Seven Key Products for Improving Food and Beverage Manufacturing Processes

The food and beverage industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in the U.S. economy, accounting for over 4% of the national GDP with an estimated value of $1.5 trillion. But today’s manufacturers are increasingly challenged to satisfy demands for improved safety and sustainability while also complying with stringent regulatory requirements and attempting to account for rising costs.

Thankfully, there are numerous solutions for accessible and economical improvements. Technologies such as sensors, industrial controls, enclosures, PLCs and HMIs, motors and motor controls, pneumatics and fluid controls, and wire and cable help manufacturers capitalize on automation trends that can improve product quality, save time and money, and keep costs down while driving sustainability trends that can reduce energy and food waste costs to bolster competitive edge. 

Sensors

There are several types of sensors that can help manufacturers achieve their food safety, process improvement, and sustainability goals.

Proximity sensors detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact, reducing the complexity of food production zone hygiene and cleanability requirements. Variations suitable for use in damp conditions and a wide range of temperatures are widely available.

Banner Engineering’s Q4X Series sensors ruggedly withstand mechanical impact and vibration damage as well as high-pressure washdowns and reliably detect a wide range of colors, materials, and surfaces.

Pressure sensors measure the pressure of contained liquids or gases and can be used to regulate milk tanks on dairy farms and fermentation tanks in breweries as well as to discharge pressure from diaphragm pumps and sterilization equipment. Due to the stringent safety and sanitation requirements of the food and beverage industry, pressure sensors like the Endress+Hauser Cerabar PMP23 Series must be accurate, reliable, ruggedized to withstand high sterilization temperatures, and designed with no gaps for clean-in-place and sterilization-in-place processes.

Liquid level sensors monitor and help regulate the levels of free-flowing substances, such as liquids, powders, and pastes, within contained spaces, like silos and vats, and they can help manufacturers achieve sustainability goals by saving raw materials, water, energy, and labor. Liquid level sensors like Endress+Hauser’s FMI Series are engineered to provide continuous level and interface measurements for conductive liquids and are made from high-quality non-corrosive materials, including carbon fiber and stainless steel, which makes them suitable for use with aggressive liquids like acids and alkalis.

Other essential types include photoelectric, temperature, vision, and flow sensors. Read our application note to learn more.

Industrial controls encompass all the various devices, systems, and networks used to automate and otherwise manage industrial processes. They include products extending from contactors, counters, timers, and disconnect switches to panel meters, machine guarding and machine safety equipment, specialized automation, level, safety, and temperature controllers, and even robots. These types of products can control the speed of conveyor belts or packaging processes to maximize operational efficiency and automatically shut off machinery to protect against injury or equipment damage.

Industrial control products like Omron Automation’s E5CC Series temperature controllers (pictured here) are quick and easy to set up, which reduces installation costs, and provide precise control performance with a fast sampling period of 50ms, which ensures accurate and responsive control capabilities. Temperature controllers like these measure the temperature of the thermocouple, compare it to the set point, and calculate the amount of time that a heater should run in order to maintain a constant temperature. They are used in applications including industrial ovens and support energy savings and sustainability goals. 

Enclosures

Enclosures are another essential category of food and beverage solutions. These products provide critical protection for the various electronics that comprise industrial control systems, including wires, cables, connectors, fans, and PCBs. Enclosures designed for food and beverage applications are often engineered to withstand high-pressure and -temperature washdowns, resist bacteria growth and chemical absorption, and prevent corrosion resulting from frequent cleaning and sanitizing. Many also have streamlined hygienic designs that prevent fluids from pooling on the enclosure and bacteria from harboring in nooks and crannies.

nVent HOFFMAN’s HyShed Hinge Cover wall-mount enclosures feature a 15° sloped top to prevent fluids or particulates from pooling and maximize back panel space, an easily replaceable FDA-grade silicone gasket that helps resist bacteria growth and chemical absorption, and a streamlined hygienic design that minimizes bacteria harboring catchpoints.

PLCs and HMIs

PLCs are used to control electromechanical processes in automated manufacturing systems. Sensors send PLCs information about system conditions, and PLCs use that sensor data to transmit programmed responses to devices like pumps, heaters, and actuators that can directly affect the automated process. HMIs allow operators to control systems through a display interface that visually represents the process being controlled and can pull up input and output information with a few taps or keystrokes. Both types of devices are integral to upgrading legacy food and beverage manufacturing and packaging systems and can help manufacturers integrate time- and cost-saving and quality-improving digitalization and automation trends.

Red Lion Controls’ CR1000 Series HMIs are designed to train new operators faster, improve system and control comprehension, and reduce downtime during changeovers or troubleshooting processes. In addition, the integrated CR1000 Series software (Crimson 3.1) ensures that equipment stays relevant and connected for years to come.

Motors and motor controls are used throughout food and beverage manufacturing and packaging processes. So, they may need to be watertight and washdown ready depending on the food production zone. Leeson designs and develops a variety of washdown-ready motors, including the 103413.00 Extreme Duck Ultra washdown duty AC motor, which is designed to help avoid downtime and reduce replacement costs in rugged industrial applications. This model features an exterior made of 300-series stainless steel to resist corrosion and robustly withstand high-pressure washdowns and harsh chemicals. It also features a rotatable patent-pending rotatable conduit box and is fully encapsulated inside and out for a robust watertight seal.  

For example, LUTZE SILFLEX multi-conductor control cables meet UL and FDA requirements for food and beverage processing applications and are designed for easy handling and installation, which can help reduce costs. Some can even be used with cable trays without conduit, which can further reduce installation costs. ABB’s Ty-Rap Detectable cable ties are even more specialized. Specifically designed for the food and pharmaceutical industries, these cable ties are bright blue for easy visual detection and incorporate a unique, patent-pending compound that can be detected by X-Ray equipment, metal detectors, and visual inspection equipment, which is crucial for contamination-sensitive applications where cable tie installation residuals, like the cut tails, are not allowed in the finished product. These specialized cable ties are an effective tool for preventing expensive product recalls and can help food and beverage manufacturers comply with the HACCP EU directive and the Food Safety Modernization Act.