For a few years now, Spot—the agile, mobile robot—has been surveying show floors at Automate, CES and Promat. Last year, Boston Dynamics presented a slew of additional technologies at IMTS 2024, showcasing robotic innovations key to scaling autonomous industrial inspection for components such as bearings, motors, pumps, gearboxes and conveyor systems.
With over 20 years’ experience in the food processing industry, Mike Mitchell has filled many roles in his career. Now, as the key accounts manager for Middleby Food Processing brand, MP Equipment, Mitchell has been pivotal in advancing food technology. He understands the demands of frequent, late-night repairs on first generation equipment.
Productivity and efficiency are paramount in the highly competitive snack food production industry. JD Manufacturing, Inc (JDM) in Pine Bluffs, WY, stands out as a leader with its high-performance automatic batch fryers, which are engineered specifically for kettle chip production. The batch frying process imparts kettle chips, whether made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, or beets, with their distinctive premium texture and taste.
Siemens Digital Industries Software has collaborated with FoodChain ID to bring world-class food supply chain compliance and regulatory information to the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software - enabling the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry to maintain product quality while managing the complexity of regional compliance.
There’s a delicate balance in the constant evolution of today’s assembly line. Once dominated by hydraulics, manufacturing floors are incorporating a growing number of electromechanical solutions to supplement legacy hydraulic components, particularly in lower force, linear motion applications. Manufacturers that recognize this trend and harness the benefits of both hydraulic and electromechanical solutions position themselves to optimize future operations, regardless of market trend demands.
Wintriss Controls Group has added flexible and affordable purchase options for ShopFloorConnect OEE, Production Tracking, and Data Collection software, which allows users to quickly and easily leverage data from their machines. ShopFloorConnect is an on-premises software solution that provides timely, accurate, and unbiased data directly from the shop floor for making informed management decisions. Wintriss received a positive response when it debuted the new start-up purchase packages and options at Fabtech 2024. It will also be presenting the packages at Pack Expo 2024, Booth # LU-8431 McCormick Place, Chicago Illinois from November 3 – 6 this year.
The applications are too numerous to list in their entirety. Coffee grounds. Eggshell waste. Pomegranates and pineapples. Manure and paper mill sludge. Tobacco. These are just a few of the materials that require dewatering, a process that—as its name suggests—separates fluids from solids, often converting what would otherwise go down the drain or end up in a landfill into saleable products.
Recently I’ve had a number of people tell me how much they enjoy our work here at PTE. While it’s always nice to receive “attaboys,” these recent unsolicited compliments have been both thoughtful and specific, which is especially gratifying because they validate many of the choices we make as publishers.
The increasing cost of food and beverage machinery makes running equipment to failure not just impractical, but potentially devastating to your bottom line. However, there are solutions that can lead to significant savings, and an often overlooked one is implementing an effective lubrication program. A well-structured program delivers a trifecta of benefits: reduced downtime, a cleaner and safer work environment, and easier compliance with the stringent regulations of the food processing industry.
The family of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is facing intense scrutiny. A reporting rule will take effect in the United States in 2026, while Europe has actually been considering a sweeping, cross-industry ban on these substances since early last year. The implications of such a ban on fluoropolymers would be particularly critical, as a discontinuation of these high-performance materials would drastically impact many industries. But what kinds of challenges would emerge in the search for adequate substitutes? This was the focus of a recent study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials (IWM) in cooperation with materials experts from the Freudenberg Group.
MLC (formerly Mississippi Lime Company) has appointed Blake Dell as vice president for corporate development, strategy and UK operations. Part of the MLC executive leadership team, this is a new role created to escalate the company’s geographic and market expansion.
Fortifi Food Processing Solutions ("Fortifi") has appointed Victor Nieto as executive vice president of lean transformation and growth effective May 1, 2024. Fortifi's unified platform of leading global brands and products transforms food processing and automation solutions.
A dairy-free ice cream manufacturer was facing recurring challenges with their spiral freezer’s chain drive. Issues included excessive wear and chain failure attributed to side-loading and inadequate lubrication.
Ruland has released mountable shaft collars with face holes for applications where the shaft collar needs to be directly mounted to a component such as a pulley, sprocket, or metallic plate. The shaft collars are available with drilled face holes that give the user flexibility in mounting hardware, or tapped holes that match the standard screw threading of the collar for ease of installation.
Boston Gear recently introduced the next generation of its 700 Series Worm Gear Speed Reducer. The SS700 Gen2 stainless steel speed reducer is an evolution of its first-generation series that has served the food and beverage industry for over 10 years.
Bodine Electric Company introduces six new type 56R1-50JW/H stainless-steel hollow shaft gearmotors. These new geared motors combine a stainless-steel AC inverter-duty, 230/460 VAC motor with a stainless-steel hollow shaft gearhead. When used with an AC inverter (VFD) control, these gearmotors deliver variable speed and maintenance free operation over a wide speed range. Ideal for equipment that is subject to intensive cleaning, these new gearmotors also meet EU hygienic standards for food machinery. They are suitable for use in the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical industry, and in permanently wet environments.
Regal Rexnord Corporation introduces its new Rexnord 6997 Series MatTop Chain. The chain offers an innovative new solution for the increasing performance demands of Pasteurizer, Warmer and Cooler tunnel applications.
In several working demonstrations, KUKA Robotics will showcase various innovative automation solutions for specific handling applications during Pack Expo 2023 in booth C-3236 Central Hall.
Regal Rexnord Corporation has launched its new Rexnord 6400 Series KleanTop Plastic Spiral Cage Belts for food manufacturers. The 6400 Series is ideal for customers who want to increase productivity while reducing system costs and food safety risks.
Kurt Hydraulics has introduced a new lineup of stainless-steel couplings for applications ranging from marine hydraulics to food production and medical processes to fertilizer and chemical handling or other tough applications requiring washdowns.
Kollmorgen has announced the launch of its AKMA servomotor built specifically for durability, cleanability, and versatility. The motor employs a hardened anodized aluminum surface to offer machine designers a cost-effective hygienic option to stainless steel in medium- to heavy-washdown applications.
This year, the Hermes Startup Award goes to the Netherlands. The young company MantiSpectra from Eindhoven was awarded the coveted Startup Award for its ChipSense product by the jury.
Gears and gear racks used for transmitting torque and forces within gearboxes are typically made of hardened steel. For many other uses and applications, gears and racks made from plastic are the better choice. These generally require no lubrication and are lighter, quieter, less expensive, and more resistant to corrosion than metal gears. This is why JW Winco is expanding its range with polyamide gears and racks that can transmit high forces and torques.
The first fully automated McDonald's has arrived in Fort Worth, Texas. Here, a conveyor belt serves customers food they order online or using a kiosk machine. The fast-food restaurant has no seats, tables or drive-thru greeters.
Every machine builder knows that they have to meet stringent safety requirements to protect workers from the risk of injury. If they build machines for the EU market, they should know that the European regulatory landscape is more advanced than in most other regions, with newer and more rigorous requirements for safety design and testing.
EU-equivalent safety capabilities are also being adopted by many non-European manufacturers despite the lack of specific in-country regulations. Sooner or later, every machine builder will need to offer functional safety capabilities or be left behind. Let’s look at what that means.
Stainless steel ASK Couplings from Miki Pulley feature a unique “sliced” body structure making them an effective low-cost corrosion resistant solution that can accommodate many types of misalignments. The stainless-steel design makes them ideal for use in food and chemical applications.
Learn about the effect Covid-19 had on the industrial gearbox market and how the industry is predicted to recover.
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