Product and Format Changes in Minutes
Following 12 years of abstinence, Milchwerk+e Schwaben, the Neu-Ulm-based dairy, returned to the small cup market (150/200 g) in the summer of 2010. To ensure that the relaunch was successful, the dairy ordered a fully equipped DOSOMAT 20.8 AS from Waldner that enables the product to be changed in a matter of minutes and saves the Milchwerke Schwaben something that money can't buy: namely time.
Die neuen Weideglückprodukte werden ohne Farbstoffe und ohne Aromenzusatz hergestellt und vom DOSOMATEN in Einkammer- und Dessertbecher mit Fruchtkammer abgefüllt.
The new Weideglück products are produced without colorings and flavor enhancers and DOSOMATs fill them with a separate fruit compartment into single-chamber and dessert cups.
The dairy company processes 370 million kilograms of milk annually. As there is a market for them, Milchwerke Schwaben opted not only to supply 1 kg packs but to offer its existing product range in small cups. A Dosomat manufactured by Hermann WALDNER GmbH & Co. KG was selected to fill and seal the cups that can fill the liquid, paste-like and lumpy products at a rate of 19,200 cups per hour. The system is also equipped with speed-regulated, torque-requested servomotors that are cleverly coordinated with the construction of the machinery. The Waldner remote diagnostic system operates via modem or Ethernet and provides optimum service in the event of a breakdown.
MINIMAL FLUSHING LOSSES THANKS TOINGENIOUS ENGINEERING
Although Hermann WALDNER introduced its quick-change formats some time ago, this system attaches equal importance to fast fruit changeover. The quick changeover formats keep expensive flushing losses to a minimum, as parts can be changed ultra-quickly without the flushing/changing of product that has been needed up to now. In contrast, when filling a mix of products, the same cup format is essentially used, although the focus is very much on fast product changeover at minimum cost and with minimal flushing losses.The DOSOMAT 20.8 AS can do both. It was equipped with sterilizable single discharges on the product hoppers, thereby massively reducing the flushing phase. The dosing material is pumped out/flushed via a collection tank connected to the CIP return that conveys the discharged product without coming into contact with it and without contaminating the filling valves from the machine.
When changing fruit, the fruit mass can be flushed out and refilled through a flushing chute inserted into the side and a special program without the filling valves and/or machine components (panels or tank) being contaminated with fruit or flushing water. It is therefore possible to continue with production without an interruption for cleaning or sterilization.This significantly alleviates work for the customer's operating personnel and is also a major improvement in terms of efficiency from a business point of view, based on the number of filled cups in relation to an hour's running time of the machine.
This provides the following benefits:
- Reduced flushing phase
- Fewer spoiled cups
- No overflowing product in the sensitive tank section of the filling machine
- Time-saving
For many years there has been a definite trend towards bigger yet exceptionally versatile machines. Our customers want to launch innovative products, at the same time minimizing the associated risks by utilizing basic capacity with tried and tested products. We are helping our customers to meet these demands.