Vacuum-convey granular food ingredients

The Signature Series offers food processors a quick and easy solution for vacuum conveying powders, pellets, flakes, pastilles, dried fruit, nuts and other granular food ingredients to processing and packaging lines. The 1500 Series conveys from handfuls to 1500 lbs/hr (680 kg/hr) and the 3500 Series conveys up to 3500 lbs/hr (1600 kg/hr). Each five-part system includes a pick-up wand, convey hose, vacuum receiver, vacuum producer and UL-listed controls. Vac-U-Max; Belleville, N.J.; 973-759-4600; www.vac-u-max.com/signatureseries

Still depositing by hand?

While hand-filling is an easy solution, there are many drawbacks. Its time-consuming, straining and increases the chance of food contamination. Step up to semi-automatic filling with the Compact series, which provides consistent and precise portioning in a compact design that is easy to move and store and reduces product waste. Its particularly suited for batter, fruit filling, sauces and dips. Unifiller Systems Inc.; Delta, British Columbia

Ultra-sanitary food processing crusher

The ultra-sanitary Delumper S4 sanitary crusher features clean-in-place (CIP) capability, quick changeover of cutting elements, a polished finish and direct drive for smooth and quiet operation. The unit is available with four styles of cutters. Its design eliminates internal fasteners. Its precision crushing mechanism produces a once-through, nondestructive crushing action that reduces oversized particles to their basic grain size without material overgrind or overwork. The crusher features a fully enclosed, dust-tight, stainless steel body and drum to prevent cross-contamination. An access door provides makes it easy go clean the cutting chamber’s interior. Franklin Miller; Livingston, N.J.; 973-535-9200; www.franklinmiller.com

Piston transfer pumps

This piston transfer pump can work all day and all night, seven days a week, pumping product from bowls, pails, totes and other containers into hoppers quickly and gently. For ease of sanitation and maintenance, it comes apart in less than a minute without tools. The vertical pump raises and lowers with a push of a button for quick changeover from bowl to bowl. This eliminates dangerous lifting of heavy mixing bowls or pails to fill a hopper. The P-50 is suitable for food manufacturing facilities with limited floor space looking for the added hygienic durability of a stainless steel portable frame. Hinds-Bock Corp.; Bothell, Wash.; 877-292-5715;www.hinds-bock.com

Packer to reduce labor and liability

The Model 19 packer is designed to reduce labor and eliminate liability associated with hand packing’s repetitive motion. It indexes and accumulates each product load automatically before sliding it through stainless steel loading funnels into the shipping case. The operator simply supplies cases to the packer. The compact machine occupies 75 sq. ft. of floor space, including infeed and takeaway conveyors. It runs speeds to 15 cases/min. depending on the product and the pack arrangement. Features include powered infeed with product sensors, no case-no load and no product-no load protection, full guarding with see-through panels and a product takeaway conveyor. A-B-C; Tarpon Springs, Fla.; 800-237-5975; www.abcpackaging.com

Twin flexible screw conveyor with common hopper

The Twin Bev-Con flexible screw conveyor system has a common hopper and mobile base constructed and finished to sanitary standards. Ready to plug in and run, the self-contained system can fill two vessels with the same material simultaneously. Mounted on a frame with locking casters for in-plant mobility, it can be used in multiple locations and rolled to a washdown booth. The hopper is equipped with dual discharge adapters, each of which charges a Bev-Con flexible screw engineered to move free- and non-free-flowing bulk materials that pack, cake, smear, fluidize, compress or are otherwise problematic to convey. Flexicon Corp.; Bethlehem, Pa.; 888-353-9426; www.flexicon.com

Sort-to-grade capabilities for digital sorters

Sort-to-grade (STG) software for Veryx digital sorters is available for more food sorting applications, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables as well as nuts. The STG-enabled sorter evaluates each accept/reject decision dynamically based on how it impacts the aggregate “in the bag” grade, as defined by the processor. Controlling the output for defect categories of various severity or product dimensions, the software delivers complex final product specifications accurately without operator intervention. It can allow a specific number of low- and middle-severity defects to pass, based on user-defined allowable tolerances for each defect category, while ejecting all high-severity defects and foreign material (FM). Key Technology; Walla Walla, Wash.; 509-529-2161; www.key.net