Conveying & accumulation

Frozen Specialties Inc.: Wrapped pizza inspection

Shrink-wrapped pizzas are checked by the first of FSI's two-part pizza inspection system from Cognex. The machine vision sensor is the metal cylinder near the top center of the first video segment.

May 31, 2002

Industries: Page 672

Conveying & accumulation

Frozen Specialties Inc.: Cartoned pizza inspection

The second, downstream system from Cognex checks the cartoned pizza's two end flaps for seal integrity, as seen in this overhead view. This setup features below-conveyor backlighting. Monitor shows each pizza carton image as it is analyzed by measuring it across three segments to within 1/8"" accuracy.

May 31, 2002

Bag/pouch fill/seal (pre-made bags)

Superior Dairy: Blow molding of plastic milk bottles

At this Ohio dairy manufacturer, one floor above the filling line, HDPE bottles are blown and flash is trimmed. Then bottles are transported through a pneumatic tube to a bagging machine.

May 31, 2002

Filling/capping, liquid & viscous

Superior Dairy: Filling/capping for dairy products

Superior's 16-valve electronic weigh filler and eight-head capper are enclosed in a HEPA-filtered room.

May 31, 2002

Secondary Packaging

Superior Dairy: Stretch bundling of diary products

On Line Two, counter-rotating roll carriers on this stretch bundler stretch the film 150% as bundling is completed

May 31, 2002

Secondary Packaging

Superior Dairy: Robotic palletizing

The end effector on the robotic palletizer lifts and places slip sheets as well as layers of bottles.

May 31, 2002

Soups/Condiments/Sauces/Spices/Dips/Dressings

SUPPLIER LISTING for Heinz N. A. and ConAgra's Hunt's brand

Here are the suppliers for the July News item on the upside-down ketchup bottles for Heinz North America and ConAgra's Hunt's brand:

May 31, 2002

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Temporary relief for OTC convenience packs

FDA postpones May deadline for putting Drug Facts label on convenience-size OTC packages.

May 31, 2002

Dairy

Metal detector

Eriez (Erie, PA) offers the user-friendly E-Z Tec® DSP metal detector with an electronic design that combines a 4”x5” touchscreen interface with advanced digital signal processing to provide detailed analysis and reporting.

May 31, 2002

Controls & Machine Components

Hoffman: I/O enclosures

Hoffman (Anoka, MN) has added 10 new enclosure modules for I/O devices to its Inline® Instrumentation Enclosure Series. Full-length mounting brackets welded to the top and bottom of the enclosure provide flexible mounting.

May 31, 2002

Bakery/Snack

Pipeline: When big isn't big enough

There were a number of developments to report on from interpack 2002, but one of the most worrisome issues might be the importance of company size to success in marketing and selling packaging machinery.

May 31, 2002

Coding, Printing & Labeling

FDA updates voluntary nutrition labeling

FDA is required to update its voluntary nutrition labeling regulations at least every four years. The agency recently proposed updating the list of the 20 most frequently consumed raw fruits, vegetables, and fish and their nutrition labeling values based on new data.

May 31, 2002

Coding, Printing & Labeling

Achievements

–ExxonMobil Chemical’s (Houston, TX) Packaging Program graduated its 8000th student from its University of Oriented Polypropylene, a flexible packaging and labeling education program hosted by the Films Business of ExxonMobil Chemical.

May 31, 2002