This year there has been a range of high-specification machine launches, helping food manufacturers improve efficiencies and stay one step ahead of the competition. Jules Scully rounds up five of the best.
Tetra Pak’s ice cream extrusion line
In September, Tetra Pak unveiled its new ice cream extrusion line that offers ‘unparalleled product quality’ for medium-capacity producers. The machine allows ice cream producers to switch between multiple products on the same line, such as sticks, sandwiches, cones, wafer cups, candy bars or cakes. The new line uses an independently controlled horizontal cutter to slice ice cream as it emerges from the extruder. This patented technology means the cutting speed stays consistently fast, irrespective of the line speed, ‘ensuring a precise, clean cut even at low rates of production’.
KHS FormFill
Packaging manufacturer KHS presented its FormFill machine that forms and fills plastic bottles. KHS said the FormFill promises great savings potential regarding the system size and use of resources. As in the conventional processing of plastic containers, the machine heats up the preforms according to the required temperature profile. Bottles are formed by the product to be filled as opposed to the compressed air. In this process, the preform material is automatically distributed along the inner contours of the container shape.
Alfa Laval’s De-alcoholization Module
As this Drinktec 2017, Alfa Laval presented its De-alcoholization Module, which produces non-alcohol beer below 0.5% ABV. The module first degasses the beer, returns condensable volatiles back to the beer stream, and then removes alcohol using culinary steam flowing upwards in a special stripping column. The alcohol exits as a vapour, which is condensed and collected. Alfa Laval said it is a ‘fully automated, energy-efficient’ module that gives a reliable single-pass alcohol removal, using a stripping principle that is ‘exceptionally effective at low temperature’ and pressure, lowering operating costs.
Sidel Super Combi
Packaging manufacturer Sidel launched its Super Combi model, an all-in-one system for water and carbonated soft drinks production that delivers ready-to-sell products. Also unveiled at Drinktec 2017, the machine is billed as the ‘next generation’ solution and has five process steps: preform feeder, blower, labeller, filler/capper and cap feeder. In a bid to ensure more sustainable production, the Super Combi has been designed to minimise the use of resources. Sidel said consumption of electrical power is reduced by up to 45% and preform-heating time is lowered by up to 15%. Read more here.
Tetra Pak’s Intelligent Customisation
Tetra Pak also launched a modular portfolio of heating systems called Intelligent Customisation, which is said to offer tailor-made processing solutions for food and beverage manufacturers. The modules, which are based on the company’s technologies in dairy, beverages and prepared food processing, can be combined in a number of configurations. The solutions can be upgraded to support a customer’s product expansion from milk and cream, to beverages with particles, or from baby food to a wider range of prepared food products. Tetra Pak has completed trials of the new modular portfolio with customers in Europe and Russia.
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