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    The future is
    continuous...

    Sobatech is a passionate family business that believes the future of Industrial food production is continuous. With its focus on three parts of the entire food production chain, Sobatech became a worldwide specialist in designing, manufacturing and commissioning equipment for (1) continuous dosing of raw materials, (2) continuous mixing and kneading, and (3) continuous bulk fermenting of (food) products. 

     

    CONTINUOUS MIXER - HANGING DESIGN
    CONTINUOUS MIXER - LOW DESIGN
    CONTINUOUS MIXER - SHORT DESIGN

     

    DOSING ACCURACY - Correct weighing of the ingredients is essential for reaching the required product quality. If the various raw materials are not dispensed in the correct quantities to begin with, it will never be possible to produce a correct product. For that reason, the dosing of all solid & liquid ingredients into the continuous mixer is constantly monitored. The line stops and gives an alarm signal if a dosage deviates from the set value (the time and % of the deviation are adjustable). But, what is dosing accuracy and how do we measure it? REPEATABILITY VS. LINEARITY To fully define feeder accuracy it is important to look at two seperate principles of feeder performance. Only when evaluating a combination of these factors, one can make substantiated statements on dosing accuracy. Lets start at the repeatability factor. REPEATABILITY The repeatability measurement is made by taking a series of carefully timed consecutive samples from the discharge stream, weighing them, and then calculating the +/- standard deviation of sample weights expressed as a percentage of the mean value of the samples taken. Simply said, repeatability is the ability to return to the same position multiple times under identical conditions. However, it is important to understand that the repeatability numbers reveal nothing at all about whether the feeder is delivering, on average, the targeted rate. It only says something about how much on average your weights deviate from the total average of your samples. LINEARITY Then we have the linearity factor which is evenly important as the repeatability factor – the linearity factor says something about how much your data, within the operating range of the dosing system, on average deviates from your set value. The so called operating range is the range of flow that a dosing system is able to measure with acceptable accuracy. Basically linearity is the percentage of your setpoint. However, only looking at this number does not say sufficient about your dosing accuracy. For a real-world example, let’s consider a basketball player. If the player is linear, he’ll always get the ball close to the hoop. If his shooting is repeatable, he’ll always shoot to the same location (hopefully, in the basket). The best players are both accurate—hitting the basket—and repeatable—doing it every time. [caption id="attachment_2745" align="alignnone" width="189"] not repeatable and not linear[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2747" align="alignnone" width="186"] repeatable and linear[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2749" align="alignnone" width="186"] repeatable but not linear[/caption] PRACTICAL EXAMPLE Lets now go to a reallife example in relation to the continuous dosing of raw materials that will help explain why it is important to look at both factors, linearity and repeatability when talking about dosing accuracy. Imagine you have a set value of 100 kg/hr and a mean (average) process value of 100.220 kg/hr. In that case your dosing system seems very accurate as it has a linearity percentage of 0.22% (!). However, when looking at the repeatability factor – it might be that the spread of your weights is quite large. If you look at the graph below you can see that eventhough your average value is really close to your set value - there are many moments in time that your system is performing off spec. [caption id="attachment_2743" align="alignnone" width="883"] Measuring feeder accuracy[/caption] In other words, when talking about dosing accuracy – it is crucial to evaluate both your linearity as well as repeatability. Our experience shows that our and many feeding solutions on the market are nowadays so advanced that they can have a repeatability of 0.5%, at for example 2 sigma (meaning that 95.5% of your weights fall within +/-0.5% bandwith from your mean) and a linearity number of 0.25% meaning that within the operating range of your feeder your weights deviate +/- 0.25% from your set value. This results in a product quality that is extremely consistent and completely independent of human error. Please note these numbers are based on laboratory conditions and do not account for possible external factors that have to be taken into consideration and act upon when commissioning the production line. Do you have any questions in relation to dosing accuracy or other processes involved in the continuous production of (food) products? Ask them below.  Continuous regards, Team Sobatech [contact-form-7 id="2619" title="More information? Contact us!"]  [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.sobatech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Nieuw-project.mp4"][/video]
    Naegele Inc. Bakery Systems Partners with Sobatech to Offer Continuous Mixing Equipment to North American Market - To meet the increased demand for continuous, Sobatech decided to expand its international network of local representatives. Today we are proud to officially announce that Naegele Inc. Bakery Systems will be our new continuous representative for the North American Market. As a result of the increased food and quality demand, continuous mixing is becoming more popular every day. “Interest in continuous processing is growing rapidly as food manufacturers seek new ways to increase throughput and product quality while keeping costs down,” said Mike Philip of Naegele Inc. Bakery Systems. Since 1994, Naegele Inc. Bakery Systems has provided the highest quality professional services and support to their clients from new product development to plant automation. Naegele is a family business and the exclusive provider of top-tier bakery equipment and technology with complete technical support throughout all phases of a project from conception to equipment selection through implementation. Sobatech’s continuous mixing equipment complements the existing portfolio of Naegele allowing customers to one-stop-shop providing additional convenience and efficiency. Naegele proofs to be a partner with thorough knowledge of both market and technology. We are proud to join forces with Naegele Inc. Bakery Systems and look forward to serve the increased demand for continuous production of freshly baked goods, cereals, long-life bakery products, convenience foods, meat substitutes, confectionary and snacks. To learn more, visit Neagele online  or follow the company on social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn    

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