Food Manufacturing

Rod-style electric actuators deliver 222kN thrust

New rod-style electric actuators achieving force up to 222.4kN have been released. INMOCO is now supplying Tolomatic's RSX Extreme Force actuators to the UK market, which also provides high accuracy and long lifetime. Aimed at OEMs, the RSX electric actuators are a suitable replacement for hydraulic cylinders.

20th May 2020

New filament for 3D printing FDA-compliant, wear-resistant parts

With iglidur A350-PF, igus now offers its proven plain bearing material also as FDA and EU-compliant filament for printing temperature-resistant and lubrication-free wear-resistant parts. The new tribo-filament fulfils the need of machine builders in the food and packaging industry by giving more design freedom to print functional components in special dimensions and small quantities.

15th May 2020

Compact MMA/lift TIG inverters with good price/performance ratio

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products is launching the Rogue series of portable and affordable MMA/lift TIG inverters with professional arc performance and controls such as adjustable hot start and adjustable arc force. These units measure 343 × 153 × 264mm and feature ESAB's next-level control technology to produce a smooth welding arc with all types of MMA electrodes. The Lift TIG (DC TIG) function provides positive arc starts without the use of high frequency. All Rogue models deliver a stable TIG arc down to 10 amps, giving welders the control they need to work on thin metal or delicate components.

14th May 2020

Piezo proportional flow control valve for dynamic performance

Festo's new VEMD proportional flow control valve uses piezo technology to deliver highly dynamic control for numerous medical and other industrial control applications.

12th May 2020

Stainless gear motors provide double hygienic solution

When food, beverage, pharmaceutical or other hygiene-critical production plants are washed down, motors are subjected to high-pressure jets of sometimes high-temperature water, or aggressive cleaning agents.

1st May 2020

SICK's W4 Inox sensor benefits from on-board Smart Tasks

The SICK W4 Inox is SICK's first stainless steel photoelectric Inox sensor with on-board Smart Tasks that can be used even in the harshest hygienic Sterilise-in-Place (SIP) and Clean-in-Place (CIP) environments. The miniature photoelectric sensor combines stainless steel-shielded durability with in-built remote sensor intelligence for the wet area of processing plants, filling lines and packaging machines in the food, beverage and pharmaceuticals industries.

29th April 2020

Cognex launches first industrial smart camera with deep learning

Cognex Corporation is introducing the In-Sight D900 embedded vision system. Described as a first-of-its kind product, the In-Sight D900 features Cognex's ViDi deep learning software inside an In-Sight industrial-grade smart camera. The self-contained system is designed to solve a broad range of complex in-line inspection applications including optical character recognition (OCR), assembly verification, and defect detection.

28th April 2020

3D smart camera solves a cheesy challenge

Production environments of every size and in every industry are starting to benefit from new freedoms as robot-guidance systems become more accessible and affordable than they have ever been before. Here we look at a 3D vision-guided solution for the food and drink industry.

24th April 2020

Stainless geared motors reduce HACCP risks

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system is an internationally recognised method for reducing risk factors in the production or processing of food. As a process for ongoing improvement, it requires manufacturers to continuously evaluate each process in its production line to identify possible hazards and minimise risk at critical points.

24th April 2020

Digital twin proves conveyor concept for coffee producer

In mechanical and plant engineering it is still common practice today that the control of a plant is programmed only after the mechanical parts have been completed. Accordingly, the interaction of mechanics, control, sensors and software is tested for the first time during commissioning. If errors suddenly occur here, it can be expensive.

24th April 2020