Food Manufacturing

Coding that flexes to pouch packaging future

In recent years packaging trends have involved issues such as size, ease of opening, increased use of sustainable material and the ability to market products on pack. With demographic trends shifting towards more people living in big cities, packaging for urban-dwellers has had to address the 1-2 person size households and the increase in food-to-go eating habits. Shelf appeal is also a hugely important issue - and fully printable packages with the potential to incorporate attractive graphics and bold colours have an advantage.

22nd June 2016

Seals that deal with extreme performance from SKF

SKF has developed a highly effective collection of seals for extreme conditions, based on a range of advanced materials. The SKF Spectraseal products are custom-designed for each application and machined from advanced polymeric materials including PTFE, UHMWPE, PEEK, PPS, PA and POM.

22nd June 2016

Motors are just the tip of the iceberg for improving efficiency

Fuelled by the introduction of more stringent IE efficiency classes, manufacturers are chasing headline efficiency figures which could only have been dreamed of just 10 years ago. There’s no denying that this is a positive thing for industry, but is motor efficiency just the tip of the iceberg? We ask the experts at Bauer Gear Motor.

16th June 2016

Safety during CIP: IP69K-rated interlocks and safety switches

Fortress Interlocks is promoting its amGardS40 range of highly robust, IP69K-rated, stainless steel electro-mechanical safety interlocks and switches that are specifically designed for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries where harsh Cleaning in Place (CIP) processes are necessary.

8th June 2016

K Series frameless servo motors: efficient and compact

Parker Hannifin is increasing its range of frameless Permanent Magnet AC (PMAC) motors with the introduction of the low-voltage K Series. These servo motors are particularly suitable for use by machine builders in applications where compactness, reliability, precision and cost-effectiveness are critical. The CE-certified K Series helps simplify machine design as both the rotor and stator are directly implemented inside the system. With low voltage capability starting from 12V AC, the K motor series cover a speed range up to 10,000 rpm, and continuous torque to 23Nm. The K Series is suitable for applications such as rotating tables, compressors and mixers, plus many others in industries such as food & beverage, packaging and life sciences.

7th June 2016

Reading 1D, stacked and 2D codes is quicker and easier

Leuze electronic is launching the DCR 200i code reader for fast decoding of 1D, stacked and 2D codes. This device has been developed for use in packaging systems, automation, robotics and production (ARP). Easy installation and set up ensures significant time savings during commissioning and when changing units. Furthermore, the DCR 200i offers a high reading performance.

7th June 2016

Cost-effective solutions for industrial motion control

RS Components has announced a range of products and solutions to help companies involved in motion control applications equip and maintain systems, such as conveyors, used in diverse industries including automotive, packaging, manufacturing and production or in the chemical or food and beverage processing sectors.

26th May 2016

PW25 and PW27 series hygienic load cells from HBM

To meet the strict hygiene regulations required in production, HBM is promoting the PW25 and PW27 range of load cells, which have been designed for use in filling systems and packaging plants, in multi-head combination weighers and static scales.

24th May 2016

Multi-functional robot straddles pick & place and palletising

FANUC Robotics UK is enlarging its M20-iA family of robots with the M20-iA/35M, based on the same kinematics and engineering as the existing M20-iA/10M and M20-iA/20M robots, but with enhanced payload that broadens its application envelope, making it an attractive investment proposition. The M20-iA/35M can be fitted with a multi-purpose gripper for high-speed pick and placing and for those applications that require reach and multi-tasking ability.

19th May 2016

IDEC releases next generation MicroSmart FC6A PLC

IDEC Corporation is releasing its FC6A MicroSmart, a powerful PLC with up to 520 I/O. The MicroSmart PLC provides the power of a PAC (programmable automation controller) in a low-cost controller with a small form factor, making it a good fit for demanding applications.