With the slogan of intelligent manufacturing and flexible production, the food machinery industry is constantly improving itself. In the past year, many high-specification food machinery products have emerged. Foreign websites have selected five new food machinery products: ice cream extrusion production lines, high-performance PET bottle packaging machines, dealcoholization modules, integrated lines for immediate sales, and intelligent customized modular heating systems. In the field of liquid beverage production and packaging, they all have outstanding performance advantages.
With the advancement of Industry 4.0, the food machinery industry has started a new industrial revolution. Intelligent has become the innovation direction of food machinery.
Last year, a series of high-specification food machinery has been launched around the world, helping food manufacturers improve rates and other companies. The following five new mechanical products were selected by foreign websites.
1, Tetra Pak: ice cream extrusion line
In September last year, Tetra Pak launched a new ice cream extrusion line to provide "product quality" for medium-volume producers. The machine allows ice cream makers to switch between multiple products on the same production line, such as sandwiches, cones, planet cups, lump sugar, or cakes. The new line uses an independently controlled horizontal cutter to eject ice cream from the extruder. This technology means that the cutting speed is always fast, regardless of the line speed, "ensures a clean cut even at low productivity".
2, KHS: High-performance PET bottle packaging machine
The primary molding and filling plastic bottle production line of packaging manufacturer KHS does not rely on injecting sterile air to expand PET preforms, but directly injects liquid contents by the machine.
In the traditional processing of plastic containers, the machine needs to heat the preform according to the required temperature profile, and then press the product to be filled into the PET preform under a controlled volume flow pressure.
As opposed to compressed air, bottles are formed from the product to be filled. In this process, the preform material is automatically distributed along the inner contour of the container shape. The stretching rod is aligned with the bottle longitudinally and automatically retracts from the container after filling. When the displacement is removed, the lid reaches a given filling level before being placed on the neck.
This new packaging machine reduces the total amount of space required by eliminating the entire functional module and smaller diameter rotating machinery. In the current test environment of 40,000 bottles per hour, the packaging machine requires only 25% of the installation space of a standard stretch blow molding machine / filler.
At the same time, users will improve the rate in terms of time, energy and maintenance. Since traditional stretch blow molding is no longer needed, it can fill PET containers more quickly. Molding and filling takes approximately the same time as previous separate stretch blow molding processes. It also cuts maintenance costs by using fewer and formatted parts.
3. Alfa Laval: dealcoholization module
At Drinktec 2017, Alfa Laval demonstrated its dealcoholization module, which can produce beer with an alcohol content of less than 0.5%. The module first degassed the beer, returned the condensable volatiles to the beer stream, and then removed the alcohol using steam flowing upwards in a dedicated stripper. The alcohol leaves as a vapor, condenses and is collected. According to Alfa Laval, this is a "fully automated, energy-saving" module that uses the peeling principle and pressure "especially effective at low temperatures" to reduce operating costs and thus provide a reliable one-way way to remove alcohol.
4. Sidel: One line for instant sales
Packaging maker Sidel has introduced the Super Combi integrated line, an integrated system for the production of water and carbonated soft drinks, offering products for immediate sale. At Drinktec 2017, the machine was called the "next generation" solution and had five process steps: preformer, blower, labeler, filler / capper and capper. To ensure more sustainable production, Super Combi is designed to minimize the use of resources. Sidel stated that power consumption was reduced by up to 45% and preform heating time was reduced by up to 15%.
5. Tetra Pak: Smart Customized Modular Heating System
Tetra Pak has also introduced a modular heating system called Intelligent Customization, which is said to provide tailor-made processing solutions for food and beverage manufacturers. Modules based on company dairy, beverage and food processing technologies can be combined into a variety of configurations. Solutions can be upgraded to support customers' product expansion from milk and cream, to granular beverages, from baby food to a wider range of prepared foods. Tetra Pak has completed trials of new modular product portfolios with customers in Europe and Russia.
