Dunkermotoren: Manage latest Challenges in the Food and Beverage Industry thanks to intelligent and robust components

The Food and beverage market includes all enterprises that are processing raw or semi-processed food products for future packaging and distribution purposes to commercial or private customers. Besides human food, this also covers beverages, animal and pet food, and tobacco products.

Besides already high quality and safety requirements current megatrends are pushing sustainability and transparency of both the ingredients itself, and the supply chain and manufacturing process in the background. Cost pressure and labor shortage are completing challenges to be met by executives in the food and beverage market.2 To get in line with all this, smart and reliable as well as robust drive solutions for different demanding environments become increasingly to important components.

Automation – the answer to current megatrends and challenges
Today, consumers are increasingly interested in the origin of their products, in logistic routes, and supplements added during processing. A rising per capita income allows many to spend more attention on sustainability and organic ingredients. QR or RFID tags furnished on the end product by automated packaging lines enable traceability over the whole manufacturing process as well as detailed information about the level of sustainability of a product. Innovative components such as energy-efficient drive solutions used in the production equipment are decreasing the energy consumption, thus avoid unnecessary CO2 emissions, and improve the end products ecologic footprint.

The flexibility and intelligence of this components is an important factor to increase the productivity of machines and automated lines, thus decreasing the production costs per piece. This allows companies to stay competitive in price-driven markets and times of global inflation. At the same time, automated processes result in lower skilled labor demands, as e. g. complete production and packaging lines can be operated and controlled by only one employee.

Drive technology – the heart of automated processes
To stay aligned with the mentioned challenges companies are required to be highly flexible in their production and consequently on the equipment involved. It has to be increasingly responsive, adaptable, and energy efficient. Simultaneously, the process must fulfill the highest safety and hygiene regulations which are immense, and basis for healthy and high-quality food products for the world market.

Today, all these requirements can be met thanks to technology and to the hygienically designed plants and equipment. The regulations in terms of quality, in turn, are fulfilled via process monitoring and control devices. Intelligent drive solutions are the heart of such high-tech production equipment. They have to fulfil the same conditions and regulations as the machine itself. Especially in areas of primary processes when the component is in close contact with food a specific design which delivers hygiene as well as wash down functionality is essential.

Dunkermotoren, a brand of AMETEK, is a drive technology manufacturer with more than 70 years of experience in the food and beverage market. Combining intelligent, brushless DC motors with gearboxes, encoders, and motor electronics enable customized drive solutions from 1 to 5,000 Watts and supply voltages of 6 to 325 VDC. Thus, Dunkermotoren solutions can be used in both small, low noise cutters in local butcheries, as well as interconnected labelling and roll shear cutting machines.

When reduced cabling or a stand-alone operation is necessary, the motor can be fully integrated into the equipment and communicate via CANopen or Ethernet interfaces such as EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP and PROFINET. The innovative Motor Control Platform provides the required flexibility in terms of motion profiles and parameters. Selecting the proper electronics enables the drive solution to work in position, velocity or torque mode, whereas the integrated functional safety feature STO contributes to the safety of the developed application.

In case of strict hygiene requirements are necessary for operating in close contact with food e.g. primary and secondary process, Dunkermotoren designs solutions with specific design, surface and highest protection classes (including IP69K). Both linear motors as well as rotative motors can be provided as robust, sealed and hygienic stainless-steel version.

Intelligent Components – a push to high performance
When using smart BLDC motors with integrated motor electronics Dunkermotoren, even more options are available to increase the power savings and energy-efficiency. New smart service solutions offered by the IIoT brand nexofox enables real-time monitoring and alert-management and, thus, an optimized motor operation in terms of power consumption and efficiency. By monitoring motor operation, and analyzing these data, proposals can be made for even more economical motor operation.

With its state of the art components, which support manufacturer to solve challenges even in special environments and be in line with mega trends as well as its expertise in application and advice Dunkermotoren can be understood as a competent and reliable partner von manufacturer.

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