At the heart of any automated setup is the controller, a decision-making hub that monitors and controls industrial equipment and its motion. However, the choice between a PLC, a PAC or an IPC hinges on a series of crucial decisions dictated by the specific application. Here, Tom Cash, director of Foxmere, explains how to select the right controller based on your operation.

David Sarhok, Account Manager Europe for food and beverage processing and equipment at Watlow, unpacks how modern temperature controllers can overcome seven of the most common efficiency problems in food and beverage thermal processing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its new Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022-2030. Inspection and contaminant detection specialist Fortress Technology Sales Director Phil Brown explores how HACCP planning feeds into this, and what needs to be included in a food safety plan for it to gain approval from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

The food and beverage industry can optimise costs and simultaneously boost performance in the production environment, says Nabtesco. Its gear systems are extremely precise, very robust and absolutely reliable, which significantly optimises costs and boosts performance.

Posing the right questions at the beginning of a heat exchanger procurement and design process can prevent future misunderstandings, and ensure that you arrive at the optimal product or system for your specific requirements, as Matt Hale, Global Key Account Director at HRS Heat Exchangers, explains.

The food industry is facing a digital transformation. Going forward, it will be necessary to digitalise processes and procedures for food safety in such a way that they can be audited and monitored online. Ian Scott-Mance, Technology Manager at Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection, describes the processes that food manufacturers should go through to reach that point.

Stephen Harding, managing director at material handling specialist Gough Engineering, explains how vibratory linear screens support pet food manufacturers in yielding protein's benefits and harnessing waste sources of protein.

Thermal processing is critical to the success and safety of food and beverage manufacturing. Yet often, thermal control is not up to scratch, causing inefficiency, loss of profit and detriment to products. David Sarhok, Account Manager Europe for food and beverage processing and equipment at Watlow, unpacks how modern temperature controllers can overcome seven of the most common efficiency problems in food and beverage thermal processing.

Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist bearing supplier SMB Bearings, explains the vital role of lubricated bearings in diversified manufacturing.

With artificial intelligence (AI) technology developing faster than ever, can the packaging sector afford to ignore it - and should it be concerned? The experts at Easyfairs, organiser of London Packaging Week, talk to Evelio Mattos, creative director of packaging at IDP Direct, about where the technology has its uses.