Linking equipment boosts production rates

After Global Foods’ nut roasting room was destroyed in a fire, the company took the opportunity to build a more efficient system that’s both dynamic and multifunctional.

Enmin, a designer and manufacturer of electromagnetic and electromechanical vibratory and product handling equipment, with extensive food industry experience, provided a turnkey solution that linked the roaster, the multihead weigher, VFFS, checkweigher and metal detector.

The new system can bulk and mini pack, potentially at the same time with minimal interruption and maximum efficiency. The four key ingredients were all vibratory feeders in screening, storage, metering and delivery of product.

Removing fines was the first objective, once the product left the fryer it was to be turned at right angles and conveyed the full width via an electromechanical vibratory feeder. The feeder has a screen section prior to discharging that removes a large portion of all undersized product, which is collected underneath the feeder.

The next requirement was to ensure accumulation could occur and the product could be buffered/stored in the process when necessary. This was required in circumstances where there was a need to stop the system downstream for any reason, or when an alternative packaging format was required.

The roaster couldn’t be turned off, so the ability to buffer the product was essential.

Enmin decided to use an electromagnetic hopper feeder with a diversion system. This enabled the product to be stored for a period of time so that when required the product could either be transferred to a bulk packing system or allowed to continue onwards to the high-speed vertical packing end.

At this point in the system, it was necessary to be able to deliver the product to two bulk bags or two 25 kg boxes for filling. A reversing vibratory feeder was the ideal solution. After the hopper feeder, the product was elevated and delivered centrally into the feeder so that the operator could control which discharge point was ready to be filled.

The key benefits of the Enmin system have been the ability to maximise production rates, ensure efficiency through minimal operator intervention and deliver a system that provides multiple packaging options without equipment interchange.