Which is the optimal components shape for food processing and packaging automatic machines in order to improve performances? Are there innovative technologies better than others we can use in manufacturing these components or technologies allowing new solutions? Which good practices can we use in the production process? Our team is trying to answer these questions, coordinated by the University of Parma, working on the project “New paradigms for the design, manufacturing and operation of food processing and packaging equipment”, in which Ecor International participates by means of the Division Ecor International Campus.
The project, which has obtained a co-financing of 1 million euro by the European Fund Operative Program concerning Emilia-Romagna regional development (2014 – 2020), will give the possibility to optimize costs increasing the efficiency of bottling plants used by the Food&beverage Industry and thermophysical treatment machines. The team plans to assess the best methods to use in designing and producing innovative components. Increasing plants performances and sanitization improving both efficiency and effectiveness of automatic machines process automation is the purpose.
The use of additive manufacturing technologies and unconventional assembly technologies will be pivotal in order to achieve results. For example, the working group intends to use the 3D printer and the HIP process (Hot Isostatic Pressing) to produce a rotary manifold addressed to filling machines and characterized by optimal shapes from the structural, functional, hygienic and economic viewpoints. Moreover, the group will try to produce a pipe section where the outer surface will be physically structured by means of ultrashort pulsed laser (laser texturing) in order to limit fouling and facilitate cleaning.
In this initial phase of the project efforts are concentrated at a laboratory scale (experimental samples and / or simulation), in order to identify the most suitable technological parameters and models and to classify the developed solutions with respect to the hygienic requirements for scaling-up to the preindustrial demonstration level to be developed in the second step.
Ecor International is involved in several manufacturing acprocessing tivities and functional tests that use Surface Engineering specialized competences and technologies available in the production sites. Among activities the company is carrying out within the project, we mention the development of a new manifold concept characterized by ceramic elements. These elements have to be braze-welded to the stainless steel ones and the braze-welding process for large prototypes is currently under study.
Moreover, researchers and engineers collaborate in improving laser texturing treatments; corrosion or cleanability tests in industrial environment; pre- and post-exposure SEM-EDS morphological analysis; SEM-EDS analysis for quality controls.
The other partners that participate in the project are: Centro Interdipartimentale sulla Sicurezza, Tecnologie e Innovazione Agroalimentare (Università di Parma), Centro Interdipartimentale per il Packaging CIPACK (Università di Parma), Confindustria Emilia Romagna Ricerca, Centro Interdipartimentale per la Ricerca Applicata e i Servizi nel Settore della Meccanica Avanzata e della Motoristica (Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia). On the other side, Parmalapping and Sidel are the external partners that collaborate on the program.
This collaboration between companies and several centers is the strength of the project, which will allow mixing heterogeneous competences facilitating the development of useful industrial applications. The project will end in 2018.
TO KNOW
- HIP (Hot Isostatic Pressing) is a production technology used to reduce metals porosity and increase materials density, resilience and workability. By means of this process, an object reaches a high temperature and isostatic pressure.
- A manifold is a system, generally of stainless steel, that distributes and collects automatic machines fluids from different
backgrounds. - Laser texturing is a Surface Engineering process used to improve materials surface characteristics, for example the resistance to synergistic effects of corrosion and wear, wettability, antibacterial. It consists on using a laser to create microstructures in materials surface improving load capacity, wear rate and lubrication duration and reducing friction coefficients.
- Braze-welding is a process permitting the joint of different materials (metals and non-metals) carried out through melting of the filler material (for example gold-copper alloys). Base materials reach a lower temperature than the melting point; this temperature is enough to create a metallurgical bond with the melted brazing alloy. In this way, metal edges of the joint remain intact.
- SEM-EDS analysis is a technique supporting materials study that makes use of SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). It allows defining morphological characteristics carrying out microanalysis in order to discover materials properties (also for non-conductive materials). The technology is available in Ecor International Campus laboratory in Castelvetro di Modena.
@EcorIntern