< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING © stock.adobe.com/Syda Productions Simple design, complex problems Simple design, complex problems Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING Most depositors are simple machines by design, thanks to their individual function. But it is still possible to customise them to suit any purpose or production line by size and level of output. A micro depositor is the smallest available, bench mounted and easily portable, and able to have its place in any size of factory. They can also be fully or semi-automatic, depending on whether they’ll be used with or without a conveyor, but will only handle deposits in small volumes. As these machines get to the upper levels of size and cost, however, they grow to be of use only to medium or large scale factory operations. With the right amount of space available on the production floor, further conveyors, rotary pot machines or FFS (form, fill and seal) elements can be added on, sometimes for use in tandem with a larger self-contained hopper, as desired for maximum productivity. For further customisation when depositing requirements are varied, more bespoke designs can be brought in. A pillar lift depositor employs a telescopic lift for adjusting the nozzle height when filling multiple sizes of container, ensuring accuracy and hygiene with every batch run. Hopper agitation functions can be combined in a depositor able to hold solid particles in suspension, when handling ingredients such as soups, stews or pie fillings. Every specificity of function can be accounted for, up to and including needs like sandwich filling; depositors for 22 Á22 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING this particular function can feature multiple head depositors for indexing different fillings and rise and fall nozzles for clean cut-off when product flow is stopped between deposits. In comparison to depositors, filling machines have a wider variety of applications. Just a few container types that need filling machines for accuracy and quality assurance include cans, cartons, bags and jars, as well as bottles and pouches. The dosing of food products can be achieved by several means, using a variety of machines with their own method and function. They can be floor standing or portable and, like depositors, as compact or large as needed for any production line. Single nozzle machines are ideal for a small enterprise approach, being affordable and more than efficient enough for a limited or specialty operation, or for those just starting out in the food industry. Being small and simple in function, they are versatile and therefore suitable for many different ingredients and food types, including sauces, salad dressings, cake mix, or even more viscous matter like jams and spreads. Opting for a multi-nozzle machine simply ups the output achievable with each batch, as more containers can be placed under the multiple filling heads to provide more filled containers with every action of the machine. These can handle all the most common products that need dispensing into a container, including juices, milks, yoghurt, or health beverages such as probiotic and sports drinks. Many such systems are expressly designed to accommodate containers that need to be handled with care, like glass jars and squeezy plastic bottles, with options such as scroll feed conveyors, and design versatility for many different container types and sizes. Certain machines have the added capacity to automatically cap and label products, for even quicker batch completion. Depending on your factory, output and efficiency can be optimised by arranging filling heads in the best way for your line, whether on a rotary filler, or in a row for linear filling. Either option can dispense a range of ingredients – including fine powders with the correct auger system – into a multitude of different container types and can come available with electric and mechanical interfaces. Yet despite these additions, many products still prove too viscous, making them difficult to flow through the machines. On a production line where downtime needs to be minimised and companies have strict deadlines and throughput demands, this simply can’t be tolerated. Pistons not only provide sufficient force to push product through the depositor or filler head but can offer precise portion control. For products like ice cream, meat slurries and those with pieces, piston depositors will provide accuracy, continual flow and portion control at a high-speed throughput. Simply put, the products to be deposited are drawn in from the hopper by the pistons in the cylinder, the piston then presses the product from the cylinder to the dispensing opening. Another advantage of this approach is that they are incredibly adaptable depending on the requirements. Although single fillers are an option, multi- head fillers and depositors are widely available – an advantage on larger production lines where different varieties of a product such as biscuits are being produced on the same production line at the same time. Moreover, bespoke options mean that a company can have a solution installed that’s designed to © stock.adobe.com/9dreamstudioFood & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net DEPOSITORS AND FILLING meet their specific needs and production requirements. As well as accuracy and speed of depositing, producers will also need to watch for dripping. Spills, drips, and container overflows may be commonplace across food filling lines, but that doesn’t mean they have to be. Indeed, there are piston fillers available on the market that promise no-drip filling. However, there’s more to consider than just the type of depositor or filler. It’s no good investing in high-end machines only to shirk on the transfer pumps. These vital pieces of © stock.adobe.com/wolfcub777 equipment pump product from one receptacle into another or into a hopper of a depositing machine. As with the fillers themselves, flow is key to bear in mind here as a fully liquid product is going to be much easier to pump than a viscous one.24 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT G one are the days where managers might seek to drive their staff into exhaustion in efforts to increase productivity – as we now know that a workforce which is able to maintain an efficient pace continuously, is more valuable than one that is burned out too soon. Generational change as well as socioeconomic events have forced factories to be more aware of their staff’s needs and wellbeing, lest they outright lose them. It is no longer a time when an entire factory’s worth of staff can be found with a quick call and a snap of a manager’s fingers. Decisions now have greater consequences, and their impact lasts longer. The smallest hiccups with efficiency on such a line can have drastic effects through the entire system and considering that large retailers are some of the least forgiving in terms of deadlines – and that there are many Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk Hot Air delivered direct to the point of application HOTWINDMISTRALVULCAN Getting the most out of a facility Facilities management has changed over the years as ever more challenging conditions force companies to try and squeeze more out of less and make the most of what they have rather than invest in more. Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT competitors in this industry, then it becomes obvious that companies cannot afford to take any risks in this regard. Automating the system wherever possible is the preferred method of increasing efficiency, as this takes out the ever-unreliable human element which could slow things down. On a managerial level, software can be used to ease the burden on an Operations Manager, by organising and arranging shift hours based on delivery times of raw materials to the processing plant. This removes another task for the manager to try and deal with, while also instantaneously checking the shifts of workers within the factory – and assigning those that are free to the task. Another benefit to higher levels of automation is of course the protection it can offer to other members of the team. Most Our extensive product range includes: Innovative, system-compatible air heaters Powerful, robust blowers Compact, flexible hot-air blowers Comprehensive range of accessories 3 Heat output & air volume steplessly adjustable with potentiometers 3 Integrated temperature controls 3 Integrated temperature probes 3 Protection against heating elements or devices overheating 3 Brushless power motors 3 Integrated power electronics © stock.adobe.com/liliyabaty rova 26 Á26 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT health and safety accidents occur as a result of over- working, or poor allocation of resources, leaving a single worker to try and lift more than they realistically can. An automated system does not make the same mistakes, and as such reduces the risk in that regard. And of course, health and safety does play a large role in facilities management. It is not uncommon for sections of a plant to be closed down when an accident occurs, and then there is of course the injured party to try and treat – reduced productivity from those who are trying to help them. Not to mention the lost man-hours as the person recovers, and the potential for legal action as well. As such, investing in a good health and safety scheme is paramount to the successful running of a food and drink facility. In distribution centres and factories where productivity can be more easily quantified, facilities management may also make use of the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 to streamline, monitor and allow for direct involvement of management in every aspect of work. Here, systems can be © stock.adobe.com/Nataliia 28 Á © stock.adobe.com/Mongkolchon www.eriez.eu | info-europe@eriez.com | +44 (0)29 2086 8501 Your Best Defence Against Metal Contamination Eriez High Strength Magnets provide the Best Defence against metal contamination. Our magnetic separators are designed for any process whether it’s wet, dry, gravity, pneumatic or conveyed. Install Eriez and know you’re protected. Contact an Eriez Representative for details. Powerful Magnetic Systems Round Pipe Grates Pneumatic Magnetic Separators Trap Magnets GLOBAL LEADER IN SEPARATION TECHNOLOGIES Self-Cleaning Grate Magnet28 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FACILITIES MANAGEMENT more robust and more thorough, as the work is more easily quantified and graded as opposed to in an accountant’s office or a commercial estate agent’s workplace. This is an advantage the food and drink industry has, and one that needs to be leveraged by those in charge of a factory, warehouse or other facility. It is no longer enough to simply run a process by its barest standards, but – in an ever more competitive and uncertain world – facility managers must get the most out of their workforce. And quite often, they will have to prove and quantify the improvement they bring as well. Still, as more and more companies look to make the most of what they have, facilities management will play an increasing role in the workplace. Its definition may change even more over the coming years and may one day even become a required or expected managerial position within any company. Improving the productivity of a food production facility via space utilisation might be an effective middle-ground, reducing waste in yet operational areas. Efficient use of space improves workflow and reduces congestion, enhancing productivity by ensuring employees can use and move through spaces without difficulty. Chief among a manager’s tasks here will be planning the layout for optimal movement of staff, storage and equipment. All workers can give feedback and suggestions here, as this will only improve familiarity with the spaces in question and make reassessments more practical for those they’ll impact the most. This will need to be reviewed regularly, so adjustments can be made promptly based on any new ideas or operational needs. Allergen Services, Meat and Fish Species Detection, GMO Screening, Nutritional Values, Acrylamide, Pesticides, Heavy Metals, Vitamins and Minerals, Mycotoxins, Authenticity and Isotopic Analysis, Challenge Testing, Microbiological Assessment, Rapid (24hr) Pathogen Detection. UKASAccreditedServices UKAS accredited food, swab and water analytical services • A range of turnaround times available DAKKS accredited services available through our group Laboratory, IFP Labs Unit 1b Moderna Business Park, Mytholmroyd, HX7 5QQ Tel: 01422 405678 Email: sales@micro-search.co.uk Part of IFP Laboratories Group TESTING WITH RESPONSIBILITY © stock.adobe.com/nikomsolftwaerwww.fdiforum.net Plan your campaign with Food & Drink International… ...your competitors are! As marketing is the vital ingredient for the success and growth of any business, we can offer advice and packages to suit all budgets. Speak to one of our experienced account executives. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO? • Print • Online • E-Newsletters • Regular News • Topical Features The perfect medium to give your brand the best chance of being seen! 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