Page 38 - Packaging News Magazine May-June 2018

38 PRODUCT WATCH
www.packagingnews.com.au May-June 2018
Multi-aperture metal detector
FORTRESS Technology has designed a multi-aperture, multi-lane metal detector range for food manufacturers and packers.
In just one system, the multi-aperture unit is said to improve total cost-of-ownership by over 65 per cent in the longer term.
A single metal detector is mounted across multiple food packing and processing conveyor lines, and the unit is divided into individual apertures. Since each aperture is smaller, the machine can detect metal fragments as small as 0.8 mm ferrous, 0.8 mm non-ferrous and 1.2 mm stainless steel, regardless of the number of lanes travelling through the unit. In addition, the smaller aperture copes better with orientation and product effect, according to Fortress Technology.
Consolidating the technology into one unit spanning multiple lanes, as opposed to individual metal detectors, also cuts the equipment footprint by over 50 per cent and optimises factory floor space. The unit is said to reduce initial capital investment costs by up to 40 per cent when compared to the purchase of individual metal detectors.
W: www.diverseco.com.au
Segmented transfer plates with protection
FLEXCO has introduced new segmented transfer plates to prevent product and foreign object debris from jamming in the point of transfer, minimising product and conveyor belt damage, increasing efficiency, and eliminating downtime.
The plates, which come in options from 3.8cm to 7.6cm gaps between conveyor belts, are an extension of the company’s Segmented Transfer Plate line that allow it to be installed into narrower gaps.
Flexco Segmented Transfer Plates are designed to cover the gap between conveyors that are positioned belt-to-belt, belt-to-chute, belt-to-roller and for power turns.
Available for belt widths up to 1500 mm, the transfer plates protect packages and other products from damage, while preventing belt tears and other damage from lodged foreign objects.
“The individual
segments of the Segment-
ed Transfer Plate are designed to release under extreme pressure in the rare instance when a product momen- tarily lodges between the belt and the segment,” Flexco’s light-duty product manager Laurie Shorten says.
“A single segment section releases,
but the remaining segment pieces remain intact and continue to protect the operational efficiencies of your customers.”
W: www.flexco.com
Krones’ winning HMI design
A HUMAN-machine interface designed by German packaging manufacturer Krones has been recognised with an iF Design Award.
Krones Connected HMI came out on top in the communication design category of the awards, which cover product, packaging, communication, and service design.
HMI – the Human-Machine Interface – is the link between the human operator and the machine, and ensures that both sides can communi- cate with each other quickly without any difficulty.
The HMI’s housing has been tailored to requirements in the beverage industry, and a combination of stainless steel and glass ensures it meets Krones’ stipulations for hygienic design.
The HMI is gaining more prominence as the central point of access to the line’s control system, especially with the advancement of automation and digitalisation. A navigational structure allows the user
to customise the screen’s contents by setting up dashboards to suit a customer’s own particular needs, and the large multi-touch display ensures user-friendly operator control. With open, standardised data interfaces, the HMI links up with higher-order IT systems such as MES or Share2Act.
Heat and Control and Ishida join up
ISHIDA and Heat and Control have joined forces to offer a single supplier solution in end-to-end processing and packaging.
Ishida, which specialises in multihead weighers, and Heat and Control, which offers food processing and packaging systems, have enjoyed a long-standing collaborative relationship, and this extension of it will help deliver maximum efficiencies and through- put, according to Ishida Europe managing director Dave Tiso.
Heat and Control president Tony Caridis said the partnership would allow the companies to provide a one-stop solution which combines technical and service resources.
W: www.krones.com
W: www.HCISnackSolutions.com