• Automation technologies don’t have to be scary.
    Automation technologies don’t have to be scary.
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Bürkert supplies the food and beverage industry with automation technology solutions that help support future proofing the customer of tomorrow. This story was first published in Food & Drink Business May/June 2020.

Today’s manufacturing of foods, juices, energy drinks, beer, or dairy products need robust communication through automation control. While most food and beverage businesses have adopted process automation in one format or another, the technology has evolved considerably over the past few years, leading to improvements in design, efficiency and reliability.

One of the major drivers for businesses to increase levels of automation associated with risk avoidance, as well as needing to compete in a challenging marketplace, while reducing production costs.

Bürkert’s Pacific sales manager Tom Kirby says: “We aim to design an automation solution that uniquely caters for both small and large businesses.

“Bürkert’s experience in hygienic industry applications means we can combine our knowledge and abilities to create solutions that fit exactly with a customer’s requirements.

“The key for any individual manufacturer is to align our solution to their particular business needs – that is, using their experience and vision to define what the requirements need to be.”

Bürkert’s smart solutions assist these industry groups to improve the control over their processes, even when they’re not onsite. It is important to remember that process control alone is not the magic recipe that makes automation possible, Kirby says.

Automatic control valves, flowmeters, as well as electric and pneumatic actuators are required to automate existing manual valves. As a fluidic system expert, Bürkert supplies and installs the required hardware for the fluidic systems, handles installation and supports customers from concept to project completion.

Valve island

Modern valve island technology enhances process reliability in Bürkert’s valve islands AirLINE (Type 8652) for control cabinets and AirLINE Field (Type 8653) for field installation without the need of a cabinet.

Both are easy to install and their integrated monitoring and diagnostic functions improve process reliability.

Depending on the plant’s requirements, these are customisable for use with EtherNET and field-based protocols, such as I/O Link, Asi and Bürkert’s own BuS technology.

Revolutionary flow concept

Bürkert’s flow measurement technology is designed to improve productivity and provide crucial information for manufacturing processes. Within the food and beverage industry it is essential manufacturers meet the exact requirements relating to hygiene, purity and accuracy that fulfill regulatory and processing standards.

Bürkert’s FLOWave (8098) range has been specifically designed using SAW technology to address the needs of the food and beverage industries to assist with processes such as phase change and mass flow measurement.

A worthwhile innovation investment

From nano brewery to dairy production facilities, the use of cutting-edge automation technologies has proven to be a valuable investment in the long-term favourable results. A high degree of reproducibility and traceability is simple with these types of solutions, as data acquisition is integrated into the control system. Product-specific information can be displayed graphically, along with other measured values.

It has been an interesting start to 2020, but one thing is certain, Australians are looking for Australian made. Food and beverage manufacturers are finding ways to innovate their products to meet changing demands from the current market and their customer’s needs. By designing a future-proofed production facility, Bürkert helps its customers weather uncertainty both now and in the future.

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