C A S E S T U D Y SNACK MANUFACTURER UP WITH THE TIMES The replacement of an outdated manual process with optimised and automated conveying systems enabled Maravilla to achieve its primary goal of boosting production capabilities by 25 percent, while also fuelling company growth and improving overall profitability. In light of the growing demand for snack products in the domestic Algerian market and overseas, Maravilla wanted to boost production capacity to ensure it stayed competitive in the dynamic sector. Working with tna, Maravilla integrated nine tna roflo high throw vibratory conveyors, alongside three mini feeders, into its potato/corn pellet line. The snack manufacturer also updated its current control systems by investing in cutting-edge integration technologies. As a result of the installation of the equipment, Maravilla now benefits from a more efficient production process and reduced plant downtime. tna regional sales director Julien Amiaud says in every production line, plant managers want to optimise the speed and performance of their manufacturing to ensure targets are met. Products therefore need to be processed more quickly and efficiently, and incorporating effective conveying equipment into production lines is critical to achieving this. In addition to this manufacturing challenge, Maravilla’s product range goes beyond simple potato snacks and includes potato-based snacks and light corn-based extruded snacks in a variety of sizes (mini, medium and large) and flavours (pizza, cheese and paprika seasoning) to name just a few. The snacks market is a thriving industry, particularly 22 MAY 2016 in Algeria, due to changing eating habits, with more people favouring minisize bags of chips, especially children. tna’s roflo VM 3 was the ideal solution to achieve the company’s production objectives and reach new heights of efficiency. The high performance roflo vibratory conveyor offers a unique throw pattern, incorporating an innovative reaction base design combined with an intelligent microprocessor, for a much greater stroke length at a lower frequency. This feature enabled Maravilla to improve throughput by 25 per cent and achieve a smoother transfer of its products throughout the process. Due to increasingly stringent food safety regulations in Algeria, Maravilla was also looking to integrate a simple design system with smooth surfaces and no blind spots or areas where product and microorganisms could build up – to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Made from food grade stainless steel, the roflo system has few moving parts where food can become trapped, facilitating the cleaning process and keeping downtime to a minimum…vital for maintaining Maravilla’s productivity. In an effort to take efficiency to the next level, Maravilla was also looking for effective product transfer, highlighting the need for a system to link from its conveying system to its fryer. tna implemented three tailored mini-feeders to facilitate smooth product transfer between systems and, via optical sensors, mini feeders monitor pellet levels to enable rigorous quality management in the hopper. For instance, when a low level of raw pellets is detected, the controls system immediately alerts plant managers of a problem on the line. This allows for quick action to rectify the problem. The intelligent design of these systems therefore minimises stoppages and increases simultaneous transmission between different components of the production line. “For the entire process to be successful, we conducted a complete analysis of Maravilla’s requirements,” Amiaud says. “Any new equipment had to work with Maravilla’s current set-up while still achieving the production benefits the company was looking for. By working closely with the company, we produced a design that, in addition to adding efficiency advantages, would also fit seamlessly with the existing layout.” Having installed a brand new distribution system into its existing production line, an additional requirement for Maravilla was improving process automation. However, integrating new technology into an existing production line can be challenging, as existing technology requires careful configura- When Algerian snack manufacturer Maravilla wanted to increase production capacity by installing high performance customised solutions, it looked no further than tna, the leading provider of start-tofinish single source solutions for the snack industry. ‘A turnkey approach covered everything from project management, design, manufacturing, installation, testing, training, after-market support and warranty services.’
FT-May16
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