PET Food Processing - September 2018 - 61

After addressing challenges associated with specific
ingredients, pet food processors need to address streamlining the operation of each line. "When blenders and
other process equipment are idle waiting for an operator
to scale and add the next ingredient, that is money off the
bottom line," Cross says. "A thoughtful automation solution will ensure that the right material is waiting in the
right quantity at the right location without downtime."
Zeppelin combines system design with its PRISMA software to provide pet food processors that quick payback.
"Producers also need to consider the long-term operational requirements of different automation solutions
when they evaluate their ROI," Cross adds. "The bestdesigned system will not perform well if the required
sanitation and maintenance functions are not performed
at the specified intervals."

Safety and sanitation
Sanitation will also be a critical part of food processing
and one that keeps evolving to become safer, cleaner and
easier to accomplish. While it's in the pet food processor's interest to keep things clean so the final consumer
has a positive eating experience, FSMA has gone so far
as to introduce incentives in the form of regulations.
"Pet food manufacturers need equipment that meets
FSMA regulations, which requires equipment to be
food-grade, and they need a safe environment for their
workers," Stank says.
To meet those regulations, APEC USA offers a line of
food-grade equipment that features stainless-steel contact surfaces and food grade gaskets and components.
"When paired with our control system, this line gives
the added ability to track and trace each ingredient and
batch through the manufacturing process," Stank adds.
APEC's Automation Pro monitors the entire manufacturing process. Operators confirm the appropriate
ingredients are received and used through bar-coded
confirmation. Processors can use lot tracking to identify
ingredient arrival and usage. Every transaction is timeand-date-stamped to provide processors a detailed report of usage at every stage of production.
Tracking ingredients throughout a batch of pet food
helps manufacturers trace each ingredient should the
company need to issue a recall. Springdale, Arkansasbased FPEC's software system enables its equipment to
"shake hands" with a pet food processor's onsite ingredient storage and handling. These production systems
will log which meat ingredients are being run through
FPEC's equipment and report back to the plant ERP system with a batch report. "They can use that information
for all kinds of reporting and cross-tracking and any
recall information they may need," says Brian Garber,
director of systems integration, FPEC. "The system can

even identify every batch an ingredient went into."
Shick Esteve also can provide pet food processors
traceability through its AIM Production Management
software. In addition to providing automated ingredient management, AIM keeps track of each ingredient's
lot codes and tracks those ingredients through the batch
report. This enables processors to have their eye on lot
usage as well as inventory.
"Food safety and sanitation is paramount for pet food
processors," Stricker says. "Shick Esteve has extensive
experience in hygienic system design. This experience
allows us to design and provide systems that meet the
highest level of sanitary requirements."
Automating ingredient storage and handling can help
a pet food processor get to the next level. "Processors
stand to greatly reduce the cost of ingredients when
they can switch from bags to bulk storage," Stricker says.
"When it comes to minor ingredients, there is typically
less in material savings, but the increased accuracy and
consistency of final product can be quantified."
With measurable returns, pet food processors can be
ready to take this next step in expanding.
PFP

Automated bulk ingredient handling systems
transfer products from
railcars, tanker trucks
or sacks into a variety
of storage vessels that
include silos, use bins
and hoppers.
Shick Esteve

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PET Food Processing - September 2018

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