Food Manufacturing

NSK bearings save soft drinks producer over EUR10,000 per year

A UK manufacturer of soft drinks that was experiencing premature bearing failures on its automatic bottle sleeving machine resolved the issue by adopting non-contact, shielded, greased-for-life deep groove ball bearings from NSK. The move has increased the operational life of the bearings by a factor of 52, which in turn is generating annual savings of EUR10,874.

23rd April 2020

Fit and Forget actuators for low-maintenance demands of bakeries

In recent weeks, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a spike in demand for bread far in excess than previously seen. Whereas many people usually buy a ready-made lunch every day, now they are buying bread and eating at home. The UK bakery market is one of the largest markets in the food industry, and not surprisingly, there is a high need for modern technology to rise up to market demands. To keep up with today's demand, the food processing industry needs to be efficient; this means most of the tasks need to be automated. But in every automated system, there are a host of smaller components that perform simple yet essential processes. Without these components, the automation could not take place.

22nd April 2020

Engineering plastics for applications in the bottling industry

Although high-performance plastics used to be overlooked as suitable materials for machine components, they are now a standard feature in food and beverage processing equipment. But their potential has by no means been exhausted. igus supplies energy chains based on hygienic design guidelines and wear resistant plain bearing components for a wide range of applications.

3rd April 2020

Pilz works with machine builder to implement new safety concept

German company Herbst was working on the delivery of a specialist horizontal mixing machine when some of the fundamental framework conditions changed close to the delivery date - meaning that the safety concept for the machine had to be adapted as quickly as possible. Within a few days, Pilz worked with Herbst to incorporate the PSENmlock safety gate system, which met the new requirements.

24th January 2020

Robot applies labels accurately to strapping instead of pallets

Canned drinks are big business worldwide and the numbers involved are staggering. For example, just one of the better-known soft drink brands claims to sell 1.9 billion cans every day across the globe, and around 2.5 billion are produced annually in the UK alone. In the manufacturing and supply chain, getting the cans to the consumer makes use of proven processes that have evolved over time and which are constantly being refined as user demand and legislation changes.

24th January 2020

Hub drives - the next step for modular robots

Philip Norman, from Ross Robotics, has made his modular robots even more modular by utilising maxon motors and gearboxes. Ross Robotics specialises in remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) that are modular. The robots are designed to be made from generic parts to build robots small, medium and large. Tools and sensors are modular too and can be plugged on to suit the application. One robot can then perform different functions, which is highly unusual in the robotic world.

22nd January 2020

EMKA hygiene locks specified for food processing equipment

Appearance and preference are crucial factors in the food industry. However, in order to produce the right product, state-of-the-art machinery and a sterile working environment are critical. And there is no reason why hygiene and modern design cannot go hand in hand, as EMKA and the renowned food machinery manufacturer Seydelmann from Aalen, Germany recently have proven. EMKA will equip eight types of Seydelmann machines with quarter-turn latches and locks.

3rd January 2020

maxon DC motors combined with 3D printing in bionic hand

For 21 years, Danny Florence has lived with one hand. But when he became a father, he decided to apply for an Open Bionics Hero Arm. With the help of the maxon driven prosthesis he can now build a strong bond with his son.

6th December 2019

Lubrication units improve reliability for cereal manufacturer

The introduction of NSK linear guides with K1 lubrication units has helped a cereal manufacturer overcome contamination issues on its bagging machines, a move that is saving the company almost €65,000 a year.

4th December 2019

Retrofitted control heads extend life of 200 process valves

Investing in high-quality process control valves have several operational advantages, including an extended service life. However, when just the valve actuators reach the end of their service life, the options can be limited, especially when the OEM parts are obsolete. Fortunately for a UK-based malt processer Bürkert has been able to provide a cost-effective retrofit solution for 200 third-party valves, upgrading them with Bürkert Type 8691 control heads to keep the full complement operational for years to come.

20th November 2019

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