New cost-cutting concept targets liquid food makers
and productivity of liquid food production has been developed by a
UK firm.
Manchester-based Kaiku clams that its "i-Pipe" concept provides producers of soups, sauces and purees with major benefits in the continuous monitoring of change within the process flow and in detection of contamination, leading to improved process performance and improved quality.
There is certainly growing pressure on processors and manufacturers to cut down on waste and increase production efficiencies. The rise in raw material and energy prices means that firms have to look at every aspect of the supply chain to identify where possible cost savings can be made.
In order to help food manufacturers achieve these goals, i-Pipe provides a non-contact, non-invasive method of monitoring changes and analysing fluids, requiring only a 50cm section of pipe to be cut out to enable it to fit into an existing process. Kaiku says that as a result, manual sampling is eliminated and laboratory analysis minimised.
The i-Pipe is also capable of detecting variations in a formula down to the low parts per million in seconds, and can provide significant increases in both yield and efficiency. Its unique, patented technology, which is based on novel impedance spectroscopy, ensures that it is highly sensitive.
The company also claims that food producers can significantly reduce waste through more effective processing at the same time as significantly reducing down time. In turn this has the potential to achieve greater efficiency, reduced labour costs and increased output.
i-Pipe aids homogenous and uniform mixing and instant product verification. It is particularly beneficial in processes that require frequent change-over, to accommodate changes to flavouring, for example, as it ensures that after change over the process is free of the previous flavour. i-Pipe does this by correctly identifying a product's unique "signature", to eliminate costly packaging errors and the potential damage caused by product recall.
Kaiku says that I-Pipe has been tested and certified to EHDEG specification and is manufactured from food grade materials, as well as being adaptable to all types of processes and lines. The system is available in both 2" and 4" diameter versions with standard IDF pipe fittings. It is effective in a temperature range of -5°C to +105°C.
i-Pipe can be supplied with a cabinet-style monitor or the new i-Link direct to PC, for use where production space is limited and a cabinet is unsuitable.
