Sustainability with improved efficiency: Can they co-exist?

By Shayne de la Force – Group Marketing Manager, TNA Australia Pty Ltd.

Food processors/manufacturers play a vital role in sustainability. Recent advances in biodegradable film have improved some packaging but sustainability needs go well beyond environmentally agreeable films. Improving the efficiency of equipment in the processing/manufacturing environment is as vital as ever.

One concern often voiced by food processors/manufacturers is the disconnect between higher efficiency equipment and sustainability practices. Searching out energy efficient equipment can mean the difference between profit and loss, especially with today's growing demands for higher output and greater equipment flexibility to accommodate products in a variety of sizes.

Fortunately processors/manufacturers now have an alternative. Over the past year tna has released an extensive range of innovative new equipment. 

The tna robag®3 vertical form fill and seal bagger reduces capital cost per bag per minute. tna now estimates costs as low as (GBP 811/BPM) and tna can now achieve 300bpm output for a total area of 1.9m (width) by 2.5m (depth).

The tna roflo®3 is the world's first totally reversible, gateless transfer and distribution system. All engineering is based on principles of combining fewer moving parts with greater efficiency to create high speeds and sustainable energy practices. 

The tna 528 δ^st multi-head scale with accurate high speed weighing capabilities has a radically new internal design that uses the forces of physics to ensure each weighed product travels uniformly and consistently to the bagger during product transfer at speeds of up to 300BPM (i.e. 150BPM per side).

The tna intelli-flav^® 2 flavouring system monitors both product and flavouring flow for precision flavouring distribution.

Speed and Flexibility

As health awareness and portion control trends drive pack sizes down, there's never been a greater need for speed to deal with the increased packaging outputs in limited floor space.  Bagging products, especially in the small bag category, requires very specific engineering to be efficient.  

Where sustainability and efficiency intersect: The robag^® 3 is capable of packing up to 220 bags per minute, boasting efficiencies greater than 95 percent and a reject rate of less than 0.5 percent. 

Centralized Distribution and Hygiene

In the food sector, hygiene-related legal requirements are becoming increasingly stringent. They must be satisfied by applying the proper system design and preventing product contamination. In this area, the performance and flexibility of tna's roflo^® 3 transfer and distribution system is taking the packaging and processing world by storm, but the environmental benefits are equally astounding.

Linear servo-driven, horizontal motion and modular components permit bi-directional feed capabilities.  Production systems with multiple products that would normally require a series of dedicated lines, can now be serviced by one tna roflo^® 3 line, reducing capital outlay by up to 40 percent. Using technology coined the "switcheroo," each modular stainless steel pan component is capable of up and down tilt and can reverse feed direction independently. This ground-breaking agility means that the tna roflo^® 3 conveyor is not locked into a fixed feed direction and can be configured into endless combinations.

The tna roflo^® 3 also uses "erector" technology to lift a selected modular stainless steel pan component, which creates complete physical separation of lines and completely eliminates the possibility of cross contamination of product between the pans on multi-product lines – a must where allergens are concerned. The pans also offer a no tools, quick release feature to further improve segregation\sanitation. This will not only improve the overall safety of the food supply, it will also help food companies protect their brand images and improve their bottom lines.

Where sustainability and efficiency intersect:  tna roflo^® 3 delivers better results with significantly fewer modules. By reducing the number of modules, energy and maintenance costs are reduced and detrimental impact on the environment is minimised. Initial outlay and footprints costs are also substantially lower. The engineering emphasis on gentle product handling reduces product loss and breakage.

Standard tna roflo^® 3 modules avoid using compressed air – an inefficient energy source. tna roflo^® 3 also utilises an auto-stand-by feature when no product is present, which again reduces utility costs.     

Weighing Accuracy

To achieve accurate and consistent bagging weights, tna 528 δ multi-head scale uses an advanced design that equalizes the distance from every load cell, ensuring each weighed product travels uniformly and consistently to the bagger during product transfer is the most efficient. 

Two different bag types can also be simultaneously produced by the system, including but not limited to: pillow pack, block bottom and quattro bags. Conventional twin scales use irregular chute lengths to compensate for the shape of the system, but tna has eliminated this need by symmetrically placing the buckets around the discharge point; this ensures high speeds and low reject rates, as every load of product travels the same distance to the bag. 

Where sustainability and efficiency intersect: The tna 528 δ multi-head scale results are comparable to those achieved with two conventional high speed single drop scales, but with a smaller footprint, at a lower cost and energy consumption. 

Flavouring Automation

Automation and centralized control are becoming increasingly important for minimizing the manpower requirement of bagging lines as well as providing significant savings on expensive flavour ingredients which can costs up to GBP 50,000/KG per shift per year. The tna intelli-flav^® 2 flavouring system patented software measures flavour rates and product flow to monitor and self-regulate the correct feed-rates for consistent product flavouring. When the product flow rate changes, tna intelli-flav^® 2 issues a corresponding change in the flavour rate ensuring the correct ratio of flavour to product is delivered. Settings are retained as a recipe on a touch screen for simple operation and repeatability. A quick-change, lightweight polymer drum and gateless conveying pans require no tools, making changeovers and cleaning even quicker.   

Where sustainability and efficiency intersect: By proportionally distributing product/flavouring to the feeder/flavouring system while controlling the load balance, the flavour drum maintains maximum flavouring runtime and minimizes under or over-flavouring resulting in fewer rejects and reruns. The delicate handling also results in less product damage.

Conclusion

Extensively validated, tna equipment is used around the world and can help food processors/manufacturers get accurate, reliable results much faster while improving overall consumption of energy and materials.