The ConProSachet system has a uniquely designed co-extrusion head that produces a thin alginate casing around the product. Circulating dividing elements then compress the filled flow pack, separating it into a chain of individual pods for separation into individual portions. The seal is a few-tenths of a millimetre thick.

According to Rafal Rusiniak, sales manager, “This technology opens new doors and the creative uses for these no-leak edible sachets for snacks, treats and quick energy bursts when on the run holds great potential for innovative processors in search of a more environmentally friendly product line.”

The Handtmann Sachet System was developed in cooperation with Notpla, a U.K.-based material company.

The X2 Series offers both in-line and at end-of-line inspection. At the heart of the design is a new product inspection chamber and a modular mechanical design.

The X2 Series consists of two models – the X12 and X32. Both are available in multiple configurations of 800, 1300, 1800 and 2000 mm line lengths.

“We are hoping to change the mindsets of all food manufacturers with our new X2 Series that they can now install a high-end x-ray inspection solution at an affordable price point for all,” said Mike Pipe, head of global sales and product management, Mettler-Toledo Safeline X-ray. “By utilising global service hubs and reducing spare parts, we are confident we have created an innovative solution that is easy to install, environmentally more sustainable and suitable for any budget. With a current 14-day lead time, we can work with manufacturers to install one of our new X2 Series x-ray systems quickly and efficiently, helping them to increase product quality and protect their brand reputation”.

The latest features concern both sensor and transmitter technology.

The Heartbeat Technology build-up index allows users to monitor potentially disruptive build-up in the measuring tube so they can schedule preventive maintenance.

A new conductivity calibration option provides an additional measurement parameter to improve process efficiency.

“We are delighted to bring Nobac label applicators and linerless labels to the Canadian market through our partnership with Ravenwood Packaging. The linerless label technology offers tremendous benefits for a broad range of applications, providing efficient labeling solutions while reducing waste and improving sustainability efforts,” said John Ashby, president of Crawford Packaging.

When developing this oven, the research and development teams worked around three major concerns of ease of cleaning the inside and outside of the oven; baking precision; and energy efficiency and yield.

Made of all stainless-steel materials, M-DAN’s interior design and waterproof body allow for the drainage of wastewater. Operators have complete access to all areas of dirt buildup without having to disassemble elements. The oven is also equipped with automatic rotating brushes for cleaning belts and low drawers for recovery of solid residues after baking.

With  three combinations of heat transfer modes, the M-DAN Oven offers the flexibility required to meet the demand for a variety of products. The oven’s modular construction offers compact and independent heating zones so that the user can make adjustments to heat flows (by convection and/or radiation), heating intensity, and airspeed.

The M-DAN Oven offers a baking surface of up to 230m².

“Our new M-DAN Oven meets the challenges of flexibility and energy efficiency while being particularly easy to operate and clean. Its high level of cleanliness is undoubtedly a major asset, achieving compliance with the strictest sanitary standards without wasting time on tedious cleaning operations,” explains Xavier Gotti, oven product manager at Mecatherm.

 This initiative is the first-of-its-kind at Sysco and was selected by an innovation council representing a dozen countries. The three-phased launch begins with Sysco’s businesses in the Bahamas, Panama, Canada (re-launch following an initial launch in January), as well as International Food Group, Sysco’s export business, which will ship to South America. In the following months, Sysco will distribute pods to Ireland, France, Sweden, Mexico, Costa Rica, and the U.K. via Brakes. Operators should place orders through their local Sysco representative or online at www.shop.sysco.com.

 “The Sysco Classic Frying Pod provides solutions to help commercial kitchens address inflation and supply challenges in the global edible oil market,” said Collin Williams, director of international merchandising, Sysco. “Sysco is proud to support the growth of this plant-based technology that helps to mitigate waste, while also saving operators time, money, and labour.”

When cleaning plants, bottles and kegs, Teqwave H also monitors different concentrations and it supports precise dosing of cleaning agents. If the cleaning agent needs to be changed, this can be done without recalibration.

Teqwave H has been especially developed for such hygienic applications. A particularly noteworthy feature, in addition to the stainless-steel measuring tube, is its full-bore design. With no protruding parts, there are no places inside the measuring tube where material can accumulate. Another benefit is that there is no pressure loss, making it possible to save on energy costs.

Teqwave H can measure different concentrations at the same time using only one sensor, another potential cost saver for operators.

Users can get the most out of Optyma Cooler with the Coolselector2 app that allows for easy optimization with other Danfoss walk-in products, such as Optyma outdoor and indoor condensing units and electronic room controllers.

“The Optyma Cooler is manufactured to the highest worldwide quality standard, based on decades of design and development experience,” said Douglas Custodio, Optyma Cooler product manager. “Its compact and powerful design provides maximum performance to ensure efficient and reliable operation.”

The All-in-One series combines multiple inspection controls into single machines to meet different quality requirements, such as regulatory compliance; container integrity; detecting micro leaks and contaminants; weight control; and verifying labelling and other information (e.g. expiration date, lot code). It balances the need for multiple in-line controls with space optimization and production organization.

“All-in-One is a revolutionary approach to in-line quality control in food,” said Matteo Bandini, food and packaging director, Antares Vision Group Food. “Now, a single machine contains all the quality controls necessary to satisfy the safety and quality demands of all supply chain stakeholders, from production and distribution to the end-user. From now on, our customers will only have to think about which inspections they need to ensure quality and safety for the consumer — not how many machines they have to buy. Antares Vision Group’s All-in-One series does everything”.

The X34C x-ray inspection system is based on three key design principles of compactness, high-speed and precision. The system has a footprint of just 700 mm in length, which includes an integrated reject. The X34C can operate at 120 metres per minute. The optimized focal distance of the 0.4 mm diode detector and 100W Optimum Power Generator maximizes the probability of detecting small contaminants and helps to reduce the false reject rate.

“We are expecting that manufacturers of small confectionery products and snacks will love the high-speed inspection that the compact X34C gives them, as improved detection sensitivity allows the technology to inspect and reject single bars at fast speeds straight after they exit the flow-wrapper. This not only reduces waste, but also enables the manufacturer to maintain high levels of productivity at this critical point of the production line,” said Mike Pipe, head of global sales and product management, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection.

Memosens 2.0 technology is suitable for all industries where liquid analysis is required. It is backwards-compatible and can be integrated into existing systems.

Memosens 2.0 sensors store numerous data such as operating hours, minimum and maximum temperatures and measured values, calibration histories and load matrices. This data can be used and processed for comprehensive analysis and more precise process management.

Memosens 2.0 also offers error-free flexibility for measuring points in hazardous areas, since all Ex-rated sensors can be connected to all Endress+Hauser transmitters with the respective approval.

“Expectations for the packaging industry are changing, so we’re working with new substrates to create material alternatives that meet the needs of our customers and their consumers,” said Chuck Gallagher, vice-president of business development, Dolco Packaging.

Foam polypropylene is FDA approved for direct food contact. It is also a drop-in replacement for common foam polystyrene trays, so there is no need for businesses to take on the extra work or cost required to retool packing equipment.

“Due to the material’s efficiency, we believe foam polypropylene will be a valuable competitive solution when compared to other tray alternatives, allowing brands and retailers to meet their business goals,” said Gallagher.

As products are cooled while they are conveyed, the processing timers are expected to be shorter than usual. Further, treated and untreated municipal water sources, or water from elsewhere within the plant, can be used as the cooling fluid.

The ThermoLuxme can convey and cool up to 1,100 cf of hot food products per hour, such as high-fat content organic powders and mixes, roasted nuts and snacks, pet food kibble and pre-cooked potato cubes/foods.

Navam Jagan, president of Luxme International, said, “With a cooling differential of 390 F while conveying product, the ThermoLuxme is designed to save food producers money and floorspace by eliminating the need for an additional cooler or chiller station. It also keeps the work area, and therefore the workforce, safe and free from dust.”

Mounted on casters for in-plant mobility, the Bulk-Out BFF Series discharger frame features four adjustable extension posts to accommodate bulk bags, 36 to 84 in. tall. The removable bag-lifting frame with z-clip strap holders allows bulk bags to be attached at ground level, then forklifted into receiving cups atop the discharger frame.

The bulk bag/hopper interface comprises a manual Spout-Lock clamp ring for high-integrity bag spout connections, and a pneumatically-actuated Tele-Tube, a telescoping tube that exerts continuous downward tension on the clamp ring and bag spout as the bag empties and elongates, promoting flow and evacuation.

Additional flow is afforded by Flow-Flexer bag activators that raise and lower opposite bottom sides of the bag at timed intervals into a steep “V” shape, promoting total discharge with no manual intervention.

The system is also offered in all-stainless construction to food, dairy, pharmaceutical and industrial standards, and in carbon steel with durable industrial coatings.

Developed to streamline powder processing, the Universal Feeder Controller automatically controls weighing, dosing and feeding from up to four different feeders simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate controllers for each feeder.

The new feeder control system operates in gravimetric and volumetric feeding applications in both batch and continuous processes and may be setup to manage these different applications at the same time from a single HMI. Access, monitoring and adjustments may be performed onsite or via remote operation.

The specific additions to the company’s already extensive ISO-accredited coverage of calibration needs are:
• conductivity from 100 uS/cm to 200,000 uS/cm;
• pH calibrations from 1 pH to 14 pH;
• pressure calibration range increased to 1,500 PSIG; and
• flow capabilities increased to 1,000 L/min ; 1,000 Kg/min.

Further enhancements to Endress+Hauser’s calibration offerings are planned. For one, the new 47,000-sf Endress+Hauser Canada’s Customer Experience Centre in Burlington, Ont., which is scheduled to open later this year, will feature a calibration laboratory with tooling equipment.

Mounted on a mobile frame with locking casters and a fold-down step, the Bag Dump Station is secured to the floor hopper with quick-release clamps, and features a gasketed bag disposal chute through the side wall of the hopper hood, allowing the operator to pass empty bags directly into the bag compactor.

Dust generated from both dumping and compaction is drawn onto the system’s two cartridge filters. An automatic reverse-pulse filter cleaning system releases short blasts of compressed air inside the filters at timed intervals. This causes any dust built up on the outer surfaces to fall into the hopper, conserving useable product. Filters are readily accessed by removing the interior baffle, and replaced using quick-disconnect fittings.

The compactor employs a pneumatic air cylinder to compress 50 to 80 empty bags into a removable bin lined with a plastic waste bag for dust-free tie-off and disposal. The main door, and a flapper door within the bag infeed chute, are equipped with safety interlocks that prevent operation of the compactor unless both doors are closed.

The hopper discharges into an enclosed, 15-ft flexible screw conveyor that handles a broad range of materials including free- and non-free-flowing bulk solids ranging from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including products that pack, cake, seize, smear, fluidize or crumble, with no separation of blended products. The flexible screw is the only moving part contacting material, and is driven by an electric motor beyond the point at which material is discharged, preventing material contact with seals.

The Bag Dump Station, support boom and conveyor assembly can be tilted down to manoeuver through standard doorways and aisles, and around corners for use anywhere in the plant.

The entire unit can be rolled to a cleaning station where a lower clean-out cap on the conveyor tube can be removed to flush the smooth interior surfaces with steam, water or cleaning solutions, or to fully remove the flexible screw for cleaning and inspection.

The system is available in carbon steel with durable industrial coating, with stainless steel material contact surfaces, or in all-stainless steel finished to industrial, food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards.

“Since its introduction six years ago, VeryX has earned a reputation as the most advanced sorting technology for the food processing industry and has achieved tremendous market success. Over that time, our focus on continuous improvement has led the VeryX family to evolve. Now, VeryX 2.0 presents the next step up in sort performance and process value,” said Carson Brennan, president of Key Technology. “Driven by consumers that demand products of consistently high quality, the food processing industry is working to satisfy more stringent standards while improving profitability. VeryX 2.0 addresses these competing challenges.”

The IndiScope solution features a pre-calibrated instrument with pre-defined methods, built-in software for easy integration with other systems and PerkinElmer consumables.

With the IndiScope solution, milk collection stations can quickly and easily test milk’s composition for fat and protein levels and detect adulterants such as water, maltodextrin and urea. Results are delivered in under 30 seconds.

The solution’s workflow meets ISO, IDF and AOAC guidance for testing repeatability and data can be saved via built-in USB ports or exported to a PC.

“Global consumers are increasingly demanding higher quality, purer dairy products and, in turn, regulators around the world are working to improve the quality and safety of the milk supply chain,” said Greg Sears, VP and GM of food at PerkinElmer. “Having easy to use, affordable and powerful testing technologies that start earlier in the milk and dairy product cycle will help. That’s what the IndiScope solution is all about.”

The modular system includes braced frames which can be bolted to the floor, 48 si. (1220 mm²) deck sections and stairways with elevations up to 96 in. (2.4 m).

Upper grab rails and mid-height rails bolted to stairway stringers and deck perimeters, together with auto-closing hinged safety gates and anti-slip grating on treads and decks, maximize personnel security.

Modularity allows stacking of frames to attain high elevations, and joining of decks in 48-si. (1220-mm²) increments to create elevated walkways and extended mezzanine areas in shapes conforming to equipment configurations and plant layouts.

Control panels can be mounted to the braced frame, allowing operation of equipment at various elevations.

The Raptor checkweighing series has been engineered to counteract wasteful and costly product giveaway. It also targets operational inefficiencies, including upstream product giveaway and packaging waste.

At Pack Expo Las Vegas, Fortress is unveiling two Raptor systems – a single frame standalone checkweigher and an XL caseweighing system for ingredient and bulk applications up to 25 kg. A heavy-duty 50-kg version is also available. Operating as a standalone product feed and packing weighing unit, the Raptor Checkweigher’s modular electronics suite allows for full integration with a Fortress metal detector.

Company founder and president Steve Gidman said, “Using Raptor’s digital data capture feature, manufacturers can pinpoint upstream operational deficiencies, including overfilling of packs, processing and packaging waste.”

The standard Raptor Checkweigher can weigh anything from 200 lightweight packs and chilled convenience meals in motion, up to a maximum of 8 kg.

A large touchscreen enables food safety operatives to customize statistical information bringing the most relevant parameters to their operation to the foreground. Ranging from net weight and average weight to product giveaway, operators simply pick their preference for the home screen. Graphs and visual prompts help to flag and respond to critical trends.

“The packaged food market has shifted irrevocably over the past year, with consumers switching up their package size preferences and their favourite format to suit changing lifestyles. This fluctuating demand is directly affecting manufacturers’ packaging lines, with more focus than ever on optimizing efficiencies and increasing production uptime. Since the start of the pandemic, we have taken even more time to connect with our customers, to seek out answers to their challenges and help open up further opportunities,” said Teri Johnson, vice-president–North America, Tna Solutions.

Show visitors will also be able to explore the benefits of the Tna Intelli-flav OMS 5.1 on-machine seasoning system. Offering producers the potential for a more recipe-focused approach to flavouring, the hygienically designed solution is capable of handling powder flavourings and liquid oil together in a single drum.

Offered as an option, the mobile Batch-Weigh system was developed to enable powder processors to safely and easily roll the screw conveying system from one tank, vessel, mixer, hopper, or other location to another, or from one processing line to another, without investing in multiple powder conveying systems. The clever conveyor may be used to automatically transfer, weigh and dispense precise amounts of powders, pellets, flakes and other bulk materials, and then quickly cleaned and rolled to the next location.

Suitable for movement and operation in any sanitary, hazardous and non-hazardous production environment, the mobile Batch-Weigh system sets the company’s fully automated weighing and batching system on a rugged, steel frame atop non-marking casters. The self-contained powder conveyor integrates the company’s screw conveyor with companion in-feed hopper, weigh hopper, load cells, pneumatic slide gate, proprietary drive, and PLC-based controls.

Automating data collation and testing procedures, Fortress Technology’s communication adapter technologies can help reduce the margin for human error.

For food producers with existing data extraction and factory management software, the adapter platforms provide a “seamless connection and communication aligned to industry standard protocols.”

Presenting information extracted from Fortress Stealth and Interceptor metal detectors, both adapter tools pull real-time granular data into each customer’s internal reporting system.

Mounted on locking casters, the Bulk-Out BFF Series discharger has four adjustable extension posts to accommodate bulk bags of 36 to 84-in. tall. The removable bag-lifting frame with z-clip strap holders allows bulk bags to be attached at ground level, then forklifted into receiving cups on the discharger frame.

A spout-lock clamp ring atop a pneumatically-actuated telescoping tube secures the clean side of bag spout to the clean side of the equipment, and exerts continuous downward tension on the bag as it empties and elongates, promoting flow and evacuation. A vent port with filter sock contains dust.

The entire unit can be rolled to a cleaning station. The system is available in carbon steel with industrial coating and stainless steel material contact surfaces, or in all-stainless steel finished to industrial, food, dairy or pharmaceutical standards.

R-CAM 2 is a robotic sleeve magazine that consists of two parts: a pallet magazine and an unpacking station, with the former offering space for two industrial pallets. SIG’s latest sleeve magazine is designed to automatically remove shipping boxes from the pallet, open them, and then load the filling machine with carton sleeves. This allows customers to operate an end-to-end filling line with one operator.

Stefan Mergel, senior product manager-equipment at SIG said, “With this next-generation sleeve magazine, SIG created a highly robust, stable and reliable solution that is designed to cater to all filling machines in our current machine portfolio, making it a key component in building the fully automated filling lines of the future – and helping manufacturers save time and costs in the process.”

R-CAM 2 is also loaded with other time-saving features: from being able to run continuously for up to 2.5 hours without the need to change a pallet to an ability to compress and pack empty shipping boxes.

The Festo CRD cylinder has a stainless-steel outer body, and is shaped like a bell. These cylinders are lubricated with biodegradable NSF-H1 food-safe grease that meets FDA 21 CFT 172.878 regulations.

The CRD is available in four bore sizes, with forces ranging from 3,016 N to 18,850 N at 6 bar.

To further enhance control, Festo offers the VTEM piezo operated directional valves to synchronize large banks of cylinders in automated systems.

For environments experiencing intensive cleaning, Festo also offers CRD with a dry-running seal option for optimum operation even when harsh washdowns have dissolved cylinder lubricant.

Waste product is easily sucked through the hose and into the containment caddy. Then one simply wheels the sealed caddy over to the used oil containment tank and pumps the collected grease out of the caddy and into the tank using the same hose attachment.

“Fats, oils and greases are among the main offenders in creating potentially unsafe and unsanitary conditions in kitchens,” said Giovanni Brienza, Frontline senior vice-president. “Frontline understands that, for kitchens to be truly safe, smart, and sustainable, you can’t discriminate between fats, oils and greases. [The] Direct Plumb Oven System is another tool operators can use to handle these waste products holistically.”

The 3M Environmental Scrub Sampler is an environmental microbial sampling device used to collect samples from surfaces within food processing environments. The product is designed with acrylic scrub dot technology to disrupt biofilm and enhance sample collection. It comes with or without a stick to access hard-to-reach spaces and is hydrated with proprietary 3M wide spectrum neutralizer for neutralization of sanitizers commonly used in the food industry.

“Sample collection is an integral part of all proactive environmental monitoring strategies, so we designed and validated a sampling solution that effectively neutralizes a wide range of sanitizing agents commonly found in the food industry to support our customers’ sampling and testing strategies,” said Elliott Zell, 3M Food Safety global new product marketing manager.

Designed to control combustible dust and support worker safety, the ergonomic sanitary sack tipping station enables powders and other bulk solids in bags, sacks, totes and bins to be safely emptied and transferred into storage or into the process without allowing fine particles into the work environment.

The sanitary sack tipping station integrates with pneumatic conveying systems, sifters, mixers, lump breakers and other equipment.

Water Flow Intelligence enables food and beverage producers to identify opportunities that help improve water management across their operations, deliver on sustainability goals and reduce operational costs by combining smart water meters and sensors with advanced water flow measurement and monitoring, asset performance insights and machine learning.

“Water Flow Intelligence uses cutting-edge digital technologies to enable real-time insights and response,” said Pedro Sancha, general manager of Ecolab’s Industrial Digital business. “By gaining visibility to water use across their organizations, companies can optimize their operations and make real progress on their water-related sustainability goals, from the enterprise level to individual facilities.”

With the Interceptor metal detector, ARM processing enables a machine to run real-time analysis of a low-frequency and a high-frequency signal in parallel. This allows food producers to inspect wet or conductive products and identify the product effect.

Fortress is also utilizing the microchip power to improve the detection of thin flat metal flakes in high-value, low-profile foods. Using multiple coil sets to instantaneously drive the electromagnetic fields in different directions, the Interceptor DF scans and looks for signals over a broad spectrum. The stronger disturbance from one field compensates for the weaker signal from another.