Inefficiencies in Food Processing

“Big problems often have small beginnings”

These wise words ring true even today when our lives have become more convenient, thanks to advancements in technology.

Being in the food processing equipment industry for so long, we have understood that issues found plaguing food processing are often triggered by a sum of many small inefficiencies that go unaddressed over time.

And sum of all these small inefficiencies ultimately pile up and affect the productivity of your process.

As one of the large food processing machinery manufacturers, we thought it would be a good idea to list down a few inefficiencies that one must pay attention to. If left ignored for long, they will negatively affect production lines, boost costs and bleed time. Paying attention to these small inefficiencies and working on them will help you improve productivity in the long run.

Erroneous Measurements

Weighing is a vital part of the food processing process. Inaccurate weighing leads to wastage or overuse of essential and costly ingredients. As food processing equipment manufacturers, we suggest that if the measurement device is exceedingly inaccurate, it can cause product defects as well as create more waste. Hence, maintaining proper measurements by periodic calibration checks is vital even for small portions/amounts.

Ingredient Deterioration in Storage

Ingredients are the key to any food processing process, and storing ingredients is the next most important task. As food processing machinery suppliers, we know multiple storage systems are available to prevent ingredients from spoiling. Depending on the ingredient, storage systems need to be at controlled temperature, controlled humidity, air circulation, etc. However, maintaining storage systems requires employee training. Depending on the storage system design one should also minimize spending time on tedious tasks like moving pallets. These things lead to either loss of productivity due to time or loss of ingredients due to spoilage.

Energy Wasting Equipment

Being the largest food processing equipment manufacturer, we know that as the equipment becomes old and varies, it consumes more energy, leading to increased overhead costs. This is one of the inefficiencies in food processing that is easily overlooked. Several factors cause the equipment to waste energy, like excessive heating, no or inefficient heat recovery, compressed air leaks, inefficient motors, excessive horsepower, no drive control where needed, etc. A good maintenance schedule can help you maintain the equipment properly.

Energy-wasting Facilities

Did you ever think that inefficient heating, cooling systems, lighting, and insulation can create energy waste? You heard it right. Facilities, as they become older, become less energy-efficient and cause problems. Smaller problems turn into bigger ones before you even realize it. Energy-wasting facilities can reduce productivity. What’s the solution for this, you ask? Measuring and comparing energy use over regular intervals and making appropriate improvements can help you save time.

Overweight Alarms

As the name suggests, overweight alarms crop up when the batching system meters too much product into the scale. There are two reasons for that. One, because the feeder size is not well matched to the required minimum output. Second, the system stopped early and then had to jog to put the remainder of the product into the bin. The final jog can put the weight over. You can prevent overweight alarms with the two-speed operation of the feeder.

Machine Down-time

Planning is the key. As a food processing equipment manufacturer, we always recommend scheduling maintenance regularly to prevent spending thousands. Regularly checking instrument accuracy & set points, lubricant levels, seals, electrical wires, and sockets can prevent machine downtime. Planned maintenance also ensures the employees are informed beforehand and aren’t unexpectedly idle, and production schedules aren’t lagging.

Don’t let minor problems pile up to become bigger and cause inefficiencies. Solving small issues from time to time like regular assessments and housekeeping help prevent wastage of ingredients, curb energy costs, maintain food processing equipment, and boost productivity. So, analyze and assess your operations carefully to check where small improvements can be made to save time and money.