Street Journal reports warn the lethal mixture of unprecedented uprisings in the Middle East, rising food and oil prices, and the lack of exported Japanese automobile, electronics and related parts and goods could undermine not only America’s economic rebound, but that of the entire global economy. If big business starts to slow job creation or halt capital expenditures because of the disaster, we’re in for a longer recessionary haul. The good news is the resilience of the Japanese people to overcome the devastation, of course with a little help from the global community. Regardless of the outcome, it’s an excellent time for American business to reflect on its disaster preparedness and keeping our food supply chain safe every day, come hell or high water. As we have sadly learned, no one nation, person or business is immune from the wrath of Mother Nature. ❖

Food Engineering Editorial Advisory Board Tom Lance Vice President-Operations The Boston Beer Company Ed Delate Vice President, Global Engineering and Corporate Social Responsibility Keystone Foods LLC

8

David Watson Vice President-Engineering Campbell Soup Company International and Baking Technology Sam Casey Director of Engineering H. J. Heinz

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Alex Peele Director of Project Engineering Interstate Brands Corp.

Dan Sileo Vice President, Manufacturing Sunny Delight Beverages

Diane Wolf Global Vice President, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Kraft Foods

David Haase Vice President of Operations WILD Flavors

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CALEN DAR MAY 2011 3-6: Fundamentals of Food Science; Penn State University, University Park, PA; Office of Conferences and Short Courses, Penn State University; agsci.psu.edu/fundamentals 10-11: TD-NMR Applications in the Food Industry: Compositional Analysis, QC, R&D and Safety; NC State University, Raleigh, NC; Dept. of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, NC State University; 919-515-2957; www.ncsu.edu/project/foodengineer/ short-course 12-18: Interpack 2011; Düsseldorf, Germany; Interpack Processes and Packaging; www.interpack.com 17: Continuous Flow Thermal Processing of Multiphase/Particulate Foods; NC State University, Raleigh, NC; 919-515-2957; www.ncsu.edu/project/foodengineer/short-course 22-26: 11th International Congress on Engineering and Food; Athens, Greece; ICEF; www.icef11.org/main.php?general

JUNE 2011 11-15: IFT11 Annual Meeting & Food Expo; New Orleans, LA; Institute of Food Technologists; 312-604-0238; www.ift.org 16-17: Workshop on Novel Sampling and Sensing for Improving Food Safety; GTRI Conference Center, Atlanta, GA; Food Processing Technology Division, Georgia Tech Research Institute; www.foodsensing.gatech.edu

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`NEWS PLANT OPENINGS & EXPANSIONS Mountaire Farms is spending $34.5 million for an expansion of its poultry complex in Millsboro, DE. The resource recovery center will collect unused protein from current operations to manufacture commercial pet food. Harvest Time Bread will construct a 30,000-sq.-ft. expansion at its Mt. Airy, NC facility. The project includes two fully automated baking production lines consisting of tunnel ovens, proofers, scoring stations, spiral freezers and packaging equipment as well as conveyor systems. The construction is expected to be completed by July 2011. Coca-Cola North America is completing the construction of a 13,000-sq.-ft., $33 million expansion project at its bottling plant in Northampton, MA. The project adds a fourth production line for chilled juices to the bottler’s existing 455,000-sq.-ft. site. Texas-based Blue Bell Ice Cream is expanding its presence in Colorado by opening a 15,000-sq.-ft. distribution center with warehouse, office space and cold storage in Englewood.

Americold opened its new temperature-controlled storage facility in Delhi, LA. The facility provides more than 4.7 million cubic feet of convertible temperature-controlled storage space dedicated to the support of the adjacent ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston sweet potato processing facility.

Prepare now to test and verify imported ingredients, products

W

hile US food and beverage processors will be taking steps to meet the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for products they produce in the US, processors that import ingredients or products from foreign suppliers will be required to verify these suppliers meet the same criteria as their American counterparts under the new law, says Gary Nowacki, TraceGains CEO. Nowacki, with more than 20 years of experience in food and related industry software, adds the two-year timer started ticking in January so importers need to start moving quickly. Section 301 of FSMA deals with foreign supplier verification and what’s involved in the process, which is not trivial. Verification activities may include annual on-site inspections and checking the hazard analysis and risk-based preventive control plan of the foreign supplier, says Nowacki. In addition, verification activities may include monitoring shipment records, doing lot-by-lot certification of compliance and periodically testing and sampling shipments. Each importer must perform riskbased foreign supplier verification activities for the purpose of verifying the imported food is as safe as food produced and sold within the US. Records must be maintained for a period of not less than two years and shall be made available promptly to the FDA upon request, adds Nowacki.

One of the major challenges to importers will be verifying foreign suppliers’ certificates of analysis (COAs), he adds. While it can be difficult enough to verify COAs from American suppliers accurately describe their products, verifying a COA from a Chinese supplier will be more difficult. The melamine issue a couple of years ago is a good example. While the COA listed protein, it certainly didn’t specify melamine as its source. Consequently, importers will be forced to do the lab work to verify foreign COAs. The first best practice processors need, according to Nowacki, is a firewall, “making sure that all foreign suppliers are in complete compliance with all requirements and food safety [practices] and rejecting shipments automatically if they’re not in compliance.” Yesterday’s tools—paper receipts and COAs, spreadsheets and clipboards— can help, but they need to be integrated with modern software systems to provide the response time FDA requires.

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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MANUFACTURING

`NEWS INDUSTRY & PEOPLE Gary Cooper, Cooper Farms, (Oakwood, OH), was elected chairman of the board of directors of US Poultry& Egg Association at its meeting during the 2011 International Poultry Expo. He previously served COOPER as vice chairman. Mark Waller (Ingram Farms, Cullman, AL) was elected vice chairman; James Adams (Wenger’s Feed Mill, Rheems, PA), treasurer; and Elton Maddox (Wayne Farms, Oakwood, GA), secretary. Candy maker Just Born named David Yale as its president and COO. Marlen International, Inc. named Nikola Vajda as its president and CEO.

The Coca-Cola Company exercised its option to acquire the remaining portion of Honest Tea. Cargill concluded the acquisition of Unilever’s tomato product business in Brazil. In addition, Cargill officially assumed sales and marketing for Louisiana Sugar Refining, LLC, of which Cargill is onethird owner. Russ Marchiando was promoted to the position of packaging plant manager for Wixon, a manufacturer of seasonings, flavors, ingredients and consumer products. Ocean Spray’s four manufacturing sites (Markham, WA; Tomah, WI; Wisconsin Rapids, WI; and Middleboro, MA) were awarded the SQF 2000 Code Level III certification by NSF International in recognition of their

“comprehensive food safety and quality management systems.” Lindt appointed Daniel Studer as its new vice president of sales for Lindt USA. A M King, a Charlotte, NC architectural and engineering firm, was selected to design and construct the Harvest Time Bread facility expansion in Mt. Airy, NC. Joseph E. Scalzo, president and chief operating officer, left Dean Foods Company; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregg Engles is assuming Scalzo’s operating responsibilities. The company does not intend to name a replacement for Scalzo. NSF International opened its new NSF Shanghai Testing Laboratory in Shanghai, China.

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F O O D PA C K A G I N G Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor

Petroleum vs. corn

`

The battle over green cred is pitting PLA-based plastic against conventional PET resins mixed with additives that cause the plastic to decompose when landfilled.

G

ood-for-Mother-Earth chatter will get a lot noisier this year as bottled water suppliers trumpet new packaging that breaks down when placed in a landfill. Polylactic acid (PL A) resins from corn starch set the pace in bioplastics in the last decade, and that segment is projected to grow more than 15 percent a year through 2014, according to Datamonitor Group. Some of that growth will come at the expense of petroleumbased plastics. Polyethylene terephthalate is particularly vulnerable, given its wide use in beverage containers. Research by Morgan Stanley concluded one in four people are cutting back on purchases of bottled water in favor of tap water because of the landfill issues associated with PET and other plastics. With three-quarters of beverage containers ending up in landfills, a growing number of people are distancing themselves from trash that will remain hundreds of years after they themselves are gone. Additives that al low microbes to break down plastic have been available

` Canadian water bottler Pacific Water International is the first to commercialize the Bio Bottle, a PET container with an additive that accelerates decomposition. Source: Pacific Water International.

for 20 years, according to Danny Clark, president of Mesa, AZ-based Enso Plastics, though issues such as the opacity they cause in clear plastic has retarded commercial uses. Enso itself has advanced in fits and starts, says Clark, but after several reformulations, his Bio Bottle finally saw the light of retailers’ shelves in January. Pacific Water International, a Chilliwack, Canada water bottler, debuted 500ml and 1-liter Bio Bottles under its Redleaf brand in western states and throughout Canada. “Our greatest challenge is one of education,” according to company COO Dave Hillis. “We have to ensure consumers understand the dramatic difference between biodegradable and recyclable. Adding to the confusion are the so-called “plant bottles,” a reference to PLA. Another biodegradable PET container called EcoPure from Albuquerque, NM’s Bio-Tec Environmental is not far behind. The company’s additive is being used in preforms manufactured by Casey Container Corp. The Scottsdale, AZ manufacturer is ramping up production to fill advance orders for 38 million preforms containing the additive. Heat, light and moisture determine how quickly the plastic will degrade, and critics say there is no evidence PET and other plastics will completely break down. But fundamentals of chemistry suggest degradation will occur, says Enso’s Clark. “With these additives, when material is put in a microbial environment, the microbes secrete enzymes that break down the polymer,” he explains. Normally, microbes are unable to ingest the fossilized hydrocarbon that composes petroleum, but the additives overcome the barrier. “Your package will have the same shelf life and protection as you would without the barrier,” adds Clark, but once it is in a landfill, nature and microscopic bacteria will go to work. ❖ For more information: Danny Clark, Enso Plastic, 602-639-4228

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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F O O D PA C K A G I N G

DIY modified atmosphere

M

odified atmosphere packaging has been a game-changer for many foods and beverages, though until now the technology was the domain of industrial users. No longer, however, thanks to a partnership between the Linde Group and a French startup company. About three years ago, Wikeeps technicians perfected the design of their two-piece system to keep oxygen out of wine bottles after they’ve been uncorked. One piece is outfitted with a hand-operated pistol nozzle and houses a gas cartridge; the second piece is the spout, equipped with a shut-off valve and airtight seat. To dispense the wine, the user squeezes the pistol, releasing gas into the bottle and evacuating the wine. “Dispensing wines is a nice thing, but preserving wine is the real purpose,” explains Steve Finley, global segment head of beverages for Linde North America Inc., Murray Hill, NJ. Linde partnered with Wikeeps, the Langon, France firm that developed the injection hardware as a way to evacuate oxygen so fine wines could be enjoyed a glass at a time, rather than drinking the entire bottle before oxygen degrades the wine. Wikeeps worked with another gas company when it developed its system three years ago, but it shifted to Linde

` Estate wines by the glass are an option for both the hospitality industry and homebound oenophiles with the Wikeeps system, which injects customized gas mixtures into uncorked bottles. Source: The Linde Group.

about a year and a half ago because of the gas supplier’s expertise in working with wineries. “The dissolved gas within the wine is part of the [wine-drinking] experience,” says Finley. Both the gas mixture and the amount of pressure must be balanced to ensure the modified atmosphere does not adversely affect the wine. Different gas mixtures are used for different types of wine. ❖ For more information: Steve Finley, Linde North America Inc., 800-232-4726

Little bottle, big splash Calling it the firm’s biggest beverage introduction in a decade, Kraft Foods executives talked about their new MiO concentrated flavoring in the same breath as their power brands at February’s Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) conference, weeks before the tiny bottles began appearing on store shelves. The 1.62-oz. bottle, shaped like a water drop and outfitted with a spill-proof cap, is small enough to win a TSA agent’s approval. The no-calorie contents are squeezed into water to create a flavored drink. With a suggested serving size of 2ml, each bottle sold at the suggested retail price of $3.99 contains enough liquid for 24 servings, or less than 17 cents per 8-oz. serving. Of course, people can squeeze as much of the flavoring into a glass as they like, and that customization is central to MiO’s

18

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

` Concentrated flavor in a go-anywhere bottle is the proposition of MiO, Kraft’s new liquid beverage enhancer. Source: Kraft Foods Inc.

positioning. But the six flavor options compete with the stylish, palm-sized bottle for attention at the point of sale. While Kraft’s CAGNY presentation focused on the company’s established stars, CEO Irene Rosenfeld might have been thinking of MiO’s future contributions when she said, “We’ve doubled our presence in fast-growing, high-margin, instantconsumption channels.”

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TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K Focus on Heat Exchange

VERTICAL HEAT EXCHANGER HEAT EXCHANGERS Chemineer Kenics heat exchangers are equipped with streamlined static mixer elements that offer high heat transfer coefficients for uniform heat transfer. Used for a range of process applications, the high-performance thermal units offer maximum transfer rates even with highly viscous, difficult-to-process materials. Typical applications include chocolates, dairy products, salad dressings, sugar syrups and corn syrup. Chemineer, Inc.; www.chemineer.com

SCRAPED SURFACE HEAT EXCHANGERS Martin Brothers nickel scraped surface heat exchangers have a re-chromed inside diameter tube for abrasion- and corrosion-resistance; the tube inside diameter plating is re-chromed to 0.008-in. thickness. The exchangers are suitable for food, sauces, confectionery, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, fats, oils and shortenings. Martin Brothers, Inc.; 318-435-4581; www.teammartinbrothers.com

The Terlet Terlotherm vertical scraped surface heat exchanger handles a range of process applications including the cooking, heating, cooling, crystallization, pasteurization and sterilization of a variety of products. It has only one shaft seal, a hinged top cover for inspection and cleaning without disturbing the shaft seal and one-piece scraper blades that can be replaced without tools. The unit can process sensitive or complex products or particulates. It is bottom-driven to eliminate the possibility of product contamination, and is fully CIPable. Terlet; 856-241-9970; www.terlotherm.com

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

21

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

PORTIONING DEPOSITORS NuTEC C-Frame portioning depositors fit into existing production lines to deposit fillings for stuffed sandwiches, multiple-layered products, appetizers, rolled or wrapped products, calzones, empanadas, cordon bleu, burritos, egg rolls, hamburgers, meat pies, chicken Kiev and stuffed seafood shells. The unit’s feed system uses a rotating spiral that moves the product to the rotary vane pump. NuTEC Manufacturing; 815-722-2800; www.nutecmfg.com

DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES for food and beverage facilities

The Austin Company is a leader in providing design-build services for clients nationwide. Austin ensures a seamless project execution, while saving time and money in delivering high-quality projects. Representative clients include: Colgate-Palmolive, Coca Cola, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Martek Biosciences, Russell Stover Candies, The McIllhenny Company and Danisco.

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CONSULTANTS

22

DESIGNERS

INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY ENGINEERS

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

CONSTRUCTORS

HYGIENIC PUMPS Wilden Pro-Flo X air-operated, doublediaphragm hygienic pumps handle the full range of viscosities, solids and shearsensitive products used in food processing. The pumps do not contain any mechanical seals or rotating parts. The components are constructed of passivated 316L stainless steel. The air-distribution system controls flow rates with the turn of a dial. Wilden; www.wildenpump.com

HEAT EXCHANGER/ EVAPORATOR Delivering similar output as multiple units, the GPE Dual Rototex (DR) Series scraped surface heat exchanger/evaporator has a vertical design that offers up to 154 ft.² of heat transfer surface area. With a single pass, its continuous design requires less residency time for the product. In addition to heating and cooling, the unit is efficient for atmospheric or vacuum operation in food and beverage applications including candy, caramel corn and coated snack foods, chocolate (crumb, liquor and syrups), cereal coating, pie fillings, gravies, salad dressings, peanut butter, margarine, shortening and vegetable oil, cheese products, and jams and jellies. GPE; www.gpeequipment.com

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

PILOT PLANT EVAPORATORS API pilot plant Schmidt evaporators validate the quality, taste and color of finished product. Evaporation of product can occur under vacuum and low temperatures, or at high pressures with high-pressure steam. An optional hot water loop can be used for heat-sensitive products. Multiple pumps and variable speed control allow the processing of viscous or non-viscous fluids. API Heat Transfer; www.apiheattransfer.com

WEIGH MODULES METTLER TOLEDO 1-in. wide WMC weigh modules provide in-process control and embedded weighing in any critical instrument or system operation. A rugged design and direct connectivity offer flexible integration in checkweighing and dispensing applications. Capable of being integrated as single units or as parallel weighing arrays, they can be used with machinery for manufacturing and assembly (testing quality control systems, parts handling and assembly systems), packaging and filling machinery (bottles, cans and other small volume-filling systems, inspection, detecting and quality control systems) and laboratory equipment. METTLER TOLEDO; www.mt.com

CUTTER Engineered to produce continuous precision slices, the Urschel E TranSlicer cutter uses a 20-in. wheel; it accepts the in-feed of 4-in. diameter firm products and more compressible products up to 6-in. in diameter. Hinged/sliding access panels offer full access to all key areas of the machine. A sanitary design ensures all mechanical components are separated from the food zone. Urschel Laboratories, Inc.; 219-4644811; www.urschel.com

See Food Master, p. 53

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

23

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

INDIRECT-FIRED GAS HEATER Used to heat process air streams without contaminating the air with the products of combustion, the Munters VariMax IFRG ultra-high-efficiency, indirect-fired gas heater is engineered for spray dryers and industrial processes with high temperature rises. Standard features include a stainless steel heat exchanger, FM- or IRI-certified gas trains and complete heater controls. Munters; 540-291-1111; www.munters.us

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

PASTA PROCESSING LIGHTING FIXTURES Rated for 60,000 hours of maintenance-free use, Rig-A-Lite WFH-LED light fixtures are rated for temperatures from -40ºC to 40ºC; they feature heavy-duty aluminum construction and an FDA-accepted baked-on finish. Available in a 2 X 4 housing size with 180 LEDs, they also come with either a clear or prismatic acrylic lens. The fixtures are suitable for use in cold storage, frozen storage, food processing and other applications where UL1598 wet locations, NEMA 4X and NSF-compliant classifications exist. Rig-A-Lite Partnership, Ltd.; 713-943-0340; www.rigalite.com

The Pavan fresh pasta processing line is fully automated and covers all stages from the handling of raw materials to the cooking of fresh pasta with a capacity of 2,200kg/hr. Semolina, flour and rice flour are sent to different dosing devices that feed 2 mixing tanks. The different mixtures of raw materials can be obtained automatically by loading the desired recipe from the PLC unit. Each forming machine can handle different shapes. The extruded or sheeted pasta products are uniformly cooked in a multi-tier cooker equipped with a rinsing system to wash away starch from the pasta. The cooker has a clean-inplace system consisting of spraying bars above and below the belts and rotating nozzles inside the cooking chamber. Pavan Group; www.pavan.com

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Vyper™ Variable Speed Drive e (VSD) ( gives you the kind of screw compresso compressor control you need to respond to the load dem demands unique in today's industry. 100 CV Avenue • Waynesboro PA 17268 • Phone: 717-762-2121 • FAX: 717-762-8624 • www.johnsoncontrols.com/frick See Food Master, p. 62 www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

25

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

LABORATORY MIXING SYSTEM The Bematek laboratory pilot mixing system for in-line multi-component process development blends multiple streams of fluids into homogeneous emulsions, dispersions and blends. Fully scalable, the wet-mix process system features a rotor-stator mixing technology that exposes 100% of the mixed product to the same shear action without bypass. Capable of producing dispersions down to 1 micron with +/-1% repeatability depending upon the ingredients and application, the system is FDA, USDA and 3A compliant. Bematek Systems, Inc.; 877-236-2835; www.bematek.com

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

TECHNOLOGY

Featuring a flexible conduit in its upper arm/wrist for routing cables and hoses for signals, air and power, the ABB Robotics IRB 2600ID integrated dress pack material handling robot has a 1.85m reach, 15kg payload, a swing base radius of 337mm, a base width of 511mm and total upper arm load of 26kg. The mid-sized robot can be mounted in multiple configurations and is suited for applications including case packing, carton handling, process tray handling and small format palletizing. ABB Robotics; www.abb.com

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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Process-Specific, cGMP-Ready, FDA, 3-A, USDA Compliant Bulk Material Handling Systems

S O U R C E B O O K

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

FILLERS/DEPOSITORS Hinds-Bock fillers/depositors for use over horizontal vacuum formers are engineered for the clean filling of liquid or moist products ranging from water, thin brine or marinades to viscous potatoes, peanut butter, jams and jellies, candy or cheese; they can also be used for value-added meat, fish or poultry applications requiring the addition of sauce. Large port openings enable the gentle passage of particulates such as fruit slices or large potato pieces in deli salads. The units are available in both standard and custom machines in sizes to match package configuration. Optional features include diving or traveling spouts for product distribution, hopper agitation, heated or cooled machines and a selection of positive shut-off spouts. Pressure-fed fillers for viscous products that do not self level are also available. Hinds-Bock Corporation; 877-292-5715; www.hinds-bock.com

For consistant food grade lubricant quality, buy from a company that is NSF H1 and ISO 21469 CERTIFIED. Summit Industrial Products is one of the fast growing synthetic food grade lubricant manufacturing companies in the US.

Try us out and see why!

ISO 9001:2008 SWIRLCHAMBER NOZZLES Used in the production of dairy products, nutraceuticals, powdered beverages and food, Spraying Systems SV Series SprayDry nozzles produce a hollow-cone spray with uniform drop size distribution. Constructed of a special tungsten carbide material, they are available in more than 700 swirlchamber and orifice combinations. Flow rates range from 15.6 to 968gph at 1,000psi (59.7 to 3692lph at 70 bar). Spray angles range from 55° to 90°. Free validation samples are available upon request to qualified users. Spraying Systems Co.; 630-665-5000; www.spray.com

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TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

Process-Specific, cGMP-Ready, FDA, 3-A, USDA Compliant Systems View Material Handling Systems In Action

nbe-inc.com/food MODULAR INDUSTRIAL CONTROLS Siemens Sirius Innovations modular industrial controls come in sizes S00 (10hp) and S0 (30hp), and have power performance up to 40A in a 45mm footprint. They include IO-link communication modules that snap onto contactors of direct, reversing and wye-delta motor starters up to 30hp; the modules also allow status and diagnostic data communication to the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) platform. AS-Interface communication modules for motor starters are available. Siemens Industry, Inc.; www.usa.siemens.com

Bulk Container Dumpers

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Bulk Bag Unloaders

nbe-inc.com/food www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

gen content within gas-flushed food packages. The measurement range is from 0% to 100% with an accuracy rate of 0.1%. Sample measurements and results are achieved within moments; various features of the analyzer can be modified depending on the application. AGC Instruments; www.agc-instruments.com

SUBMERGED SANITARY PUMPS KNOLL America MX Series 3-A certified submerged sanitary pumps are designed for the food, beverage and sugar industries. Hygienic inside and out for submersing into product-holding containers, the pumps are used for emptying liquid product from bins, mixers, drums, vats and large bags. Five sizes are available with 18 different performance ranges, offering capacities up to 880 gal./min. and pressures up to 580psi on standard models. They convey low-viscosity, airtight media at a rate of 880 USGPM with a maximum pressure of 145psi per pressure stage up to 8 stages on certain models. KNOLL America; www.knollamerica.com

ECO-FRIENDLY LIGHT FIXTURE

PACKAGING ANALYZER Designed for the food industry, the AGC Map-Pak O2 modified atmosphere packaging analyzer measures the oxy-

30

UL listed for use in damp locations and designed for walk-in cooler applications, the Keil VXS-CFL surface-mount compact fluorescent refrigeration lighting fixture operates in temperatures from 0°F to 194°F. Its energy-efficient spiral, compact fluorescent lamp draws 120V/26 watts, while providing a light output of 1,650 lumens. The fixture may be eligible for LEED Energy Credits. Keil Refrigeration Hardware; www.keilhardware.com

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

MODULAR rPET SYSTEM Designed for brand owners interested in the self-manufacture of PET containers, the Phoenix Technologies small-capacity Modular rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) system uses virtually no water and only 2.3 million kilowatts hours (kwh) of electricity annually. It is used for the production of food-grade LNO rPET, a resin that has received letters of no objection from FDA or Canada Health. Phoenix Technologies; www.phoenixtechnologies.net

TEMPERATURE LOGGER The MadgeTech RFOT wireless meat temperature data logger with 2-way communication can be used in smoke houses, ovens and other cooking processes up to 212°F as well as refrigerators and freezers down to -4°F. It records and transmits internal product temperature readings back to a central computer for instant real-time monitoring. It does not need to be connected to a computer; full communication can be performed directly from a central PC. MadgeTech, Inc.; www.madgetech.com

SUBMERSIBLE ELECTRODE Designed for measurements in tanks, flumes and sewer lines, and other applications with high suspended solids, the Sensorex S651CD submersible pH/ORP electrode can also be used where flocculation operations require low velocities and in tanks with high agitation. It features a quick-disconnect design, a flat surface to resist coating and the option to be mounted at a 45º angle facing into the flow. The electrode features a measurement range of 0-14 pH (0-12 pH without Na+error) at +/-2000 mV for ORP measurement; it operates at a minimum temperature of 50ºF for fast response timing up to 185ºF depending on the maximum pressure up to 80 psig. Sensorex; 714-895-4344; www.sensorex.com

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www.slipnot.com | 800-754-7668 | [email protected] www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

31

TECHNOLOGY S O U R C E B O O K

Best Pasta. Our ÀˆÌiÀˆœ˜Ê-iÀˆià produces superior artisan quality pasta and will last longer than any person’s career.

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BAG-IN-THE-BOX FILLING Engineered for the dairy, beverage and flavoring industries, the Scholle SureFill 30 LA aseptic bag-in-the-box filling system allows processors to offer popular aseptic products to large-volume customers with product end-use flexibility. It provides bag size and fitment versatility; filling speeds up to 15 one-gal. bags/ min.; and automatic changeovers. Scholle Packaging; www.scholle.com

ROTARY INDUCTIVE SENSORS Providing 360º angular measurement, TURCK rotary inductive analog sensors utilize resistance inductive capacitance measuring technology. Suitable for measuring the angle of solar panels, wind turbine blade position, crane position and other outdoor applications, they are IP67 rated, with a temperature range of -40ºC to 70ºC. The sensors and their positioning element are designed as separate pieces to allow the positioning element to be mounted in a variety of ways including directly onto a rotating shaft. TURCK; 800-544-7769; www.turck.us

NANOCERAMIC GREASE Dayton DAYLube high-performance nanoceramic grease includes nanoceramic particles that act as sub-microscopic ball bearings to provide continuous lubrication to steel surfaces. The grease maintains its viscosity in temperature ranges from -40°F to 800°F; the nanoceramic particles remain intact to 2,500°F. Available in 1- and 5-gal. pails for higher-volume applications such as conveyors, it also protects bearings, bushings cables, cams, chains, conveyors, gears, lifters, machine parts, robotics, slides and wear plates. NSF-H1 foodgrade certified, the grease has high loadbearing properties and a low dielectric constant, does not contain metal or silicone, and is resistant to steam, acids and most chemical products. Dayton Progress Corporation; 937859-5111; www.daytonprogress.com

CORIOLIS FLOW METER The Endress+Hauser Cubemass Coriolis compact flow meter can be installed in spraying or coating equipment, engine test stands and process skids. It measures mass flow, volumetric flow, temperature and density, and communicates to controllers via pulse, frequency, 4-20mA current with HART and Modbus RS485. Available in 4 pipe sizes from 1/24 to 1/4 in. (DIN 1 to DIN 6) to measure flow from a few drops to 2,200 lbs./hr., it has a mass flow accuracy of +/- 0.10% of reading, and repeatability of 0.05% for liquids. The meter also measures density in liquids with accuracy up to +/0.001g/cc with a repeatability of 0.0005g/ cc. Suitable for use in hazardous environments, it has ATEX, IECEx, NEPSI, NEC/ CEC and TIIS approvals. Endress+Hauser, Inc.; www.us.endress.com

See Food Master, p. 49 April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

PLANT OF THE YEAR

Shearer’s Foods rethinks the food plant Some additional upfront cost already is paying dividends to this manufacturing organization, with the biggest returns yet to come. `

Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor l Plant photo by Vito Palmisano for Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery Magazine

W

hen sellers of financial derivatives and the Bernie Madoffs of the world dangle deals to double and triple capital virtually overnight, it’s a wonder anyone invests in manufacturing. Spending on the production of goods is, with depressing regularity, viewed as a necessary evil to be minimized to the fullest extent possible. In that context, the Massillon, OH project that Shearer’s Foods Inc. began three years ago is remarkable. Rather than attempt to do it on the cheap, Chairman and CEO Robert J. Shearer declared the project would leverage new and existing technolo-

gies to create a manufacturing center that would squeeze every bit of productive use from energy inputs, while minimizing the amount of water consumed and waste generated. The effort would add 8 to 10 percent to the price tag, the snack food maker estimated, but he characterized the added cost as an investment in the future. Fast-forward three years, and the realization of Shearer’s vision is still unfolding on the rolling hills of northeastern Ohio. Project scope has expanded, not contracted, with the overall price tag increasing accordingly. Phase I was completed in March 2010, a 47,000-sq.-ft. showcase of engineering

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

33

PLANT OF THE YEAR

` Tortilla chips are conveyed to a fryer, then out of the production room and up to the packaging mezzanine for weigh-scaling. Extensive ductwork is tied to heat recovery systems that help lower energy requirements to run the line. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

innovation that earns the distinction of Food Engineering’s 2011 Plant of the Year. With Phase I, the company mined a PR bonanza. The US Green Building Council granted platinum level certification to

the Massillon facility under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, making Shearer’s the first food company—most certainly the first snack food manufacturer—to gain the distinction. Plaudits have rained down ever since. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland was on hand at the plant’s grand opening, heaping praise on the organization for its leadership in sustainable manufacturing. US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu paid a visit to see the state-of-the-art systems and groundbreaking innovations first hand and to add his own salute. Given Shearer’s participation in the US Energy Star program since 2006, the company already was on the Department of Energy’s radar. Replacement of large motors with smaller VFD units and installation of waterless urinals four years ago were modest harbingers of what was to come. To compartmentalize the project as a LEED winner or a onetime stab at sustainable manufacturing is to give the Massillon plant short shrift. True, the company has made sustainability a core value, and key customers want Shearer’s to drive waste reduction and efficiency throughout the supply chain. But the commitment extends beyond those relationships and impacts decisions about the companies it chooses to do business with. Long-term relationships with vendors are a point of pride, but

Help wanted: Growing firm seeks quality workers Forget the Horatio Alger myths: A Wharton School case study on manufacturing nimbleness would be a better way to profile the growth arc of Shearer’s Foods Inc. over the last three decades. The company started in 1974 as a distributor, with manufacturing added five years later. Production in 1979 was limited to two batch kettles capable of producing 250 lbs. of potato chips a day. Today, management oversees 70 production lines in six facilities totaling almost 1 million square feet. Finished goods production reached 220 million lbs. last year as the company approaches $500 million in sales. The Shearer family was engaged in the Canton, OH grocery business when son Bob decided he could make better potato chips than the brand he was distributing. Undeterred by an absence of any manufacturing or food production background—the difference between tablestock and chipping-stock potatoes had to be explained by a sympathetic observer—the group began developing a loyal following in northeastern Ohio. Soon after completing a major expansion of its flagship plant in Brewster, OH,

34

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Shearer’s augmented its branded snack food production with private label production. Contract manufacturing later was added to the mix. Access to capital is an issue for all privately held companies, and in 2005, Shearer’s addressed the issue by selling a majority stake in the company to the McLean, VA equity firm Winston Partners. The deal paved the way to 2006’s purchase of a snack food plant in Lubbock, TX. By the time Shearer’s closed 2009’s deal for a Canonsburg, PA pretzel plant and the March 2010 acquisition of Snack Alliance Inc.’s facilities in Bristol, VA and Hermiston, OR, majority ownership had passed to New York-based Mistral Equity Partners, which counts Country Pure Foods among its other food holdings. As the size and cost of equipment needed to be a lowcost producer have increased, so too have the barriers to entry in snack production. The next generation of manufacturing entrepreneurs would do well to study the case of Shearer’s, a firm with 1,530 employees where the biggest management challenge is finding more good workers.

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PLANT OF THE YEAR

` Significant savings in both energy inputs and water usage were realized in the corn cook/soak system at Shearer’s Foods Inc.’s Massillon, OH facility, Food Engineering’s 2011 Plant of the Year. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

friendships and loyalties didn’t dictate equipment supplier selection. RFPs included not just throughput rates, maintenance considerations and other standard metrics, but also consumption of energy and water and the volume of waste generated. Investments must have a return, but if a superior design or advanced technology promised significant future savings through lower energy costs or enhanced product quality, there was wiggle room in ROI calculations. Consequently, some novel technologies and designs were incorporated, resulting in a plant with lines that outperform comparable ones in the Shearer’s manufacturing network. Calculated risks All of the company’s lines are scored on their consumption of gas, electricity and water and the amount of wastewater and landfill waste they generate to

manufacture finished goods. Sustainability Director Scott Weyandt used lines in nearby Brewster, OH, the company’s headquarters location, to document overall reductions of more than 30 percent. The efficiency focus didn’t end with LEED certification: Also targeted are reductions of 50 to 60 percent in water use for a potato-slice washing system tied to six kettle fryers and a continuous fryer coming on line this spring. Advances introduced in Phase I will be duplicated in the addition housing the new lines. Some of the plant’s improvements can be attributed to the organization’s progression from a mid-sized manufacturer to a company with the size and financial wherewithal to deploy advanced controls and other automation tools. Others reflect Shearer’s willingness to take a calculated gamble on technology’s leading edge. Noting the presence of machines with serial numbers of one, two or three, Steve Surmay, senior vice president-copack operations, says, “We’re not afraid to be first in the market” with equipment. But on occasion, the dice come up snake eyes. The chairman and CEO recalls a foray into robotic case packing in the late 1990s. “I thought it was a great idea,” Shearer remembers, but the technology wasn’t there to support it. “Shearer’s has always been willing to be a leader in our industry, and take chances on new technologies,” he shrugs. “We’ve been lucky more than not.” Process drives energy consumption in food and beverage production, and the new plant’s savings run from the beginning to the end of the tortilla line. Corn must be cooked, then soaked up to 11 hours before it can be used to form masa, the cornmeal dough used in tortilla chips. Coppell, TX-based Quality Fabrication (QF) engineered the corn cooking and transfer system that saves 1.7 billion Btus a year in gas consumption, or 16 percent of the total use, while reducing water consumption by a third. Similar systems are in place at many of the leading makers of tortilla chips, allows Harvey Norman, QF technical support leader, but they are rare for mainstream manufacturers. Two filters and PLCs are required to ` Steve Ferryman eyes SPC control charts in the corn cooking room at Shearer’s Foods’ Massillon, OH plant. Statistical process control is the core of the facility’s quality, food safety and regulatory compliance system. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

IT’S NOT JUST A NAME… IT’S THE WAY WE DO THINGS Quality Fabrication & Design has been manufacturing snack food equipment since 1987. Our equipment is designed and built to the same high “Quality” standards that have become synonymous with our name and reputation. Aside from the many manufacturing capabilities that we presently have, our “core” product revolves around the “snack food industry”. We manufacture entire processing equipment lines for snacks such as Corn and Tortilla Chips, Pellets and Extruded Products, Plantain Chips, and last but not least Kettle Style Potato Chips. Quality Fabrication offers the complete processing line, to include all the packaging system. Our Technical Department and Design Group can support you with complete design/build capabilities to include installation supervision and Project Management. Please give us the opportunity when the time comes to replace or add a fryer, or any other piece of processing equipment to your production line. Quality Fabrication & Design is here to support your expansion and production needs.

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PLANT OF THE YEAR

` Whole-grain chips with corn, bran and four different flours are extruded on the plant’s twin-screw line. Healthier products are driving growth in salty snacks, and the complexity of those formulations often require twin-screw extrusion. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

execute the cooking process and recycle about 250 gallons of water for the next batch in each kettle, but the additional cost and necessary technical support has left the system out of reach for many midsized manufacturers. Serial No. 1 of a high-efficiency oven from IET Combustion LLC, also of Coppell, TX, can be found in the next room, where masa is formed and sheeted into the tortillachip line. Like QF, IET is an engineering firm low on the radar but well known to the industry’s biggest players. President and Owner Souhel Khanania has retrofitted hundreds of snack food ovens. The Massillon plant provided his first blank canvas, and he responded with an oven that consumes 47 percent less gas than Shearer’s benchmark units. The sealed cavity design of the oven box restricts air inflow into the oven by about two-thirds. Only about 800 cubic feet a minute (cfm) need to be heated. Rather than being sucked in from

the room, the air is channeled through hollow beams that route the air to the infrared burners for even side-to-side heat distribution, a pattern that positively impacts product quality. “We utilize the frame as a means to transport air and the electrical conduit in a nice, clean design,” Khanania explains. The genius of the patent-pending design, however, resides in the burners. The oven is outfitted with four rows of burners, six at each level, to dry the chips with no more than half firing at any one time, depending on product load. According to Khanania, the ceramic burners deliver both radiant and convection heat, and they are engineered to minimize temperatures at the surface of the burner. “They are designed so that the surface is not subjected to the extreme temperatures” of up to 2,000˚F typically experienced by infrared burners, he says. Even metal-mesh burners are subject to accelerated deterioration at those extremes, he maintains. In contrast, some of his burners are still operating seven years after being placed into service. The low-draw oven is critical to the effectiveness of a liquid chimney heat-recovery system that feeds off the oven’s exhaust. The chimney condenses moisture in the vented gas and routes it to a heat exchanger, where the heat is transferred to propylene glycol that delivers the heat to the building’s HVAC system. The system was designed by Tom Kiser, founder of PSI Engineering in Fremont, OH, and a heating and ventilation engineer. His son Ed Kiser, also a mechanical engineer, explains, “We are thermal engineers, not just a HVAC job shop.” The ratio of vented water to chip throughput is a constant. What is different in the Massillon installation is the ratio of water to air volume going up the stack. “If 1,000 cfm of air is going through, I can condense out twice as much water and its latent heat than if 2,000 cfm is in the stack,” explains Ed Kiser. “The sensible energy in water is very small compared to the latent energy, and extracting it is a challenge. With less air, there is more water in a given volume, making it easier to recover.” Transferring heat from a ` Rufus Williams watches as a dough-cutting drum cuts masa into a specific shape on the tortilla-chip line at Shearer’s. The chips are baked in an infrared oven rated at 46.7 percent more efficient per pound of production than comparable ovens in the Shearer’s network. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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the first application of QF’s air-combustion analyzer. Instead of using a pressure valve to regulate the amount of gas reaching the burner based on the amount of air, “we took it to the next level” with a Siemens controller that monitors the oxygen and carbon dioxide emissions in the exhaust, then feeds back the data to regulate the air-to-gas mixture. “It’s expensive,” Norman concedes, but extremely precise.

` A vibratory conveyor (center) serves as a surge buffer on the tortilla-chip line, which has a rated capacity of 5,000 lbs. of product per hour. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

gas to a liquid state also is believed to strip out some of the exhaust’s pollutants, including carbon dioxide, but no studies have been done to quantify the impact. Ed Kiser describes the building’s HVAC as a “hydromechanical hot water heating system,” with the liquid chimney heating glycol water mixture to 130˚F, and the return loop bringing it back at about 100˚F. During the warmer weather, the recovered heat is used to preheat water for the corn cook, sanitary applications and other uses. Moisture from the tortilla fryer is dispersed for use in the liquid chimney, but a reduction of 2,190 MMBtu per year (9 percent) from the baseline load was realized with other efficiencies. The fryer’s heat exchanger also is tied to the HVAC system, according to Norman of QF, which built the fryer. The Massillon plant hosts

Squeeze play Recently issued dietary guidelines from publichealth authorities include explicit warnings about the hazards of salt, sugar and fat consumption. Snack food leaders in recent years have been altering formulations and introducing healthier options in an effort to get in front of expected changes in people’s diets. Healthier-for-you products are a growing part of Shearer’s portfolio: Trans fats have been replaced in most of its potato chips, and the Massillon plant’s new kettles are paired with centrifuges that shed 40 percent of the oil prior to packaging. But more complex products like the firm’s Shapers whole-grain chips are beyond the ability of single-screw extruders. The Massillon plant hosts the company’s second twin-screw extruder (the first was installed in Brewster), and more are likely to follow as the healthier-eating trend grows. Single-screw extruders suffice for cheese puffs and other simple snacks, but they represent “completely different science” and are incapable of the “micro-mixing between the screws” of a twin-screw extruder, according to Mike Shaw, a sales manager with Clextral Inc., the Tampa, FL OEM that engineered Shearer’s unit. The six-barrel extruder gives the manufacturer great latitude in the textures and mouthfeels it can create in non-expanded snacks. The line is rated at 800 lbs. of throughput per hour. Phase II effectively doubles floor space in Massillon to more than 110,000 sq. ft., with additional lines and more brick and mortar likely on the 34-acre site. Some of Phase I’s innovations are duplicated in the expansion, including a second liquid chimney. Its recovered heat will warm wastewater bound for an anaerobic digester to about 90˚F. Until the volume of methane from the digester is defined, gas will be flared, though a useful application is anticipated. Even ` Bertha Yoder collects product from a vertical form/fill/ seal station in preparation for case-packing. Because of the customized pack patterns and package-size variety required for copacking and private label work, production managers prefer the flexibility provided by manual case-packing. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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PLANT OF THE YEAR

` Chairman and CEO Bob Shearer (left) and Scott Smith, president, discuss packaging changes at Shearer’s headquarters in Brewster, OH. The men have guided growth at the snack maker, relying on close partnerships with key suppliers to keep the company in the front ranks of innovation and technical advancements.

without energy reuse, the case for anaerobic over conventional aerobic digesters was overwhelming, according to Weyandt. “Anaerobic as a process has multiple benefits,” including reduced chemical requirements, less sludge and reduced labor, he says. Shearer’s solicited bids for both anaerobic and aerobic systems and concluded the lower capital costs for an aerobic system would be wiped out within two years. Long term, aerobic was prohibitively more expensive. Only one full-time person will be needed to maintain the Massillon system, compared to six at a comparably sized aerobic digester in Brewster. “As long as we have balanced pH coming into the system,” anaerobic requires no chemical balancing, whereas GRAS polymers and chemicals are an ongoing expense with aerobic. “There are no blowers and very few motors and pumps involved” with anaerobic, which is not the case with aerobic, Weyandt adds. Finally, sludge must be dewatered and removed daily in Brewster. In Massillon, it’s expected to be a “once every two or three years” event, he calculates. A mechanical engineer with a specialty in polymers, Weyandt embodies a new breed of professionals at Shearer’s. He was the first corporate engineer hired four years ago for a staff that now numbers five. Developing in-house expertise has freed the firm from reliance on suppliers’ engineering expertise and enabled it to challenge those suppliers to develop new technical capabilities. Until a major expansion of its Brewster facility in the late 1990s, Shearer’s had fewer than 200 employees and prided itself on being an entrepreneurial organization built around quick-to-market nimbleness and a laser focus on core values such as product quality, food safety, sustainability and community relations. A more formalized and disciplined approach is required if a large organization is to exhibit those attributes. To that end, manufacturing professionals with and without food experience have assumed key management roles 42

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

in recent years. For example, Director of Operations Ken Brower and Brad Johnson, Massillon’s new plant manager, came to Shearer’s from the automotive industry where lean and Six Sigma are essential elements in continuous improvement. Those methodologies are beginning to guide process improvements in Massillon. “We kicked off a kaizen event this morning,” with a goal of cutting seasoning changeovers to below 15 minutes from 25-30 minutes, notes Brower, who joined the organization in late 2007. “That’s something we’re bringing in from the outside, and we’re still in our infancy.” But the company culture is receptive to change, and Johnson and he expect the staff to embrace new methodologies. If the changeover goal is met, Brower believes Massillon will be able to execute them daily instead of at five-day intervals, a significant benefit for manufacturing flexibility. Simplicity and flexibility shape many implementations at the new facility. Instead of lift trucks, hand trucks are used to move pallets because anyone can transport loads as needed, without any licensing requirements. Case-packing is a manual operation as well, a protocol dictated by the multiple product sizes and pack patterns the firm’s private label and copack clients demand. The absence of packaging robotics also means less technical support is required. Integrated data streams ControlNet is the data highway for machine functions. It also moves quality data that directly impacts how operators function and underpins the continuous improvement projects envisioned. Data communication for human functions, on the other hand, is done through a statistical process control (SPC) program that extends beyond quality issues to include safety, sanitation, training and documentation of manufacturing processes. Quality, food safety and compliance data are tied to statistical process control software from Chantilly, VA-based InfinityQS. Shearer’s is one of the first food companies to install version 4, an advancement developed for Kraft Foods that includes an enhanced data management system, and Dynamic Scheduler, a program that manages operator start-up sheets, quality checks, packaging checks and other procedures. Scheduler’s visual presentation is a ticking alarm clock, a cue to operators of an impending task and when it should be performed, explains Steven Voight, an InfinityQS application engineer who worked with Shearer’s on the installation. If a task isn’t executed or a problem occurs, the program notifies supervisors or technicians to respond. “The Shearer’s staff is very good at manipulating the software and making it do what they want it to do,” says Voight. So it

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PLANT OF THE YEAR

` Matt Freday performs a quality check on bagged product to verify the weight. A green checklist on the Infinity QS Dynamic Scheduler guides workers through standard procedures. If a check isn’t performed or the results are outside acceptable operating parameters, the problem is flagged with a red spot on factory dashboards (insert) throughout the plant, alerting supervisory personnel. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

didn’t surprise him when they integrated the quality software with many of the other programs, including ERP and a customized MES program named Manufacturing Information Portal (MIP). When a packaging run begins, the operator begins by scanning the package bar code. If the bar code is incompatible with the ERP’s production schedule, the discrepancy is flagged and MIP locks down the pallet label printer, halting production until the correct package for the finished goods is scanned. Flat-screen monitors provide at-a-glance views of machine states on the plant’s lines, with green icons for normal operation, blue icons for idle equipment and red icons for machines with missed tests or other conditions. At the operators’ stations, the InfinityQS Dynamic Scheduler quality

44

application displays a green sheet of to-do tasks, such as sampling of packages to verify weights. Failure to perform a check on time immediately is reflected on the factory dashboards. Senior Vice President of Operations Scott Heldreth spearheaded the customization of the SPC software to serve quality

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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PLANT OF THE YEAR

` A water glycol-filled heat exchanger routes thermal energy recovered in the plant’s liquid-chimney system to heat the building and for other uses.

control objectives. “My background was originally centered mostly around technology and system implementations,” explains Heldreth, who joined Shearer’s a decade ago as CIO. He replaced all paperbased records with electronic documentation. Associated programs such as Qualtrax, which documents employee training and testing and the versioning execution of standard operating procedures, and asset management records were brought into the quality database. The result is exceptional document control and the ability to meet customers’ and regulators’ audit demands. Gone are the days of “documentation through mostly brute force efforts,” says Heldreth, “including manual audits, paper forms, individual notifications and manual tracking systems.” One payoff was the relative ease with which the plant received third-party certification through the SQF-level three program. Many food companies that have gone through SQF and other certified audits under the Global Food Safety Initiative have struggled with the documentation requirements. Timelines of a year or longer are not uncommon. Automated documentation and standardized procedures helped the Massillon plant achieve SQF level 3 certification in two and a half months, according to Don Asplin, corporate quality auditor.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

` The Massillon plant’s liquid-chimney system is positioned on a mezzanine above the tortilla line. Exhaust from the oven is routed to the chimney, which utilizes a water curtain to extract heat from the gases and convert it to a liquid state.

Behavior modification The bells and whistles of the typical LEED-certified building—high levels of insulation, argon-filled windowpanes, high-efficiency fluorescent lighting augmented by skylights and automatic dimmers—are evident at the plant. The substantive improvements are occurring, however, in the details of everyday processes and the challenging of conventional thinking, with small changes aggregating to significant efficiencies. Compressed air is a case in point. “I hate compressed air,” Weyandt confides, but some packaging equipment requires it. A compressor skid sits outside the plant, but low-friction piping boosts the efficiency of air delivery. “The basic concepts and technology of sustainable manufacturing have been around for years,” muses Weyandt. “Sometimes it’s just a matter of how you pull them together on the floor. But you can’t drive improvement with one or two people.” The same is true of continuous improvement, and efforts to actively engage the entire workforce in improving productivity, quality and safety are expanding. “Engagement on the shop floor has been a hallmark at Shearer’s,” adds Mike Parks, who joined the company in late 2010 as vice president-

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

47

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` To minimize chokepoints, precision weigh scales are controlled for continuous bulk-density recalibration as tortilla-chips arrive in the packaging department. Photo by Bob Rossiter.

manufacturing. Lean initiatives sometimes are associated with staff reductions, a sore point with workers, but “when you’re growing, you plug that labor back in somewhere else,” he says. Ideally, workplace initiatives in sustainability, worker safety and other initiatives alter lifestyles and impact home behavior. “In communities where it works,” he says of worker safety, “you drive down the street and see people wearing safety goggles while mowing the grass.” With the founder’s retirement drawing closer, there’s a legacy element to the Massillon project and the broader initiatives at Shearer’s. “You’re never finished improving and innovating, because then you start going backward,” reflects the company’s namesake. In that sense, the Massillon plant is a stop on the journey to rethink manufacturing processes and systems, with thousands of customers, staffers and members of the community invited along for the ride. ❖ For more information:

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[email protected] April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ADI Systems Inc.

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ADI congratulates Shearer’s Foods, Inc. on achieving the first LEED-certified Platinum snack food plant status and receiving Food Engineering’s Food Plant of the Year award. We are proud to have supplied its anaerobic wastewater treatment system in Massillon, OH. ADI Systems Inc. is a technology and designbuild company offering a wide range of wastewater treatment and wasteto-energy systems to industrial processors around the world. ADI Systems works with food and beverage manufacturers worldwide that have high-quality processes, but still face issues relating to wastewater and its effect on operations.These issues can include production capacity bottlenecks, effluent discharge penalties, energy losses, carbon emissions, and GHG footprint. ADI Systems can not only treat the wastewater to meet the most stringent discharge quality requirements, but can also provide green energy options with biogas utilization opportunities. The goal is to help processors find the right solution for their specific needs. Offering one of the industries’ largest treatment solutions menus, ADI Systems provides proprietary wastewater pretreatment through to producing direct-discharge and reuse quality effluent, and digestion of waste organic solids. Technologies include patented anaerobic and aerobic treatment processes, plus aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactor systems. Services are offered on a design/build or technology basis to industries worldwide. ADI is an employee-owned company, established in 1945. Its professionals, scientists, technicians, and support staff have experience providing more than 170 projects in over 30 countries around the globe. ADI has been recognized with “Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies” award and has achieved “platinum” status.

Contact: ADI Systems Inc Fredericton, NB, Canada and Wolfeboro, NH, USA Phone: +1.506.452.7307 Email: [email protected] Web: www.adisystemsinc.com

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Baldor Electric Company, headquartered in Fort Smith, Arkansas, designs, manufactures, and markets the broadest line of industrial energyefficient electric motors, power transmission products, adjustable speed drives, linear motors, motion control products, gear products, industrial grinders and generators. Baldor is the largest motor and mechanical power transmission company in North America and the second largest worldwide. Baldor•Reliance® motor products now range from 1/50 horsepower through 15,000 horsepower. Dodge® power transmission products include a wide variety of engineered mounted bearings and enclosed gear products. The addition of Maska® pulleys and couplings provides even more solutions as part of the Baldor product line. Baldor products are primarily manufactured in plants throughout North America; however, the company owns and operates plants in England, China and Canada as well. Products are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, from sales offices and warehouses throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Pacific Rim and Australia. Products are sold in more than 70 countries to distributors and original equipment manufacturers in more than 160 industries. Baldor products, marketed for more than 100 years, have exceptionally strong brand recognition for quality and value with our customers. Baldor continues to lead the industry in delivering timely and complete product information to customers through our customer-preferred web site, as well as numerous printed catalogs. We also offer many training classes for distributors and end-customers to help them learn our products, technologies being used, application solutions and Baldor’s competitive advantages. Over 15,000 students have benefited from this training in the past 10 years. Baldor has an on-going commitment to employee education. Baldor employs approximately 8,000 employees worldwide and believes that well-trained employees make a better product. We also believe that better products translate into better value for our customers and shareholders. We have been elected by Training Magazine as one of the top 100 training companies in America. Many years ago, Baldor carefully defined “Value” in terms meaningful to our customers. Value is defined in terms of Quality and Service (both as perceived by the customer) in relation to Cost and Time. The result is our “Value Formula” which has become a part of our culture. It guides our thinking and directs our work every day.

Contact: For more information about Baldor, visit our web site at www.baldor.com

2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Emerson Process Management

Emerson Process Management’s Micro Motion Coriolis technology has been the world’s best-selling flow and density measurement technology for over 30 years. With the addition of dedicated density measurement devices, Micro Motion truly delivers a broad range of measurement offerings specifically designed for superior accuracy, repeatability and reliability. Micro Motion meters are installed in dairy, food, beverage, meat and other hygienic applications around the world, offering several meter families with 3-A authorization, EHEDG (European Hygienic Equipment Design Group) certification, and 15 Ra (0.4 μm) electro-polish flow path finish. With leadingedge Coriolis and density measurement technology and experience, Micro Motion provides the right liquid, slurry and gas measurement solutions. Without the additional equipment required by other measurement meters, Micro Motion devices measure mass flow rate and total, volume flow rate, density, concentration, and temperature. Tap into the power of Emerson’s Micro Motion Coriolis and dedicated density measurement technology for real-time, accurate control of density and concentration to ensure your plant is at optimal productivity and profitability. As a core component of Emerson’s PlantWeb® digital plant architecture, predictive intelligence is embedded into Micro Motion technology to ensure your sensors work smarter and deliver more.

InfinityQS InfinityQS is the global leader in quality control and real-time Statistical Process Control (SPC). InfinityQS’ solutions were developed for food & beverage manufacturers who rely on SPC software to ensure safe, reliable consumer products. Our hybrid quality system can be customized to meet the unique requirements of your business infrastructure. This system allows you connect big lines with small lines, to view enterprise data as a whole or slice-and-dice data from a specific facility or production line. ProFicient lets you take control of food quality and safety in any manufacturing environment. Traceability Identify exactly when each component entered the manufacturing process, where it was consumed and the specific component lots that make up finished goods. ProFicient’s Lot Genealogy features maintain electronic traceability records so you can quickly identify which defective lots must be segregated or recalled. Supply Chain Sourcing Manage quality across the supply chain with ProFicient. Food and beverage manufacturers often depend on their suppliers to provide Certificates of Analysis (COA’s). ProFicient’s supply chain management features give you the power to view supplier quality data in real-time, thereby allowing the identification of quality issues at the source – before products are even shipped to you. FDA Regulatory Compliance Ensure compliance with food safety regulations. ProFicient’s built-in compliance capabilities help major manufacturers comply with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations, the USDA’s Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and other FDA & USDA regulations.

Contact: Emerson Process Management www.emersonprocess.com www.micromotion.com

Contact: InfinityQS International, Inc. 14900 Conference Center Drive Chantilly, VA 20151 1.800.772.7978 www.infinityqs.com [email protected] www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Key Technology

Mokon

As a leading manufacturer of process automation systems for the food processing industry, Key Technology helps customers improve product quality, optimize yield, reduce labor costs, and improve process control to enhance plant efficiencies.

Mokon congratulates Shearer’s Foods in Massillon, Ohio for being selected the 2011 Food Plant of the Year. We are proud to have supplied you with an accurate and dependable process chiller for your extrusion line. Company Description For over 55 years, Mokon has set the standard for high-performance and superior quality thermal fluid systems in food processing, packaging, converting, chemical, and many other industries. Our energy-efficient line of portable water and heat transfer oil temperature control systems, chillers, and custom engineered designs offer precision temperature control from 5° to 650°F (-15° to 343°C).

• Optical Inspection/Defect Removal Systems – Manta® high volume sorters, Tegra® in-air sorters, Optyx® compact sorters, and Raptor/ FluoRaptor™ Laser Technology identify and remove defects and foreign material. onCore® is an integrated system for processing of iceberg and romaine lettuces in bagged salads. ADR® for potato strips removes defects. • Specialized Conveying Systems – Iso-Flo® vibratory conveyors, Impulse™ electromagnetic conveyors, Spiral-Flo™ elevators, and pumping systems. • Grading systems – Iso-Flo and Farmco equipment for sizing, grading, and separating. • Preparation Systems – air cooling, air cleaning, washing, and feeding. • Fresh-cut food processing equipment – washers, dryers, and integrated lines. • Services – application testing, custom engineering, installation and start-up, training, and customizable service packages for maintenance and repairs.

Process Cooling Mokon offers a complete line of portable chillers for process cooling requirements down to 5°F (-15°C). Iceman chillers are available in ¼ to 40 Ton cooling capacities, air or water-cooled condensing, and single or dual-circuit configurations with scroll compressor technology. All chillers feature nonferrous components, microprocessor-based controller, UL 508A labeled electrical sub-panels, and green-friendly refrigerant. Combination Heating/Chilling A unique product designed and manufactured by Mokon is our combination Heating/Chilling system. A Mokon water temperature control system combined with a portable chiller integrates the benefits and features of both products into one compact, self-supporting system. The system is ideal for food processing applications requiring multiple zone control or processes requiring both heating and chilling. Custom Capabilities Available from Mokon • Design and build to customer specifications • NEMA 1, 4, 12 electrical enclosures • Stainless steel construction • Clean room or wash down designs

Custom air-cooled chiller with stainless steel cabinetry, louvered panels and local panel

Contact: Key Technology, Inc. 150 Avery Street Walla Walla, WA 99362 USA Tel: 509 529 2161 Fax: 509 527 1331 Email: [email protected] URL: www.key.net

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Contact: Mokon 2150 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY 14207 Phone: 716.876.9951 FAX: 716.874.8048 Email: [email protected] Web: www.mokon.com

Table-top Micro chiller ideal for laboratory or other food/industrial applications.

2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PPM Technologies PPM Technologies has you covered - A recently patented on-machine seasoning system, designed to coat all types of snack foods, has proven to be an outstanding success! Improved performance and state of the art technology allows unmatched quality and reduced costs for snack food manufacturers. By combining our Libra vibratory weigh system with accurately dispensed oil, slurry, and powder applicators, we have greatly improved the product quality and appearance of a variety of snack foods.

Quality Fabrication & Design Complete Chip Line Equipment Manufacturer Quality Fabrication and Design, located in Dallas, TX, is a privately owned minority business company committed to providing customers with the utmost excellence by delivering quality products and dependable service. We specialize in the design and manufacture of custom stainless steel snack food processing equipment since 1987. QFD looks for the most efficient solution to the daily processing challenges. We are creative in designing snack-food equipment, utilizing the highest technology available combined with the know-how and expertise of our technical support team to produce innovative systems. The company is structured on the philosophy that “Quality” is not just a name….It’s the way we do things.”

Thermal processing has also leapt into the future with a state of the art process recently installed in Asia. PPM Technologies created this exceptional process for a very unique product utilizing our long successful history of potato and snack frying.

• We specialize in the design and manufacturing of customized stainless steel foodprocessing equipment.

Staying innovative, we’ve developed new techniques, such as nut coating and processing, pasta handling, vegetable sizing, grading and distribution systems, to name a few. From raw materials, to a completed finished product, PPM Technologies designs, manufactures and successfully manages your system to your satisfaction. But we don’t stop there – our aftermarket and service program is unsurpassed, which will ensure your investment is well maintained for many years to come. Understanding your process is our business. We know how important improved efficiencies are; by helping you improve cost savings through waste reduction, upgrading outdated processes, increasing versatility and speed of product changeovers, and improving the consistency and repeatability of product quality, we’ll fine tune your processes to maximize production. Our knowledge and expertise will provide you the time and cost savings to allow you to be successful.

For more information on how we can assist you, visit our web site at www.ppmtech.com or call us at (503) 538–3141.

• Our reputation is built on the ability to understand and go beyond the basic needs of our customers. • Our prominence in both domestic and international markets has allowed us to grow and broaden our customer base. • Our manufacturing targets are in the snack-food, beverage, meat, poultry, and bakery industries. We provide the necessary expertise, whether you are starting a new business or expanding your production capacity. If you have a blue-print for a single item or an entire concept to realize, QFD can furnish you with the utmost standards for the creation and construction of snack-food systems.

Contact: 955 Freeport Parkway, Suite 400 Coppell, Texas 75019 972-304-3266 E-mail: [email protected] www.quality-fabrication.com

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SEW-EURODRIVE

SIEMENS SEW-EURODRIVE has been a pioneer in drive technology for more than 75 years, from the introduction of the world’s first gearmotor to the early development of electronic drives to our awardwinning drive-based automation solutions for the 21st century.

SEW-EURODRIVE manufactures a complete line of high-performance gearmotors, variable frequency drives, servos and motion controllers. Our application specialists help baking industry professionals design power transmission and motion control systems for all applications and areas – from mixing and forming to conveying and packaging in wet, dry, hot and frozen environments. The harsh environments in today’s industrial bakeries punish equipment. Often, paints fail long before anything else. SEW’s new stainless steel KESA37 is performing reliably in caustic washdown environments. Efficient, long-life helical bevel gearing means these units run cooler, last longer, and use about half the energy of typical single-worm gear units. The material, design and finish mean high resistance to bacteria, chemicals and processes common to the baking industry.

No matter how high your goals, Siemens can help move your business forward with our technological experience, local support and specific industry expertise concentrated on Food & Beverage in the US. The Siemens Food & Beverage Vertical Market Management (F&B VMM) team offers industry specific business solutions without silos or borders. We work to establish long term relationships in order to create references and develop strategic partnerships with industry-leading customers. F&B customers want to do business with partners who understand their current and future needs and have the ability to cross regional and functional boundaries to provide support for their key initiatives. Customers want partners who provide superior, creative solutions to difficult challenges. Siemens F&B VMM fulfills this objective. • Ability to enable F&B customer’s strategic initiatives such as sustainability, speed-to-market, quality, and flexibility. • Expert focus on solutions for strategic F&B industry challenges • Dedicated industry expertise in customer categories and segments • Global experience and world-wide support networks • Strategic management of complex relationships among customers, OEM supplier, solution partners, channel partners, and Siemens.

Modern plants need modern motor control. MOVIFIT® combines the advantages of decentralized control with the latest in drive application and communication technologies. Available in both standard IP65 and hygienic IP69K rated construction, MOVIFIT VFDs and motor controllers provide a flexible and highly scalable platform for plant-wide decentralized control in a wide range of wet and dry environments. MOVIFIT and the stainless steel KESA37 are great examples of how SEW-EURODRIVE works every day to create innovative power transmission and motion control solutions that help the baking industry improve productivity, safety and profitability.

Contact: Chris Wood SEW-EURODRIVE PO Box 518 Lyman, SC 29365 P: 804-740-2269 [email protected] www.seweurodrive.com

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Contact: Siemens Industry Inc 1201 Sumneytown Pike Spring House, PA 19477 (423) 747-5850 www.usa.siemens.com/foodbev [email protected]

2011 PLANT OF THE YEAR SUPPLIER PROFILES SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Spiroflow Systems Inc.

Stonhard

Spiroflow Systems is a leading worldwide supplier of both standard and custom dry bulk solids and ingredient handling equipment for the food, dairy, snack food, confectionary, beverage, bakery industries as well as many others. With over 30 years experience, we provide solutions for small and large volume users’ installations worldwide, including many top brands.

Seamless, Hardworking Floors Keep Food & Beverage Environments Safe

Spiroflow designs, manufactures and installs Mechanical and Pneumatic systems that handle bakery mixes, coffee, flavorings, flour, rice, salt, spices, tea and others. Dusty products are contained for a hygienic and a healthy work environment. Mechanical conveyors include flexible screw, aeromechanical and CABLEflow and DYNAflow tubular drag conveyors.

for 90 years. In addition to being

Stonhard has been providing long term flooring solutions for the food and beverage industry

sustainable, chemical, abrasion and impact resistant, our epoxy and urethane-based floors perform in extreme heat and cold, resisting both thermal shock Two ‘Spiroflow’ Bulk Bag Dischargers discharge powdered potato into Flexible Screw Conveyors for transport to filling machines.

Also offered are nine types of Bulk Bag Dischargers for discharge by volume or weight, a new line of Bulk Bag Fillers designed to increase accuracy and cycle speed, a range of 50-pound packing and unloading equipment and flexible storage silos. The company also represents the ‘Pacepacker’ range of Automatic Packing, Pick & Place and Palletizing Solutions.

and cycling. Found in bottling rooms, filling lines, kitchens, coolers, food preparation areas, mixing areas and process and packaging areas, Stonhard’s Stonclad and Stonshield systems are textured to prevent slips and falls and they stand up to oxidizing agents, organic acids and CIP chemicals. Our floors are also pitched to drains to prevent standing water from puddling and compromising sanitary regulations. And because Stonhard floors are seamless, there are no joints to trap dirt and bacteria, which keeps your food or beverage facility floors clean. This, along

An Aero-Mechanical Conveyor from Spiroflow Systems is used to convey flavored coffee from a V-Ribbon Blender to a storage hopper for packaging into coffee pouches or packages.

Data sheets are available on our web site detailing numerous applications from brewers malt, sugar and Flavored coffee to fish food Ingredients, Tea and sugar. A wide range of innovative designs and design options are offered.

A free in-house testing service at our Monroe, NC facility analyzes and demonstrates customer material flow properties under actual operating conditions. An extensive database base is also available to assure compatibility with the equipment being selected.

with Stonhard’s antimicrobial additive, Stonplus AM9, can play a valuable part in a food company’s intervention and food safety program. Stonhard floors have a low VOC content and we even offer floors that incorporate recycled and rapidly-renewable materials into their formulation and can help projects accumulate points as they pursue LEED certification. Every Stonhard system is backed by a single source warranty covering both products and installation and you receive comprehensive support from project managers, sales managers and Stonhard’s own installation teams from initial site evaluation to installation to completed job. Stonhard is proud to be the provider for Shearer’s Foods flooring needs. Congratulations on your Plant of the Year achievement!

Spiroflow is also a firm believer in after-sales support and service. Spare parts are stocked and sent within 24 hours. Service contracts for preventive maintenance and parts replacement are also available.

Contact: Mathias Lee 2806 Gray Fox Road Monroe, NC 28110 [email protected] Tel: (704) 291-9595 Fax: (704) 291-9594 www.spiroflowsystems.com

Contact: 1000 East Park Avenue • Maple Shade • New Jersey • 08052 856-779-7500 • 800-257-7953 • Fax: 856-321-7525 E-mail: [email protected] www.stonhard.com www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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GREEN MANUFACTURING ` Recovery of steam injected into vertical retorts at the start of a batch can pay big financial dividends, provided recovery systems don’t pose a risk to the process. Source: Allpax Products.

Reuse’s dollars and sense For food and beverage companies focused on water recycling and landfill reduction, the effort yields solid financial returns. ` Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor

W

hen manufacturers think about water and trash, it usually is because there’s a problem. Otherwise, they are an inexpensive resource and an unavoidable byproduct, neither carrying more than nominal costs. In reality, the costs can be substantial, particularly for manufacturers contending with sanitary requirements. That’s why virtually every major food and beverage company has set aggressive targets to reduce water use and solid waste generation. Pragmatism, not altruism, drives those programs: The costs are real, and excessive waste streams are evidence of an inefficient process. Lean manufacturing demands action.

Action can mean altering processes, which is hard, and individuals’ attitudes, which is harder. “Positive reinforcement” is an ongoing challenge at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (SNBC), allows Cheri Chastain, sustainability coordinator at the Chico, CA brewery, though making water and waste key performance indicators means she is not alone in the struggle. “Our waste diversion rate is affecting managers’ bonuses, so it behooves them to keep people focused,” she says. Zero landfill is a goal of an increasing number of companies, particularly in states such as California, where tipping fees provide a powerful incentive to divert 90 percent or more of solid waste. Recycling and reusing materials isn’t simply cost avoidance,

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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GREEN MANUFACTURING

` Skid-mounted reverse osmosis systems deliver reliable and increasingly cost-effective technology for filtering traditional waste streams and returning potable water. Source: GE Water & Process Technologies.

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however. Sales of cardboard, scrap metal and other materials generated $850,000 in income last year at SNBC, making waste management a profit center. Keeping more than 40,000 tons out of landfills saved almost $5 million. SNBC maintains a friendly rivalry with Chico’s Smucker Quality Beverages Inc. SNBC and Smucker are perennial winners of WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Program), an honor bestowed by California’s Department of Rec ycling & Recovery. The Smucker program is detailed in a case history posted on the department’s website. In it, Production Manager Bob Wagner emphasizes the critical importance of staff buy-in. “In order to have a good program,” Wagner notes, “it needed to be embedded into employees. We did a big push [in 2005] to get workers to put the recyclables into the right containers, not in the trash. Procedures are the key. And it worked. We really got the recycling rate up.” That year, the plant generated revenues of $40,665 from the sale of diverted materials, enough to justify the hiring of a waste management coordinator. A waste audit was the first order of business. Trash compactors were emptied onto a stretch of asphalt and the contents assessed for their potential value. For a period, the coordinator was the only person permitted to put trash into the compactor. If he found recyclables mixed in, the entire lot was returned for separation to the department that generated it. Cardboard and glass are Smucker’s big revenue generators, though waste management has opened the door to barter arrangements and community goodwill. A dairy farmer picks up 2,700 tons of fruit pulp annually to use as animal feed and, in return, hauls away the plant’s compost. A honey farmer pays $3 for empty 55-gallon drums, the same as a metal recycler would pay but an effective way to help a local business while finding a higher use. “You’ve

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

got to think outside the box,” maintains Wagner. Recycling must be approached as a moneymaking proposition, he adds; indeed, economics underlies most corporate sustainability programs. An exception is SNBC, where owner Ken Grossman has made environmental stewardship a core value since the brewery’s inception. When evaluating potential recipients of segregated materials, SNBC considers more than the highest bid. For example, plastic could be sent to an incinerator with a co-gen system, but that would amount to “condoning bad behavior,” says Chastain. Similarly, most recycled plastic and paper is put on ships bound to China, where processors break them down and sell them as new stock to firms in the US and elsewhere. SNBC prefers to sell bulk paper to a San Francisco Bay mill, where the paper is shredded and fabricated into new beer cartons for the brewery’s finished goods. “I like that closed loop,” she says. In September, the brewery closed the loop on food waste generated by its on-site restaurant when it became the first US company to install a PLC-driven, in-vessel composting system from New Zealand’s HotRot Exports Ltd. A tine-bearing shaft rotates intermittently in the system’s chambers, keeping the oxygen and air levels in a steady state, “and there’s no odor,” Chastain reports. The U-shaped composter is 36 ft. long and can process up to 5,000 lbs. of organic waste a day. After 12-14 days, the nutrient-rich compost is spread on nine acres of hop plants adjacent to the brewery. Those hops are used in some of SNBC’s specialty beers. Shearer’s Foods in Brewster, OH is a more recent convert to zero-landfill efforts, setting a November 2009 goal to reduce landfilled waste to less than 1 percent. “In most cases, our recycle streams turn into revenue,” says Scott Weyandt, director of sustainability & compliance. Most waste streams are sorted into separate bins prior to pickup, resulting in no additional costs. The snack food maker’s Massillon, OH plant recycled 98.2 percent of its solid waste in 2010. Corn and potato waste from production long has been dewatered and sold as animal feed, but Shearer’s sustainability focus has expanded to include other waste streams. Finished goods that may have been landfilled in the past now go to an agent who separates the food from its packag-

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GREEN MANUFACTURING ing, then uses the package film “as well as paper plates and other lunch-room waste as a combustible fuel” to fire processing equipment, according to Weyandt. Higher-value uses are being assessed, including a technology that grinds cardboard and potato skins to produce cattle feed. Sweat equity is the only investment required for most recycling, and a dollop of creativity can yield money-saving reuse possibilities. Bubble wrap and shipping popcorn from incoming shipments to SNBC are routed to the brewery’s own shipping department for reuse. Damaged pallets are sent to a local firm that rebuilds them and gives the brewery a credit toward its next purchase. The boxes in which bottle crowns arrive are sent to a tee-shirt supplier that uses them when filling the next SNBC order. Once a company understands the value of its waste streams and where the reuse market exists, “it’s pretty much hands off,” suggests Chastain. Liquid gold Reuse of water, particularly water that has been heated and treated, has significant economic advantages, not the least of

which is reduction in the amount of wastewater discharged into municipal systems. And in areas beset by shortages, water’s cost no longer is inconsequential: During the 2007 drought in Georgia, some poultry processors were forced to bring in tankers of water to continue production. Some plant expansions are on hold pending the owners’ demonstration that water reuse and recycling efforts will result in no net increase in consumption, according to Tony Stanich, head of global food & beverage marketing at Naperville, IL-based Nalco Co. Even when production is flat, the economics of reuse are much more attractive today than in years past, making projects easier to cost-justify. Audits make it clear that, even if the tap price is only $3 per 1,000 gallons, “the cost can be as much as $15 if it goes through ion exchange, R/O, into a boiler for conversion to steam” and other value-added steps, Stanich says. Cooling tower systems are a case in point. The more cycles with a given volume of water, the lower the operating cost. That requires precise metering of chemicals to prevent scaling, corrosion and bio-fouling. Many plants lack the resources and expertise to optimize the number of cycles. More than 20

Bugs-in-a-box lower BOD levels Wastewater surcharges are an issue for many food companies, particularly when sugars and fat from the production process drive up the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) levels in the water. Pretreatment systems might include a dissolved air flotation (DAF) tank or screening to remove solids and grease, but surcharges result when high-strength BOD is discharged. Certain strains of bacteria will feast on the waste and either put BOD in compliance or at least greatly reduce levels, provided enough bacteria are present and have a few hours to work before discharge. Breeding bacteria is not a food company’s core competency, though, and many facilities simply accept the surcharges as a cost of doing business. Fortunately, plug-and-play remedies exist, and a simple ROI calculation can quickly determine if it’s financially beneficial to apply them. One example is BioAmp, a 2.5- by 1.67-ft. box that incubates a cocktail of 30 trillion bacteria every 24 hours. Seed pellets need replenishment monthly, but otherwise no servicing is required, according to Glenn Cramer, technical sales manager for Dallas-based Ecobionics. The box usually is mounted on a wall, plugged into an electrical socket and stocked with a couple of gallons of potable water. After that, hungry bacteria are automatically metered into a holding tank to do their thing. Describing the unit as “a whiz-bang, cost-effective way to produce bacteria on a daily basis,” Cramer says the bugs are effective at a pH range of five to nine and in water between 50°

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

` Bacteria that devour organic loads in wastewater are bred at the rate of 30 trillion microbes every 24 hours in this compact incubator. Source: Ecobionics.

and 100°F. “I like three to four hours holding time at a minimum,” he adds. “Sugar is easy to treat. Fat and meat take longer.” Typically, plants install the unit, pay for a few months’ supply of pellets and compare surcharge-reduction savings to the system’s operating cost before committing to ongoing use. “If we do a plug-and-play, we usually get a 30 percent BOD reduction,” says Cramer. The five strains of bacteria “produce enzymes that degrade dang near everything,” he adds, and if cost savings aren’t produced, the units “go out as easy as they go in.” Refineries, paper mills and other facilities with organic loads use the system, including one food plant with 16 units. As for the bacteria, the box makes for a spacious incubator: If concentrated in a solid mass, 30 trillion bacteria weigh less than five grams, according to Cramer.

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GREEN MANUFACTURING

` A PLC-driven composter turns food scraps and other solid waste into rich fertilizer for Sierra Nevada’s hop field in about two weeks, further reducing landfill costs. Source: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

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reduction are receptive to considering water technologies with weak ROIs, suggests John Burns, GE Water’s global food & beverage director, but lowering the capital and operating costs for those systems remains a focus. “It doesn’t pay to be green,” says Burns, “if there isn’t green in it.” Rotating spray balls can cut water use in CIP systems 30 to 50 percent, suggests Alfa Laval Inc.’s Michael O’Grady, but companies are reluctant to switch from the tried and true, usually sticking with static spray balls. The Kenosha, WI supplier helped an ice cream manufacturer realize half its goal of reducing annual water consumption by 32 million gallons by switching to a system using rotating jet heads, while also speeding CIP cycles and improving swab test results. In 2003, Alfa Laval acquired the parent company of Gunclean Toftejorg, specialists in marine cleaning using advanced tank-cleaning technology. Alfa Laval began adapting the superior system for dairy applications, winning 3A approval for rotating spray heads a few years ago, according to O’Grady, market unit manager-tank equipment. “It’s a relatively low investment with a relatively big return.” Condensate yields water and heat, both of which are attractive targets for recovery. A project undertaken by Allpax Products recently led to a water-audit program that underpins recoveryproject cost estimates. One audit involving vertical retorts using saturated steam helped justify a system that reuses steam injected into retorts at the beginning of each batch. Assuming 20 batches a day and a five-minute steam cycle, the system

years ago, Nalco isolated a molecule that fluoresces as a precursor sign of scaling problems, but the technology was not widely used. Now, the firm imbeds the molecule in a polymer that “reacts with the scale-forming components” in the water. It is embedded in a monitoring system called 3D Trasar that also gauges the levels of bioactivity and corrosive elements in cooling tower water, then meters out a precise amount of chemicals to keep levels in check. To further simplify the technology, web-based monitoring of performance is possible, an option that about half of the firm’s 8,000 food and beverage installations use. Anti-scaling and fouling chemistry also is part of the technical arsenal applied by GE Water & Process Technologies, though the Trevose, PA division applies its Argo Analyzer to fouling reductions in membrane systems. The company has aggressively expanded its water filtration expertise in recent years, including the creation last year of a center of excellence for the manufacture of R/O, nanoProfile of Food Processing’s Water Use filtration and ultrafiltration spiral-wound membranes. 3% The Minnetonka, MN center Washing & sanitation 9% focuses on reducing manuCooling & heating facturing costs and improving One-pass cooling membrane performance. It Process 13% also hosts GE’s dairy filtra42% Domestic tion development, w hich Other has helped cheese proces14% sors attain water net zero by recycling condensate of whey 19% (COW) water for CIP and other applications. Large firms with publicly Source: Denver Water. stated goals for water-use

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

When a contaminant-free environment is essential

Hi, I’m Emmett and for the last 6 years I’ve been part of the U.S. Atlas Copco team. My role is to work with our people and teach them about new technologies. Today let me show you how our certified oil-free technology can safeguard your production. Calculated risks are part of business life, but when it comes to your production quality, the same rules shouldn’t apply. There are many solutions available to remove oil from your air system, but by far the safest approach is to not add oil to the system in the first place. How can you do this? By investing in oil-free compressor technology that has achieved an ISO 8573-1 “Class 0” rating. At Atlas Copco, we’re proud to have been the first manufacturer to achieve this purity level and we continue to give customers complete peace of mind, day in and day out, across the globe. So when you need to avoid all risk of oil contamination, rely on Atlas Copco. Simply log onto www.atlascopco.us/emmettusa or call 866-688-9611 to learn more about us, our “Class 0” products, and how we have earned and will continue to earn our reputation.

© Copyright 2011 Atlas Copco Compressors LLC. All rights reserved.

GREEN MANUFACTURING would capture 10,000 lbs. of steam from each retort, according to Greg Jacob, general manager of the Covington, LA retort manufacturer. Most retorts placed into service in the last 20 years are horizontal units utilizing overpressure, but tens of thousands of vertical saturated steam units continue to process canned goods. Steam

at 200°F typically is vented after evacuating the air at the start of each batch. Flash tanks to condense the steam “are very common,” says Jacob, but turning it into a useful utility without creating backpressure on the vent line is an engineering challenge. Allpax overcame it for one shelf-stable food processor by developing engineering calculations

The industry’s only pre-filed hard bound catalog listing equipment, supplies and services to the food and beverage industry is only a phone call away. No need to work with an incomplete vendor list or wade online. The Food Master is the through hundreds of consumer listings online most comprehensive reference source for Plant Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing and Packaging executives.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

that pointed to a solid return. “It’s great to be sustainable, but the bottom line is what people look at first,” Jacob notes. Lay of the land Long before water conservation was fashionable, processors in waterchallenged areas were actively seeking reuse and recycling opportunities. Deep drilling to the aquifer is necessary to sustain life and agriculture in southern New Mex ico, and Border Foods Inc. instituted process changes decades ago, notably with a recycling system involving water used to carry away peels from green chili peppers and jalapeño peppers in 1992 and reusing water used to cool peppers in 1994, effecting water savings of 27 percent per pound of product. But utility management is a continuous improvement challenge, and backsliding occurred by the time Randy Clark arrived three years ago. During peak periods, up to 1 million gallons of water flowed through the facility; last year, it was hovering around 600,000. A founder of carrot processor Golden Valley Produce in 1996, Clark reinstituted waste-avoidance efforts when he joined Deming, NM-based Border as president and CEO. “We’ve reduced our water usage inside the plant,” says Clark, and he is tapping the same engineers he relied on in Kern County, CA to realize additional efficiencies. Work was recently completed on a two-mile long pipeline that transports wastewater to a pond that serves as the irrigation source for grasslands the company cultivates. The grass is sold as bovine feed. Remarkably, no pumps or electrical devices are associated with the gravity-powered system. “The engineers I’m dealing with have a wealth of knowledge and ideas,” says Clark. “They know how to screen the waste, the slope you need and how to play with flow so you can get the water out of the pit without power.” As a selfproclaimed steward of the land, he’s proud the system draws zero electricity; as a businessman, he’s pleased with the investment’s payback.

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GREEN MANUFACTURING Water conservation and reuse “is an ongoing effort” at SNBC, Chastain reports. “We’re always looking at removing large buffer tanks, changing schedules and looking for ways to recover chemicals in CIP water so it can be reused in another area.” For a marginal cost, a system that routes rinse water from a bottle washer to

cool the unit’s vacuum pumps recently was installed. Finding new uses for old materials is her passion, however. SNBC generates about 1 million kWh a year from fuel cells and an array of more than 10,000 solar panels. Those high-profile projects helped SNBC claim Food Engineering’s inaugural Sustainable Plant

of the Year award (see September 2009 issue). “Nobody wants to talk about trash,” she laments. “It’s not one of the big sexies.” But recycling and reuse can deliver big savings, as well as local bragging rights. In 2010, the brewery diverted 99.5 percent of solid waste. At Smucker, the rate was 99.27 percent. Generally, people want to do the right thing, though green initiatives such as water reuse and landfill reduction can bog down in semantics. The head of one firm that has invested millions on energy recovery and water reduction rejects the suggestion he is an environmentalist, dismissing environmentalists as “liberal, tree-hugging extremists.” (Take that, Teddy Roosevelt.) Similarly, another food executive ran from the term, saying, “I’m not weird that way.” And Donnie Smith, CEO of Tyson Foods Inc., told attendees at a sustainability summit held at the 2011 International Poultry Exposition, “We’re not going to let environmentalists steal the word ‘sustainability.’” While acknowledging the value of sustainability efforts, Smith emphasized the impact on public perceptions, saying, “The person who steps up to the podium first shapes the discussion.” How reuse and recycling came to be politically charged and socially controversial practices is unclear. What is clear is that efficient use of resources is consistent with efficient operations, and removal of inefficiencies has significant economic impact. It doesn’t matter if food professionals regard themselves as stewards of the earth or flinty-eyed businesspeople. The key point is that water reuse practices and waste-control programs have a direct impact on the financial viability of organizations. ❖ For more information: Michael O’Grady, Alfa Laval, 847-903-1642, [email protected] Greg Jacob, Allpax Products, 985-893-9277, ext. 107 Glenn Cramer, Ecobionics, 610-597-6914, [email protected] John Burns, GE Water & Process Technologies, 215-355-3300 Tony Stanich, Nalco Co., 630-418-2676

See Food Master, p. 68

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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` Schnieder’s touchscreen HMI products are available with or without keys from 3.8” to 15”. Products shown can be configured to meet FDA 21 CFR Part 11 traceability data requirements. Schneider Electric.

Managing from the Hip

`

HMI technology has advanced by leaps and bounds—to the point where food manufacturers can now control and monitor plants from virtually anywhere.

H

uman machine interface (HMI) technology has come a long way since the mid-‘80s. Back then, units that provided automated control of complex industrial lines consisted of bulky metal boxes fitted with hard keys, dedicated meters, excessive wiring, emergency stop buttons and other controls. At the time, graphics were extremely rudimentary. Today, driven in part by stunning advancements in consumer HMIs (cell phones, iPads, iPods, home multi-system controls, etc.), industrial HMIs in food plants and facilities in other industries have become extremely compact and sophisticated, while being easy to learn, program and use. Modern systems feature lightning fast, graphically advanced

touchscreens with thousands of brilliant colors and multiple levels, plus every control, monitoring, accounting, reporting and other functionality a user would desire. Many are custom designed; others are assembled from standard equipment that can be modified to meet specific plant requirements. As expected, units for the food industry are washdown- and hazardrated. Based on the latest Windows, Linux and MES operating platforms, several systems offer real-time video, and can even allow an HMI program to be loaded into an iPhone, enabling the user both to control and track the performance of a food line at home or while vacationing on a beach in Hawaii. In fact, HMI technology is making industrial pro-

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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T E C H U P DAT E screen models. Each contains a high-resolution display and an analog touchscreen with infinite touch-response points. Connectivity includes USB and serial ports on all models. Ethernet is included on the 4.3” to 15” models.

` These Pepsi products are en route to case packer for distribution in Nampa, ID. Inset photos shows one of many panel displays used to control and monitor production. The screen shows FactoryWidget graphics that illustrate production data including the number of total bottles produced, the number of total boxes produced and temperature of ingredients. Source: Software Toolbox.

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duction and control just as ubiquitous, flexible and convenient as electronic communications is nowadays. “It’s like having all of your plant operations in your hip pocket,” says Cliff Taylor, system integrator at Ambrose Packaging Systems in Everett, WA. Ambrose is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that makes filling equipment and palletizing units for the food industry. “The HMI APP for my Smartphone cost nothing to download and is completely secure. When I’m doing service on the back of one of our machines, rather than stepping around to the front all the time, I can just log in and make the machine adjustments without having to leave what I’m doing. I really like that feature.” Taylor says Ambrose uses HMIs from Maple Systems, also in Everett, WA, because of their advanced functionality. Jeff Maki, marketing communications specialist at Maple Systems, says another feature of its HMIs and embedded software is their ability to network various PLCs from all the major companies. “Our programmers have written over 100 protocols for all the main PLCs,” he notes. “Our high-res widescreens have up to 65,000 colors and can be programmed to show any graphic an operator desires,” he adds. “If a winery owner, for instance, wants a graphic that looks like a switch on an old wine press to make the control and monitoring experience more real, this can be easily done.” Maple’s Graphic HMI is available from 4.3” up to 15” in widescreen, high-speed or compact touch-

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Production precision Kontron is another producer of HMI systems. The company’s global headquarters are in Munich, Germany, and its US head office is in Poway, CA, near San Diego. Product Management Director Nancy Pantone sees the role of HMIs and the automation they control in the food industry as instruments to maximize productivity and safeguard human health. “Not just in terms of food safety for consumers,” she says, “but also to reduce mundane, repetitive tasks that robots guided by the right technology can do to replace workers on the line. This kind of technology essentially frees workers to do more value-added tasks.” Kontron offers a range of modular, scalable systems for rugged industrial applications. Those for food plants are washdown-rated and meet shock-, vibration- and temperature-resistance requirements. They feature display dimensions from 10.4” and 15”. Other Kontron HMIs for use away from food washdown areas range from 7.0” to 19” in size. CCS Inc. of Christiansburg, VA has had success with its Envirosealed thin client and panel PC enclosures in food manufacturing applications. The units are designed with smooth surfaces, no bezel and an optional tilting mount to prevent water from pooling during washdowns. “We also have an option to provide tool-less locks, so keys aren’t required, which enhances safety on the food line,” says CCS Marketing Manager Jennie Young. Thin clients are essentially stripped-down versions of traditional computers usually with no moving parts or long-term storage drives. They are called “clients” because they rely on a central server or panel PC to handle data processing, and transfer keystrokes and mouse events via network connections. “Because they have minimal hardware and store little information locally, they are inherently secure devices,” adds Young. “A thin client has limited capability on its own, but when networked with a server, it becomes very powerful.”

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T E C H U P DAT E

` iKey has combined the convenience of a touchpad keyboard with the strength of stainless steel in the DT-102-SS industrial keyboard. Source: iKey.

Chicago-based Sara Lee Food & Beverage has a food production facility in Florence, AL that produces ready-to-eat breakfast sandwiches and sausage products it sells to retail and foodservice outlets. About 18 months ago, the facility purchased 16 HP thin clients in CCS Envirosealed enclosures. “Our previous enclosures were wearing out, and we needed a solution that would provide our thin clients and barcode printers with a robust enclosure and keyboard tray that could withstand wide temperature and humidity swings during high-pressure steam washdowns,” says Sara Lee Process Technology Specialist Daniel Ingram. “We chose one of CCS’s standard enclosures and modified it to suit our specific requirements. It worked out so well that we now have a program in place to install similar units in all our other plants across the country.” Iconics Inc., of Foxboro, MA, recently added 64-bit platform technology to power its original 32-bit GraphWorX HMIs, according to Marketing Director Tim Donaldson. Part of the company’s Genesis 64 product suite, GraphWorX 64-bit HMIs provide additional speed and 3-D rendering capability, which the older 32-bit version did not. “Recently, our company upgraded its web HMIs to incorporate Microsoft Silverlight software. Silverlight opens doors for use on any number of browsers and web-enabled mobile devices, such Windows Phone 7, tablet devices and RF scanners for better and faster decision-making,” notes Donaldson. Speed for improved productivity Beckhoff Industries of Verl, Germany has a large line of HMI products with screens ranging from 5.7” to 24” in size. Its US headquarters are located in Burnsville, MN. Senior Business Development Manager

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Christian Schulze says 85 percent of its panels are custom designed for clients and feature fingerprint reader and card reader options for state-of-the-art security plus other options. Beckhoff ’s approach is to integrate the HMI, panel PC and PLC in one unit which, according to Schulze, delivers cost savings and other benefits to customers. “Overall, we’re able to put systems together with fewer parts, which means fewer spares and less maintenance. Another important feature is speed. Normal PLC programs run at up to 100 milliseconds; ours run at 100 microseconds—1,000 times faster.” This means the “thinking time” between steps in the machine is faster, resulting in up to 20 percent increased production, and considerable savings over the year in raw materials because of more accurate process controls. With a feature Beckhoff calls CP Links 3, the company can link one PC with an HMI and, in turn, up to 255 additional displays. This means a client can save the cost of up to 255 HMI licenses. Beckhoff systems also carry a standard uninterrupted power supply (UPS) feature lasting one second in the case of a power failure. This function, which does not depend on batteries and their periodic need for replacement, is able to save all essential process and report data to hard memory in case of an outage. “A further savings is not having to buy external UPS systems, which can cost up to $350 dollars. Ours are included in the motherboard,” says Shulze. At Frankfurt Airport, LSG Sky Chefs, the world’s largest supplier of on-board airline services, uses 40 Beckhoff CP72xx series Panel PCs to automate production of 93,000 meals each day. The units are designed for mounting arm installation; their waterproof, dustproof, slim-line 3.9” housing makes them suitable both for modern machine controllers and industrial IT applications. The integrated PC is equipped with an Intel Core Duo process as standard or with the optional Core 2 Duo. “We mainly use the Beckhoff Panel PCs to visualize and control our processes,” explains Sky Chefs IT Group Leader Peter Salbreiter. (For more information about this installation, see page 95.) Jacob Kimball, HMI product manager at Schneider Electric in Raleigh, NC, says his company has a keen interest in helping clients save energy through effective use of automation technology. “HMIs in and of themselves take relatively little power, but the biggest impact they have on energy consumption is indirect. If an HMI can help an engineer troubleshoot a machine from a distance, there’s a significant cost and energy savings from not having to

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T E C H U P DAT E ` Each HMI is connected to a switch (router) via Ethernet cable, and then to the PLC, providing full control over machinery points individually and as an entire line by networking them together. Source: Maple Systems.

travel there p e r s o n a l l y. If an HMI can make a process more efficient, energy input per unit of product is lowered.” A new software product from Schneider Electric called Vijeo Designer IDS (Intelligent Data Service) manages data in HMIs to assist processors with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. “It’s designed to make sure that no one can tamper with data after the fact,” Kimball notes. “Foods have to be cooked for a certain time and at a certain temperature to make them safe. If that didn’t happen, you don’t want someone to go back and manipulate the data. IDS collects that information in real time and puts it in a secure place for future reference. It’s also very useful in retrieving data to generate reports, both internally and externally, when requested by regulatory authorities.” Based in Austin, TX, iKey has been manufacturing and selling ruggedized keyboards—the company’s main business—as well as pointing devices and flat screen monitors to a wide variety of industries since 1989. Last year, the company introduced an all-stainless steel DT-102-SS industrial ruggedized keyboard with a touchpad. “Being NEMA 4X rated, they are designed not to clog or corrode, and feature easy washdowns,” according to Halley Cade, account manager at iKey. “These and many of our other models are designed to withstand extreme temperatures and can either be used on their own or easily integrated into an existing work station.” As for pointing devices, the company’s rubberized “Hula Point” unit, which is available on its own or as an integral part of the keyboards, provides joy-stick functionality and full protection from moisture and food ingredients on the production floor. “Workers with gloves covered in cookie batter, for instance, have no problems in using our Hula Points,” notes Cade. The company’s flat panel monitors come both with and without touchscreen capability and are available in 15” and 17” standard display formats. “Touchscreen panels are great for many applications in the food industry,” says Cade, “but an external keyboard is very useful in cases where operators are required to input a lot of complex production data.” Daisy Data Displays, Inc. (D3) has been in business since 1982 and is located near Harrisburg PA. Last year, ` The CCS TS1806 is a NEMA 4X stainless steel enclosure designed for use with thin clients and touchscreen monitors. The TS1806 is ideal for applications where wash-downs are frequent. Source: CCS Inc.

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

the company introduced a new enclosure design with a sloped front panel for improved washdown performance. Its HMI screens are available in a variety of sizes up to a 22” widescreen format, which was recently added to comply with new widescreen industrial software. As a result, resolution is also enhanced. D3 systems are long-time supportable—with at least a seven-year product cycle—to minimize upgrade costs over time for customers. Standard cables can put the computer as much as 1,000 feet away from the HMI; fiber optic cables can increase that to 33,000 feet. Computing in the clouds Located in Charlotte, NC, Software Toolbox is a supplier of automation software that co-developed a number of products that complement traditional HMI systems to make them more powerful and affordable. One of them is the Industrial Falcon—a cloud computing-based solution that enables customers to view raw data from any OPC server via a web browser. OPC, originally known as “OLE for Process Control,” is a protocol developed by the OPC Foundation that enables different programs and clients from all manufacturers to communicate in a common language. Cloud computing is essentially an external database service, or “cloud,” that companies such as Software Toolbox provide to users so they

T E C H U P DAT E

` The LabMate 2750KB/4750KB – NEMA 4X enclosure from Daisy D3 features an integrated PC or monitor with optional KVM extender. The unit features a 116-key keyboard with sealed optical trackball and is available in 15”, 19” and 22” displays with optional touch screens. Internal DC fans reduce heat build-up to prevent unit failure. Source: Daisy Data Displays (D3).

can avoid the high cost of constructing and maintaining their own internal IT infrastructure to collect and process raw production data. “Think of it as your own virtual IT department, complete with servers and staff, but it’s all out there in cyberspace—in our secure servers—which we maintain for our clients. Through their OPC servers and PLCs, we gather their raw production data over the web, then serve it back to their HMIs and panel PCs in the formats they desire,” says Software Toolbox Product Support Engineer Win Worrall. “It’s pay-by-the-month so there’s little up-front risk, and if it’s not what you need, it’s easy and affordable to modify the system to a more suitable configuration.” Another product from Software Toolbox is FactoryWidgets, software that enables users to place performance display objects tracking on selected parts of the production process on their desktop screens. If something changes in production, or a limit is exceeded, such as temperature or production yields, the object notifies the worker by changing color. The workers can then click on the object and launch any web page to retrieve more in-depth information before taking action. “ We’ve been using the Factor yWidgets, and they ’ve been ver y well received by our people,” says Chris Bacon, production manager at Pepsi Bottling Ventures in Nampa, ID. “The widgets allow us to set up both primary and ancillary tasks to run in the background right on people’s computers. When they need to check that data, they now can do it right on their screens rather than having to go out to the physical equipment, which frees up personnel time for more value-added tasks rather than occupying them with documentation and recordkeeping.” HMI technology’s development since the 1980s is remarkable. The incidence of “managing from the hip” through phones and other portable devices will surely become commonplace and only help food producers to become more efficient and profitable. ❖ For more information: Cliff Taylor, Ambrose Packaging Systems, [email protected], 318-525-7211 Jeff Maki, Maple Systems, [email protected], 425-745-3229 Nancy Pantone, Kontron, [email protected], 412-919-3710 Jenny Young, CCS Inc., [email protected], 540-382-4234 Tim Donaldson, Iconics Inc., [email protected], 508-543-8600 Christian Schulze, Beckhoff Industries, [email protected], 49 (0) 5246-963193 Jacob Kimball, Schneider Electric, [email protected], 919-266-8632 Halley Cade, iKey, [email protected], 512-837-0283 Michael Hadaway, Daisy Displays Inc. (D3), [email protected], 717-932-9999 Win Worrall, Software Toolbox, [email protected], 704-849-2773

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

Calling All Sustainable Plants Food Engineering’s 3rd Annual Sustainable Plant of the Year Award Now is the time to prepare your entry for Food Engineering’s Sustainable Plant of the Year Award. This competition continues Food Engineering’s commitment to recognizing best-in-class manufacturing. The award will be presented to the most outstanding energy-efficient and sustainable food or beverage manufacturing plant project completed in North America during 2010. Submission Deadline is June 1, 2011. th Plant of stainable ing Co. u S 9 0 0 2 rew evada B Sierra N

e Year:

Enter your green plant project in Food Engineering’s Sustainable Plant of the Year Award competition today. Contact Joyce Fassl, Editor-in-Chief for entry forms and more information at 610-436-4220, Ext 8519 ([email protected]). Visit www.foodengineeringmag.com and click on Sustainable Plant of the Year call for entries.

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Parsing pepper powder perfects the process

`

Mancini Packing Company delivers accurate powder blends to roasted peppers via loss-in-weight batch feeders.

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` A K-Tron loss-in-weight batching system provides a precise combination of ingredients to Mancini Packing’s pepper mix. Source: K-Tron.

stablished in 1922, the Mancini Packing Company, based in Zolfo Springs, FL, has been prov iding premium-quality roasted and fried bell peppers to the US market for decades. Throughout its history, the processor has been improving its methods and technologies for roasting and packaging peppers, continuously peaking quality and increasing throughput. Mancini’s market success necessitated automating the process wherever it could. The most important, defining step in the final product is accurately metering ingredients to the pepper blend. The raw peppers at the Mancini plant are sourced from a number of local growers. After delivery, the peppers go through a series of detailed processes including washing, seeding and roasting or frying, depending upon the intended end product. Mancini currently produces a wide variety of package sizes, varying from 7-oz. jars to 55-gal. drums for large-volume food service packaging. Prior to packaging, the end product requires a specific, proprietary blend of salt and other ingredients, which is added to the peppers. This salt blend is critical to the flavor as well as stabilization/fortification of the pepper mix. The required volume of the peppers in the end product dictates the specific amount of this blend that must be added. “The weighing and transfer of the blend to the pepper mixer was done manually, which is prone to error,” says Richard A. Mancini, president and CEO.” In addition, manual methods resulted in higher labor costs and inconsistent product quality,” he adds. After researching the availability of a

high-accuracy and versatile batch-weighing system, Mancini discovered the K-Tron Process Group and decided to try loss-in-weight (LIW) batching. In the Mancini Packing application, a set volume of peppers is delivered to the mixer. At the same time, the K-Tron LIW batcher is activated to deliver a very specific amount of salt blend to the mixer. In the LIW principle, the whole feeder is mounted on a scale or load cells, and the actual amount of product which leaves the feeder is determined by weight. A batch cycle includes two phases. During the first phase, 90 percent of the batch weight (as determined by the preprogrammed recipe) is fed as quickly as possible. During the second phase, the last 10 percent is fed in a slower, dribble-mode to ensure an accurate batch weight equal to +/-0.1 percent of the desired setpoint. Adjustment of the delivery speed (on/off, fast/slow) as well as the ability to quickly change batch setpoints based upon the packaging requirements is handled by the K-Tron LIW batcher controller. Loss-in-weight batching is often used throughout the food industry where the accurate addition of micro-ingredients (such as probiotics and vitamins) is required due to the high concentration of the additives as well as their cost. Through process automation, Mancini Packing Company has realized a reduction in labor and process time, and an increase in product quality. The new gravimetric LIW batcher provides an automated, versatile solution to the pepper manufacturing process. “Achieving repeat accuracy in end product quality is something that Mancini Foods sought when deciding to automate our production process,” says Mancini. “We now have a significant increase in the overall quality of our final products.” ❖ For more information: Sharon Nowak, 856-256-3119, [email protected]

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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Segregation Free. Damage Free. Abrasion Free.

Patented rotary cutter blades with replaceable inserts cut tough materials into precise sizes with minimum fines

Dense Phase Vacuum Conveying.

PIN MILLS Medium to fine grinding of powders, flakes and granules to as low as 400 mesh

BAG DISCHARGING Material Transfer’s modular Material Master bulk-bag discharging system features tools to maximize production efficiency. A Sure-Seal pneumatic discharge spout-clamping system ensures dust-tight operation, while a Flo-Master bag massaging system delivers product to a high-deflection vibratory feeder. A loss-in-weight (LIW) scale system and variable-speed vibratory feeder controls provide an adjustable feed rate into a processor’s existing process. A Flo-Lock slide gate halts material flow for partial bag discharge. Material Transfer, Inc; 800-836-7068; www.materialtransfer.com

RIBBON BLENDERS Ribbon, plow or paddle styles to 1000 cu ft at low cost

ROTARY LUMP BREAKERS Dual rotor mill reduces compacted, lumpy, hard and friable materials

maintain and install, Volkmann high quality, vacuum conveying systems will deliver your product just right, no matter where it needs to go.

SOLIDS POWDER WETTING

Visit website for details on this and other Munson equipment including Continuous Rotary Blenders, High Intensity Blenders, Attrition Mills, Hammer Mills and Shredders.

Y-1123

Munson Machinery Co., Inc. 210 Seward Ave. Utica, NY, 13503 USA 800-944-6644 In NY: 315-797-0090 [email protected]

Safe, sanitary, easy to use,

Charles Ross & Son’s Inline SLIM (solids, liquid injection manifold) system requires no pump or eductor simplifying operation and maintenance and reducing costs. The rotor/stator generator in the system includes progressive spiral porting, which produces high-flow, high-shear and a high level of vacuum within the rotor/stator generator. Charles Ross and Son Company; 800243-7677; www.mixers.com

609-265-0101 www.volkmannUSA.com

GRAVITY FLOW SIFTERS LOW-PROFILE SCREENER

Great Western Manufacturing’s QA Tru-Balance Gravity Flow sifters provide several enhancements in sanitary sifters for precision grading, fines removal and product quality control sifting. The series has a range of capacities; multiple models use from three to nine sieves, and are adaptable to a range of products, capacities, number of separations and screen sizes. The series’ flow-sieve architecture provides large screen areas in a compact floor area and is easily customized to suit specific applications. The sifters can be opened, sieves completely removed and maintained and reassembled in minutes, all without special tools. Great Western Manufacturing; 913-682-2291; www.gwmfg.com

“X On L -R lin IV e E 20 ay Mi M De nu a mo te de W eb Ea ! ina s r y”

Kason Corporation’s Vibroscreen Flo-Thru low-profile screener classifies bulk material into three fractions at high rates using two screening decks and two unbalanced-weight gyratory motors mounted on opposing exterior sidewalls of the unit, reducing minimum height requirements. The design also provides vertical alignment of the top inlet and bottom outlet, allowing small fractions to descend through the screener in a straight-through path at high rates. The larger fractions are ejected through spouts at the peripheries of the coarse-mesh upper screen and fine-mesh bottom screen. Kason Corporation; 973-467-8140; www.kason.com

(Missing or broken tablets & contamination)

(Crushed pie pan)

(Metal in metal (Fill & contaminant or glass in glass) inspection)

Made in USA

Call

EriezXray

888-300-3743 or visit www.eriez.com www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

81

DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

TUBE CONVEYORS Vibra Screw’s complete line of vibrating tube conveyors moves bulk materials without internal parts to wear or break. The machines are available in capacities up to 300 cu. ft./hr., with single unit lengths up to 25 ft. They can be linked together for longer conveying distances and are available in carbon and stainless steel, with finishes to meet sanitary specifications. Optional controls provide a 5:1 feed range and, when connected to a bin activator or bulk-bag unloader, feed accuracies of 2 to 3 percent are possible for most materials. Vibra Screw Inc.; 973-256-7410; www.vibrascrewinc.com

Capture the Power: Buhler Aeroglide. Sanitation, product uniformity, efficiency. Aeroglide driers, ovens, roasters, toasters and coolers provide these critical elements to food processors around the world. BAG UNLOADER WITH SCREW CONVEYOR Buhler Aeroglide 100 Aeroglide Drive, Cary NC 27511 USA Tel +1 919 851 2000, Fax +1 919 851 6029 [email protected], www.aeroglide.com/food

Flexicon’s single-trip bulk-bag unloader allows rapid, low-cost discharging in low headroom areas, and conveying of the material at any angle to downstream processing, storage and packaging equipment. The unloader relies on a forklift or plant hoist to lower single-use bulk bags onto a fourbladed bag piercing knife that cuts the bag bottom from seam-to-seam, promoting complete discharge without the use of flow promotion devices. The unloader charges the intake adapter of an integral flexible screw conveyor that handles free- and nonfree-flowing bulk materials. Flexicon Corp.; 888-353-9426; www.flexicon.com

HYDRAULIC CONTAINER DUMPER

Visit us at Interpack 2011 Düsseldorf, Germany May 12 - 18

Innovations for a better world. See Food Master, p. 24

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Material Transfer’s sanitary stainless container dumper discharges containers of food products into an existing hopper at 63 in. above floor level. The unit features sanitary, washdown duty, tubular 304 SS construction with continuous TIG welds, and no tube penetrations. Its dump carriage features a pipe bottom and openings to allow debris to fall through. Equipment includes SS machine guarding, PLC controls and a color touchscreen operator interface for safe, efficient operation. Units can be custom designed with discharge heights to 40 ft. for any size or weight container. Material Transfer, Inc; 800-836-7068; www.materialtransfer.com

Ribbon Blenders in stock and ready to ship!

High Shear Mixers

Mix, Blend, Disperse, Disintegrate, Deagglomerate, Puree, Emulsify, Homogenize, Dry, Extract… With Ross you can do it all. Quality you can count on. High Speed Powder Induction

Ross sanitary Blenders, High Shear Mixers and Static Mixers are engineered to deliver superior performance in a multitude of food applications. Whether you’re preparing an instant cake mix or a chunky Mexican salsa, Ross can help improve your end-products, increase throughput, and lower production costs.

Lower prices and faster delivery, too!

Vertical Blenders & Static Mixers

Contact Ross.

With five plants in the USA alone, we are able to lower our manufacturing costs – and offer you prices that others can’t match. And since Ross stocks hundreds of mixers and blenders in standard sizes for fast delivery, you won’t have to wait for the mixer you need now. Trial/rentals are also available.

Call

1-800-243-ROSS. Or click on www.FoodMixers.com.

See Food Master, p. IFC11, 138-143

DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

ELECTROMAGNETIC FEEDERS Eriez’s entire line of Hi-Vi compact electromagnetic feeders are manufactured with energy-savings features, including the use of energy-free permanent magnets, keeping power consumption low. The feeders, with their totally enclosed magnetic drive, can feed most bulk material from micron size to bulky chunks. Solid-state controls operate the feeders with “watch-like” precision while keeping power consumption to a minimum to save energy. Special features, such as multiple drives, enclosed trays or screens, can be designed for the best solution for a specific application. In addition, a variety of standard and special trays are available. Eriez; 888-300-3743; www.eriez.com

MECHATRON® 3-A Loss-In-Weight Feeders

VOLUMETRIC-FED MIXING SYSTEM National Bulk Equipment’s fully automated, self-contained, bulk material mixing system blends a combination of five, highly caustic, free-flowing powdered additives with a sluggish flowing, high-dusting base ingredient. The base ingredient is automatically introduced into the system from a single, 64-cu. ft. surge hopper that feeds either of two horizontal screw conveyors, depending on the blend recipe and the material requirements of downstream packaging operations. The caustic, free-flowing additives are input to the system using five NBE Lift-and-Seal drum dumper units. National Bulk Equipment, Inc; 616-399-2220; www.nbe-inc.com

Quick, easy product changeover and food safety

SolidsFlow™ USDA Vibratory Feeders

With today’s stringent food safety standards and the need for greater process efficiency, having to disconnect up-stream hoppers and flex connectors to access a feeder during changeover or general maintenance doesn’t cut it. Neither does improperly designed components that trap material. Address those problems and other food safety related concerns with Schenck AccuRate’s non-process side disassembly and easy wash-down feeders. • OPERATOR FRIENDLY CONTROL PACKAGES FOR FEEDING AND WEIGHING SYSTEMS. • FIELDBUS, HMI, ACTIVE X, WIRELESS, AND GROUP CONTROLLER.

www.accuratefeeders.com PLEASE CALL: (800) 558-0184 OR (262) 473-2441 • E-MAIL: [email protected] See Food Master, p. 3

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Schenck AccuRate is a unit of Schenck Process

©2009 Schenck AccuRate

Sift, scalp, classify, de-dust, de-lump, dewater, dry or cool bulk solid materials

HYGIENIC WEIGH-BELT FEEDER

CENTRIFUGAL SCREENERS Exclusive 2- and 3-bearing cantilevered shaft designs provide vibration-free operation while allowing rapid removal of components for thorough cleaning and screen changes. Continuous, gravity-fed or in-line pneumatic models.

FLUID BED DRYERS AND COOLERS Exclusive circular, vibratory self-contained dryers and coolers provide greater performance in less space at lower cost than ever before possible. Lab models from 18 in. (460 mm) and high capacity models to 84 in. (2135 mm) in diameter.

USA: 1 973 467 8140

[email protected] CAN: 1 514 667 6777 UK: +44 (0)1782 597540 AUS: +61 (0)2 6043 1560

www.kason.com

Z-0559

Thayer Scale’s MWF-OS sanitary open-construction weigh-belt feeder can be used for processing snack food, cereal, pasta, pet food and other applications. The feeder can provide either closedloop gravimetric control of material feed rate or open-loop control for precise convey-rate output and totalization of an uncontrolled or intermittent material supply. The feeder handles a range of materials and densities with accuracy and stability. It has all stainless steel construction, positive belt tracking (without the use of mechanical devices), easy access with a low-maintenance design, no-tools disassembly and a cantilevered frame. Thayer Scale; 781-826-8101, ext. 328; www.thayerscale.com

VIBRATORY SCREENERS 1 to 5 screening decks yield up to 5 precise particle sizes from 2 in. (50 mm) to 25 microns. Diameters from 18 to 100 in. (460 to 2540 mm). Batch or continuous, gravity-fed or in-line pneumatic models with rates to 70 tons/h. Numerous options.

Reimelt adds its world-renowned expertise to Zeppelin’s proud tradition of excellence A world leader in the design, manufacture, and supply of highly automated and integrated materials handling systems for powders and liquids, Reimelt systems are installed in world-class food and beverage companies around the globe. Continuous dough mixing/kneading technology, frying systems, and fermentation systems complete our vast offering of food manufacturing solutions. • • • •

Process Technology and System Development Automation Engineering Components, Service, & Support Codos® System for continuous process mixing & kneading

Growing stronger... to serve you better!

Tel: 813-920-7434 | [email protected] | www.zeppelin-usa.com

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DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

WEIGH-BELT FEEDERS DISTRIBUTION SCREW Vac-U-Max’s distribution screw works in concert with a pneumatic conveying system to deliver product uniformly across any dry material dispensing machines. For use in baking, snack and candy applications, the complete system combines electronic technology with a mechanical and pneumatic design so little human intervention is required. The distribution screw for dry material dispensing machines features a long extension tube with adjustable slots that attach to an existing pneumatic conveying system. The distribution screw facilitates even distribution of the material across the dispensing machine. Vac-U-Max; 800-822-8629; www.vac-u-max.com

For use where precision weighing and metering of dry materials is required, Schenck AccuRate’s DEA stainless steel weigh-belt feeders provide weight-controlled feeding, weight indication and totalization for fragile (friable) materials like cereals, snack foods, kibble and fruits. The weigh-belt feeders are available in 12- and 24-in. belt widths with easy belt de-tensioning and removal, belt-weight influence compensation, accuracies of +/-0.25 to 1 percent of set-rate sigma, and feed-rate capabilities up to 1,680 cu. ft. per hour. For sanitary environments, open frame models with washdown capabilities are available. Schenck AccuRate; 800-558-0184; www.accuratefeeders.com

We Can Handle It! Liquids, slurries or chunky material are no match for Bunting® Magnetic Liquid Traps

Improved Protection Our new Tapered-Step Magnetic Liquid Traps is structured to hold ferrous debris against its solid tapered step to prevent wipe-off of tramp iron and fines even in high-density applications for volumes up to 180 gallons per minute (GPM). It comes equipped with powerful, high-energy Neodymium magnets which are capable of handling a 300º F high temperature load. This makes them perfect for clean-and-place systems. This is an ideal product for meat, poultry and other processes where higher viscosity products require purification.

Multiple Styles Available Cartridge Style Liquid-Trap

Tapered Step Liquid Trap

˜#464+&)'g6;.'+37+&4#25(14.+37+&241%'55+0)#0&75'9+6* conveying lines. ˜74 0.+0'+37+&4#254'/18''8'06*'5/#..'56('44175 particles from liquids with higher viscosity. ˜'.(g.'#0+0)X+0).'g.#6'#0&7#.g.#6'6;.'5#4'1(('4'&T ˜ ..706+0)—+37+&4#25#4'#8#+.#$.'+06+.+6;X19&'4X 11& and Sanitary grades. ˜706+0)—9#56*'(+456%1/2#0;61'#40XX   %%'26#0%'(14174241&7%65T *+%#)1X  24EGgEJ 116*vFFKI

In-Line Liquid Trap

buntingmagnetics.com

Always Your Best Choice...We’ll Prove It!

800-835-2526 316-284-2020

See Food Master, p. 25

magnets

|

separation

|

conveyors

|

metal detection

|

cylinders

or

(outside USA or Canada)

|

flexible dies ©2011 Bunting® Magnetics Co. BUNT-030111-1

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Chart Your Course to Real

SUC C ES S At Clear Seas Research we develop customized research solutions to identify:

The outlook for new/existing products Customer needs and expectations Optimal product price points Marketing messages with impact Your position in the industry Areas of customer satisfaction Opportunities for new solutions/products . . . and much more

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Find out how we can customize a research solution to help your bottom line. 248.786.1683 [email protected] www.clearseasresearch.com

An industry-focused market research company

As a CASRO member, we subscribe to the Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research established by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations.

DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

CONTINUOUS WEIGH FEEDERS

SMART BULK SOLIDS ACTIVATOR K-Tron’s ActiFlow smart bulk solids activator reliably prevents bridging and rat-holing of cohesive bulk materials in stainless steel hoppers, eliminating the need for mechanical agitators with secondary motors and gearboxes, flexible side-wall agitation devices or aeration pads. The non-product-contact device, consisting of a vibratory drive and intelligent control unit, provides a self-tuning algorithm implemented in the K-Tron Control Module (KCM), which monitors the system, continuously adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the system to maintain flow within the hopper. K-Tron; 856-589-0500; www.ktron.com

Metalfab’s BetterWeigh continuous feeders work in gravimetric feeding applications of dry bulk materials where it is necessary to determine actual feed rates on a loss-of-weight basis. Available in seven models with feed rates from 1 to 550 cu. ft. per hr. (larger sizes available), the units provide feeding in either batch or continuous mode depending upon the arrangement of the feeder’s control electronics. In batch mode, the batch controller is used to control the fast (bulk) and slow (dribble) speeds of the feeder. Accuracies of +/-0.5% can be achieved in 2-lb. (or less) batches, and +/-0.25% with 3-lb. or greater batches with time spans of 30 to 90 seconds. In continuous mode, the feeder’s electronic controller constantly monitors loss of weight of material per time to maintain a continuous loss of weight with an accuracy of +/-0.25% to 0.50%. Metalfab Inc.; 800-764-2999; www.metalfabinc.com

NEW PowerFill™ Makes FIBC Filling as easy as... The new Material Master PowerFill™ Filling System incorporates innovative features not found in any other system. • Fill head extends and rotates for effortless bag connection • Powered fill head height adjustment for optimum filling efficiency • Unique bag inflation system for maximum fill volume and stability • Isolated weigh scale with PLC presets for accurate filling • Densification system for stable, compact bag

1 2 3

Connect Bag

Programmed Filling

Auto Release

800.836.7068 www.materialtransfer.com 88

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

CABLE-DRAG CONVEYORS Spiroflow Systems’ line of CABLEflow tubular cable drag conveyors is based on its range of aero-mechanical conveyors, but operates with reduced clearances and running speeds. Designed for applications (e.g., coffee and snack foods) requiring gentle handling—and those requiring conveying both to and from multiple points in a circuit—the conveyors transfer friable, bulk products from single or multiple in-feed points to single or multiple discharge points with little or no damage. Spiroflow Systems; 704-291-9595; www.spiroflowsystems.com

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

LEVEL SENSOR FOR SMALL BINS BinMaster Level Controls’ SmartBob-TS1 cablebased sensor works in bins up to 60-ft. tall. The continuous level sensor is applicable for operations with multiple, smaller storage and process bins containing powders or bulk solids. The compact, rugged sensor weighs less than 10 lbs. and works effectively in environments where airborne dust and filling noise can prevent other types of continuous level devices from working reliably. The bin-level data generated by the device can be viewed from a control console mounted at the base of the bins, with eBob software loaded onto a PC, or via BinView Web-based software that has the ability to send automated alerts and emails to a cell phone or iPhone. The sensor measures powders, granules, pellets and all types of dry bulk solids, and works in poultry and swine operations, feed mills and farms and seed storage facilities. BinMaster; 800-278-4241; www.binmaster.com

DRY INGREDIENT FEEDERS CONTINUOUS FEEDING & BATCHING LOSS-IN-WEIGHT/VOLUMETRIC

FLEXWALL®

SCREW REMOVAL

MICRO FEEDER

FLEXWALL® Single-Screw Feeder Twin-Screw Feeder

MICRO FEEDER Twin-Screw Feeder Gram by gram

Screw removal from rear of feeder

VIBRATING TRAY Non-pulsing flow Good for fast batching

www.brabenderti.com Toll Free: 888. 284. 4574 | Contact: [email protected]

See Food Master, p. 73

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

VIBRATING TRAY

The he industry’s oonly nly pre-fifilled ed ard bound catalog listing listing equ uipment, hard equipment, upplies and services to th he ffood ood and annd supplies the everage industry is only a phone ccall all away. awaay. beverage ndor listt oorr w ade Noo need to work with an incomplete ven vendor wade through Master comprehensive rough hundreds of consumer listings online. TThe he Foodd M aster is thee most comprehens reference Operations, Engineering Engineering, M Manufacturing executives. eference source for Plant Operations anufactturing and Packaging exec

To order your personal copy, call Ann Kalb at 248-244-6499 or go to www.foodmaster.com

DRY PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

IMPACT PIN MILL Munson Machinery’s 15hp, 18-in. (457 mm) diameter Model CIM-18SS centrifugal impact mill provides coarse to fine (400 mesh) grinding of friable materials into controlled particle sizes, as well as deagglomerating and conditioning of dry solids. A direct-drive system reduces the unit’s footprint to about half of that required by a belt-driven machine, allowing installations in restricted areas. High-speed rotation of the inner disc creates centrifugal force that accelerates bulk material entering the central inlet of the opposing stationary disc. The material travels through five intermeshing rows of rotating and stationary pins, with the desired tight particle size distribution obtained by controlling the rotor speed. Munson Machinery; 800-944-6644; www.munsonmachinery.com

FEEDER SYSTEM Hapman’s combination bag dump station and PosiPortion feeder system allows operators to add bagged ingredients with minimal dust. The bag dump station features a built-in, self-contained filtration system, with 99.9 percent dust collection efficiency with particle sizes down to 1 micron. The feeder offers volumetric or gravimetric loss-in-weight (LIW) precision feeding when introducing ingredients into the process. The system comes with the company’s Performantee performance guarantee. Hapman; 800-427-6260; www.hapman.com

We’ve got sssssteam heat... Ready to shift your food production to a more favorable continuous process? The new Wenger Thermal Twin Screw Extruder allows previously unheard of high levels of thermal energy for a more gentle cooking process compared to high-shear cook. Products high in corn or rice content can be processed without the stickiness typically encountered in conventional extrusion systems. The new Thermal Twin design allows ingredients to be fully cooked without damage to the starch or protein matrix. The unique screw profile, combined with an innovative extruder barrel design permits up to four times steam injection for unprecedented savings in both energy costs and equipment wear. Get details now on the revolutionary Thermal Twin Screw Extruder Series, with flexibility to meet your specific needs, at www.wenger.com. At Wenger, we innovate to solve customer challenges.

And then we do it again. Inventing the new original since 1935. SABETHA, KANSAS USA

BELGIUM

USA TAIWAN

785-284-2133 BRASIL

See Food Master, p. 132

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[email protected] CHINA

TURKEY

REPLACEABLE VALVE SLEEVE Aerodyne’s VHT High-Temp replaceable duck-bill sleeve for the Vacu-Valve is heat resistant in temperatures up to 400°F/200°C and offers resistance to aggressive fuels and chemicals. The Vacu-Valve operates as a constant discharge valve for dust collectors, hoppers, cyclones and other equipment operating under negative pressure. Its duck-bill design allows it to dispense dry, free-flowing material continuously and has no moving parts to maintain. The low-maintenance valve requires no lubrication or power source and has no controls. The valve is suited to “keep-empty” dust-collection units and is available in either carbon steel or stainless steel versions.

The replaceable duck-bill sleeves are also available in neoprene or white nitrile, making the unit suitable for general use, hightemperature or abrasive material applications. Aerodyne; 800-358-7546, ext. 130; www.dustcollectorhq.com/037

WEIGH BELT WEIGHERS/FEEDERS Acrison’s Model 260 weigh-belt weighers and feeders are precision, heavy-duty, high-capacity devices designed to weigh and/ or totalize the flow of dry materials in open-loop configurations or to meter dry materials as a weigh feeder in a controlled, closedloop configuration. When operating as a weigher and/or totalizer, the Model 260(WF) continuously weighs product passing across the belt, producing an output signal directly proportional to the weight of product flow. When operating as a weigh feeder, the Model 260(F) continuously controls the feed rate (or rate of product discharge off the belt) in relation to a feed rate set point, via modulation of the belt speed by a multiprocessor-based control system. In this mode of operation, the belt, driven by a variable speed motor, is continuously regulated to precisely maintain the selected feed rate. Acrison Incorporated; 201-440-8300; www.acrison.com

Ready to try the latest in Mixing Technology? ✔ Vacuum suction delivers powder up to 400 lbs/min ✔ Drastically reduce batch times ✔ Wet out and instantly disperse with no fish-eyes or agglomerates ✔ Eliminate bridging at any viscosity range ✔ Floor level powder/liquid addition reduces operator injuries ✔ Induct liquids from drums with optional wand ✔ Field proven on sugars, salt, phosphates, dairy powders, starches, gums, carbomers, soy, carrageenan and more

?

ASK US ABOUT OUR TRIAL PROGRAM

See the

Contact Admix today at 800-466-2369 and ask how the Fastfeed can improve your process. See Food Master, p. 5-7

in Action! Visit our website www.admix.com/fastfeed.htm www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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FIELD REPORTS

Metal detector for discerning cheeses

`

Finding metal shards in cheese is one thing, but to do it in the presence of RFID tags is a real challenge.

A

nthony Rowcliffe and Son, Ltd., cheese and specialty chilled food suppliers in the UK, supplies more than 1,000 different products, including its own Clemency Hall brand. Established 42 years ago in London, it offers same-day delivery to a variety of major supermarkets, delis, farm shops, butchers and upscale retailers such as Marks & Spencer—for which it provides 11 artisan cheeses. A combination of product integrity and a skilled staff has enabled the processor to achieve an annual turnover of more than $62 million. Because Anthony Rowcliffe cheeses are individually hand-cut with wire, it was vital to have a metal detection system sensitive enough to identify the smallest metal contaminants. For this reason, the processor chose the IQ3 metal detector from Loma Systems. According to Jason Fisher, Anthony Rowcliffe head of operations, “We chose Loma Systems due to the whole package they offered: their knowledge, testing, product and price.” Because the processor inspects products in trays, Loma specified a carriage track reject conveyor. It

` Specialty Blue Stilton cheese for Marks & Spencer passes through the Loma IQ3 metal detector. The detector can compensate for RFID tags as they pass through with the cheese. Source: Loma Systems.

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pushes reject trays down a separate conveyor system to ensure trays with contaminated product are kept separate from trays that have been inspected and found to be safe. An industry-standard RFID tracking system requires products be tracked throughout the delivery process using identifiable metal tags to guarantee they arrive at specific locations. These metal RFID tags emit a signal, causing significant problems with some metal detectors and resulting in erroneous reports of metal contaminants, which can lead to false rejects. Loma’s variable frequency detector provided the solution to this problem. Because the machine is able to learn the signal emitted by the metal RFID tags, it can eliminate that signal and find contaminants that are actually in the products. Because cheeses vary in moisture levels, salt content, density and size, signal levels at different frequencies vary greatly. The metal detector responds by automatically calibrating to the variety of cheeses on six cutting lines. With its product memory, it offers space for 200 different products and various signal levels between 31 and 882 kHz. The system’s automatic product-learn function ensures maximum sensitivity and accuracy without constant operator adjustment, making it possible to purchase only one machine that can handle six lines, thus avoiding the significant expense of purchasing multiple machines to cope with different products. “The machine is excellent, and the variable frequency metal detector is invaluable,” Fisher states. The metal detector comes standard with a tough search head rated to IP69K environmental protection. Operators find it easy to use, making it simpler to achieve maximum functionality. “Operating the IQ3 metal detector on a daily basis has proved effortless,” says Kathy Pattenden, cutting room supervisor. “Having met our standards and adhered to our customers’ strict code of practice, the IQ3 metal detector has recognizably increased production efficiency.” ❖ For more information: Martin Lymn, 630-681-2060, [email protected].

FIELD REPORTS

PCs can stand the heat and stay in the kitchen

`

Plant dishes out food to airline passengers and environmental abuse to panel PCs.

L

SG Sky Chefs, headquartered in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, is the catering subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The company employs approximately 28,000 people at 200 sites in 51 countries. LSG Sky Chefs maintains two state-of-the-art production plants at Frankfurt airport. The larger and newer of the two is situated in Gateway Gardens and serves Lufthansa exclusively. A second plant, located on the airport grounds, provides meals to other international airlines. The two plants produce 93,000 meals daily. Several synchronized steps must occur before meals are delivered to passengers. Cakes and rolls are baked, and just-delivered fruit and vegetables are processed into starters and salads in the cold kitchen. The ingredients for the main courses for first-class passengers are prepared in the warm kitchen. To guarantee safe food, freshly cooked dishes must be cooled immediately and wait in cold-storage depots for transport to the aircraft. “In the case of long-haul flights, we are informed of the final number of passengers 24 hours before takeoff; in the case of domestic and short-haul flights, only four

` Robust Model CP72xx series panel PCs from Beckhoff ensure that LSG Sky Chefs personnel are always in control of the processes. Source: Beckhoff Automation, ©Photographer: Jens Görlich.

hours before,” says Peter Salbreiter, group leader of works, IT and IT processes at the Frankfurt site. Each airline’s detailed specifications regarding arrangement and weight must be maintained throughout the entire production process. Uniform menus are created from starters, desserts, rolls, chocolate boxes, napkins, jam and cutlery, as well as salt and pepper at the modern workstations. The filled trays are stowed in trolleys and made available on the supply ramp together with the complete flight load. The deep-frozen main courses for the business and economy class sections are stowed in oven inserts. The production floor area covers 19,000 square meters (204,000+ sq.ft.) and requires automation to handle quick turnarounds; panel PCs from Beckhoff Automation were chosen to monitor and control the processes and logistics. Panel PCs from another manufacturer were used before the relocation to the new production facility. “But only with moderate success,” Salbreiter remembers, because the environmental conditions can place special demands on the devices. The durable Beckhoff panel PCs meet class IP 65 protection requirements (dustproof/waterproof). “We mainly use the Beckhoff panel PCs to visualize and control our processes,” says Salbreiter. Each of the 10 workstations on the suspended electric conveyor are equipped with a panel PC. As the backbone of the flow of material, the conveyor interconnects the entire production including the cold-storage depot. “The trolleys are transported by this system— regardless of whether they are returned from the aircraft or are standing ready, cleaned and filled for the next flight,” says Salbreiter. Seven PCs are installed in the automatic warehouse for small parts, which contains more than 65 different items of tableware, plates, cups and cutlery. Four panel PCs are used for facility management. Eight PCs serve the fleet management of the plant’s 105 elevating platform vehicles. The remaining six are located in different places in production and are used exclusively for the visualization of the processes. ❖ For more information: Joe Martin, 952-890-0000, [email protected]

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

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April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

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101

AD INDEX

COMPANY

PHONE NUMBER

ADI Systems, Inc.

PAGE

COMPANY

PHONE NUMBER

506-452-7307

47

Maple Systems

425-745-3229

76

800-466-2369

93

Martin Brothers

800-652-2532

44

Air Blast, Inc.

626-576-0144

89

Masosine Process Pumps

800-282-8823

14

Arizona Instrument LLC

800-528-7411

29

Material Transfer & Storage

800-836-7068

88

Admix Inc.

Ashworth

800-682-4594

15

Midwestern Industries Inc.

877-4-SIZING

21

Atlas Copco

866-688-9611

63

Mobil Industrial Lubricants

www.mobilindustrial.com

20

22

MPE Group

800-965-6065

10

888-828-4920

68

Munson Machinery

800-944-6644

80

www.bel-ray/com

11

National Bulk Equipment

800-44-BIMBA

12

NTFE America

507-786-9494

6

888-284-4574

90

Nu-Con

877-939-0510

6

888-82-OMEGA

2

Austin Company

www.theaustin.com/foodgroup

Baldor Electric Company Bel-Ray Bimba Brabender Technologies Breddo Likwifier Buhler Aeroglide

800-669-4092

IBC

www.nbe-inc.com/food

Omega Engineering Inc.

919-851-2000

82

Power Engineers

Bunting Magnetics Co.

800-835-2526

86

PPM Technologies

Burns & McDonnell

816-822-3831

35

Charles Ross & Son Corp.

800-243-ROSS

27, 29

888-687-8811

61

www.ppmtech.com

49

Quality Fabrication & Design

972-304-3266

37

83

Relco

320-231-2210

27

360-734-8509

30

Schenk Accurate

800-394-2941

84

Demaco

321-952-6600

32

SEW Eurodrive

www.seweurodrive.com

41

Dorner

800-397-8664

23

Shat-R-Shield, Inc.

800-223-0853

26

866-438-6136

56

Siemens

www.usa.siemens.com/foodbev

43

45

SlipNOT Metal Safety Flooring

800-SLIPNOT

31

Specialty Equipment

713-467-1818

89

Spiroflow Systems

877-298-9595

48

Coastline Equipment, Co.

ECO Bionics Emerson Micro Motion

www.micromotion.com

Eriez Magnetics

888-300-ERIEZ

16, 81

Flexicon Coporation

888-353-9426

BC

Flottweg Separation Technology

859-448-2300

26

Spraying Systems Co.

Frick by Johnson Controls

717-762-2121

25

SPX

800-841-5001

7

866-531-5629

59

800-722-6622

4

Fristam Pumps GEA Tuchenhagen North America GEA Westfalia Separator, Inc.

Summit Industrial Products

800-749-5823

28

T.D. Sawvel

877-488-1816

24

Tel-Tru Manufacturing Co.

800-232-5335

24

www.grecon-us.com

28

Triple S Dynamics, Inc.

877-314-0733

19

Urschel Laboratories, Inc.

Hinds-Bock Corporation

877-292-5715

66

Industrial Magnetics. Inc.

888-582-0821

K-Tron Process Group Lee Industries

46, 67 IFC

Hapman

Kason Corporation

800-95-SPRAY www.spx.com

Gre-Con

InfinityQS

877-542-8010

9

219-464-4811

1

Vac-U-Max

800-822-8629

78

90

Volkmann, Inc.

609-265-0101

80

www.infnityqs.com

39

Wenger

816-891-9272

92

973-467-8140

85

Wire Belt Company of America

603-644-2500

73

www.ktron.com/info-paks

5

www.woodwardcurran.com/fe

65

814-342-0461

44

813-920-7434

85

Woodward & Curran Zeppelin Systems

Further information on these companies can be found in the 2010-2011 FOOD MASTER CATALOG. This index is published as a convenience. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions.

102

PAGE

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

ENGINEERING R&D Kevin T. Higgins, Senior Editor

Research as continuous improvement

`

More than half a century has passed since Bettcher’s electric trimmer debuted, but engineers continue the pursuit of design improvement. A common gripe among OEMs is a lack of insight into how their machines are used. It’s the downside of outsourcing: An engineer can design equipment to perform a specified task, but without an understanding of how the equipment is used, design improvements aren’t going to be made. That was never a problem for Louis Bettcher and the company he founded. Bettcher’s machine shop was in the heart of Cleveland’s meatpacking district, where Bettcher had a front-row seat to its practices. Believing the proper tool could debone much of the meat being thrown away, he machined a handheld power knife. His design—a ring-shaped blade that rotated at high speed—quickly won him entrance to the plants, where he observed how workers used the knife. That began a cycle of refinements and improvements that continues to this day. By the time Bettcher retired as chairman in 1987, a team of mechanical engineers and toolmakers was dedicated to continuous improvements and prototyping, based on end-user feedback and the team’s firsthand observations. Bettcher’s retirement coincided with the addition of Jeffrey A. Whited to the R&D staff. Whited

` Jeffrey A. Whited, research & development manager, Bettcher Industries Inc., Vermilion, OH. Source: Bettcher Industries.

joined Bettcher as a special projects engineer, working with existing equipment and later developing new equipment for the company’s foodservice line. He was named research & development manager in 1996. He began his career as an assembler of packaging machinery and later worked as a design supervisor of packaging equipment at the Aluminum Company of America. Whited is a graduate of the University of Akron with a BS in mechanical engineering. He is named as the inventor on 26 US patents assigned to Bettcher Industries.

FE: Did the firm’s founder mentor you? Whited: Another engineer worked directly with

Lou when I joined. My first responsibilities involved tools for foodservice. The first patent application listing me as the inventor was filed in 1994. It was for a rotary electric-powered knife with a slicing gauge for cutting gyro meat. FE: What initiated that project? Whited: Most gyro-shop owners are experts with

a carving knife, and they control yield by doing the sandwich slicing themselves. The meat cooks from the outside, and it’s very important that the cuts aren’t too deep, or you’ll cut into uncooked or undercooked meat. Some shop owners were improvising with our trimmers, and a UK company had developed a round disk unit so that nonexperts could do the slicing, but neither approach was very easy to use.

We had an in at some restaurants in Chicago, where the gyro cones also were manufactured, so I went there and spent a few weeks in gyro shops, watching the process and figuring out how we could design a tool that would be easier to use. We came up with a gauge to control the depth of the cut, a narrower blade profile to make it easier to trim the meat at the bottom of the cone, then added a splatter shield and a chute where the slices dropped down. We put the motor into the trimmer handle, made some additional tweaks and ended up with an affordable system that was easy to use and let anyone do the slicing. FE: How has the trimmer product changed during your time? Whited: A modular version was developed around

1987. It allowed users to change handles to fit their hands and switch between right- and left-handed

www.foodengineeringmag.com | Food Engineering | April 2011

103

ENGINEERING R&D ` Keith Moffitt demonstrates a power knife equipped with a vacuum-removal element to salvage small quantities of breast meat from chicken carcasses. Originally designed for removal of cow’s spines, the knife was adapted for harvesting meat from smaller animals.

use. A rubber handgrip was added to reduce vibration and provide insulation from the cold aluminum handle. A micro-brake strap was incorporated so users could momentarily relax their hands without losing control of the tool. At that time, we had an ergonomist on staff. The trimmer is designed to increase yield, and that excites the buyers, but reducing worker fatigue also is important. Trimming meat from bone or fat is boring, hard work. Workers are stressed after eight hours. Making the job easier is a major R&D goal. The ergonomist went into the plants with us and conducted EMG (electromyography) measurements to determine how workers’ muscles reacted to the tool’s vibration. Vibration measurements were taken in three axes while the tools were in use. Carpal tunnel syndrome was a concern, and we wanted to ensure the tools weren’t aggravating the problem.

104

easier, but a higher rate produces amplified vibration, greater drag and increased wear on metal parts. We’ve worked on different gear designs and tried to hold the rotating blades stable in the center of the tool. We tried a three-speed motor, which allowed speed adjustments, but eventually we concluded the highest speed was the one most operators liked. We also learned that lighter wasn’t necessarily better. If meat is positioned on a flat surface, there’s actually less operator fatigue with a heavier tool. On the other hand, if workers are cutting chickens on an overhead line, reducing weight is beneficial. We experimented with many different blade edges, finally settling on a micro-serration that holds its sharpness longer than if the edge is smooth. FE: How do food production’s hygienic requirements impact trimmer design? Whited: Today’s tools have fewer parts

and are easier to disassemble for cleaning. Probably the biggest impact is in the choice of materials of construction, which is limiting. Coatings technology that comes out of NASA and automotive offers significant advances in performance and wear-resistance, but much of it can’t be used in direct food contact. We use some 440C stainless steel and an alloy with a 59 Rockwell, but the best overall edge-holding materials for our blades is not necessarily stainless.

FE: What are the key research objectives? Whited: Improve yield, reduce main-

FE: Eight years ago, you collaborated with a German group to develop a trimmer combined with a vacuum system. How did that partnership come about? Whited: The gentleman who came to

tenance and improve worker comfort. We’ve learned that higher blade revolutions per minute usually make trimming

us with that idea was one of our European distributors. The vacuum trimmer was developed for removing spinal

April 2011 | Food Engineering | www.foodengineeringmag.com

membrane and spinal cords from cattle after the carcass was split. Mad Cow was already an issue in Europe, and the first US incident occurred about the same time as the tool was introduced. We tried to adapt the system for pork processing, but it was too cumbersome and the line speeds too fast. More recently one of our salesmen got the idea of using the system on poultry cone lines. About half an ounce of breast meat under the wishbone typically is not harvested with the other white meat. It either goes to rendering or is recovered later and mixed with lower-value trimmings. Adapting the spinal cord system required very little time for the tool itself; a blade already existed for stripping meat from a pork rib. A bigger issue was the vacuum. A large hose is used for cattle, and the system is flushed with water. We can’t add water to an edible product, and the hose needs to be a short run. We’re still working out some vacuum issues. FE: How has newer drive technology impacted the tools? Whited: Originally the tools were

powered by small 1,725 rpm electric motors with flex shaft drives, but different approaches to power have been tried. Two electric motor options now exist, including a washdown-rated motor at 5,000 rpm. Our air shearers have a servo mechanism that causes the scissor to do whatever the user’s hand does, and the gyros carver has a DC motor in the handle. The most common set-up is to hang the motor behind and to the side of the operator, with a flexible drive shaft connecting it to the trimmer. FE: As technology changes, how has the makeup of the R&D staff changed? Whited: Twenty years ago, we had two

or three engineers and a lot of designers who learned their craft using drafting boards. Now we have degreed engineers, mostly mechanical but also an electrical engineer who serves as the lab supervisor. Occasionally we call on an electronics expert for support. ❖

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