Efficiency for convenience food processes

Two customized spray lubrication systems ensure clean release agent application on two baking lines of a major food manufacturer. The customized systems are also low-maintenance and space-saving.

Two customized spray lubrication systems ensure clean release agent application on two baking lines of a major food manufacturer. The customized systems are also low-maintenance and space-saving. Supplying high-quality products - at an appealing price and also with a high degree of flexibility - these are the requirements that convenience food suppliers face. One of the leading suppliers in this market is apetito convenience in Hilter. The company specializes in consumer-friendly frozen meals for food retailers, system catering and home service. The company continuously invests in its production facilities to maintain quality and strengthen its market position. "This includes not only new products, but also recipe changes through our product development," says project manager Felix Deibert. At the same time, the food manufacturer is taking its social and environmental responsibilities seriously and improving its production from a sustainability perspective. Only recently, it implemented a process optimization measure taking into account the aforementioned aspects. The object: the pancake lines and the oiling system used here.

Compressed air-free application of release agent

The problem: The previously existing oiling system caused heavy mist formation or overspray. "During the metering process, the old nozzles of the compressed air system extremely fogged the immediate surroundings with the vegetable grease used," reports Deibert. This grease mist therefore had to be permanently extracted via a system and the exhaust air cleaned before it could escape into the ambient air via the roof. "The extracted oil is no longer available to the process -that costs money," says Deibert. However, this fogging not only resulted in a loss of vegetable oil, it also put a strain on the exhaust air filters of the extraction system. In addition, the machine was permanently installed, which made it difficult to maintain and clean. The key requirements for the new oiling system were therefore clearly defined: a low-mist and precise spray pattern, compact design, improved serviceability and ease of cleaning. The project was awarded to thermal management and fluid specialist technotrans, which developed a special design based on its spray.xact series. The use of compressed air-free, high-frequency valves in the technotrans solution prevents the formation of mist and achieves a particularly fine, homogeneous spray pattern on the baking pans. The intelligent valves ensure optimum viscosity of the release agent to be applied by means of temperature control. Above all, the spray valves developed by technotrans give the food manufacturer a decisive advantage. Based on electrical pulses, they operate without compressed air, thus saving the cost-intensive compressed air. At the same time, the system meters evenly and sparingly, thus avoiding media loss. The resulting much more precise and finer oil application compared with the old solution also has a positive effect on the amount of vegetable oil used: Approximately 0.53 grams of release agent are applied per ladle, which adds up to around five kilograms in one coat. "With the new solution, we achieve a release agent saving of around 15 percent compared with our previous machine. Calculated over the entire year, this noticeably reduces costs," says Deibert.

Space-saving solution

The special feature of the technotrans solution is also the fact that it is a space-saving customized solution. There is a transport area in the immediate vicinity of the furnaces, so there is little space available for an oiling system. This called for a special solution, as Reinhard Skricek, Sales Manager at technotrans and responsible for the project, describes: "While the slim spray bar with its nozzle bar is located above the baking molds, the entire periphery of the system, including a special lowered stainless steel tank, is mounted on a trolley that is moved under the base of the machine. On the machine wall itself, only the operating display and the control cabinet for the electrical equipment are visible." The level-monitored tank can be filled from the side via a hopper without having to move the trolley for this purpose. "Our solution is designed to be as space-saving as possible," says Skricek

Easy maintenance in the process

Because employees are not exposed to the spray media due to the elimination of the mist, spray.xact food also increases health protection in production. In addition, contamination of the system is effectively prevented, resulting in longer maintenance and cleaning intervals. The mobile trolley, including the nozzle bar, can be removed from the machine in just a few steps and can be reintroduced into the baking line once the cleaning process is complete. Locking devices ensure that it is always exactly in the intended position. "The display is additionally protected from water jets from high-pressure cleaners by a stainless steel housing, and all components requiring maintenance are easily accessible," says Skricek. By way of comparison, the old, permanently installed system had, among other things, a necessary travel mechanism to move back and forth between two rows of baking molds for release agent application due to the use of compressed air. Food-compliant cleaning and regular maintenance were therefore much more difficult. Deibert emphasizes the importance of these advantages in practice: "Easy maintenance during the running process was very important to us - and technotrans has implemented this. For example, we can carry out the replacement of a nozzle without shutting down the furnace." Deibert also draws a positive conclusion regarding the cooperation with technotrans. Due to the geographical proximity, communication and support were very intensive and uncomplicated: "We always had the feeling that we were in good hands." The Sassenberg-based company also demonstrated a high degree of project flexibility and was able to meet all the requirements in a targeted manner.

technotrans SE
www.technotrans.de