What are the requirements for a measuring instrument in the food industry?

In the agri-food sector, the purchase of new quality control equipment never involves a single person. A good measuring instrument must navigate between the requirements of different services, all of which have very distinct daily priorities and constraints.

To understand the value of an equipment in the field, let us examine the real expectations of four pillars of the factory: Quality, Production, Maintenance and R&D.

The perspective of quality: rigor and traceability

For the quality manager, the measuring instrument is the company’s shield. His priority expectations are:

• Absolute reliability: no room for doubt or “false positives”. The measurement of gas content and tightness must be ultra-precise to ensure DLC.
• Seamless traceability: during an IFS, BRC audit or official inspection, it must be possible to prove instantly that the inspections have been carried out. The quality manager expects the device to record data cleanly, without risk of loss or falsification, and that it is easy to export.

 

The point of view of production: speed and simplicity

On the line, the watchword is performance. For the production manager, the ideal instrument must fade behind the cadence:

• Zero bottlenecks: the test must be extremely fast so as not to slow down the flow of the trays or bagging machines.
• Intuitive ergonomics: operators rotate, teams change. The device must be so simple to use that a temporary worker can be trained in two minutes. The more portable and lightweight the device, the easier it fits into the workshop routine.

The point of view of maintenance: robustness and availability

The maintenance manager hates fragile machines that block production or require constant after-sales service. What he expects from a tool:

• Industrial robustness: The agri-food environment is demanding (dust, temperature variations, sudden handling). The device must be designed with durable materials to withstand the impact in the field.
• Simple and quick maintenance: An ideal instrument must minimize technical stops. Maintenance expects easy-to-clean parts and standard wear components (such as the sampling needle) that can be replaced in a few seconds by the operators themselves, without having to immobilize the device in the workshop.

The R&D perspective: flexibility and analysis

Upstream of production, the research & development department designs tomorrow’s packaging. Its expectations are more analytical:

• The versatility of tests: being able to test new films, new gas mixtures, or new packaging formats.
• The richness of data: the R&D department needs to understand the “why”. An instrument that combines several measurements (such as gas and leakage simultaneously) allows it to study more precisely the behavior of a test packaging during aging phases.

The concrete response to the requirements of each department: Anéolia’s elyos®

It is precisely to align these interests and meet this multi-service specifications that Anéolia has developed the elyos®. Far from being a simple laboratory compromise, this portable instrument has been designed as a transversal solution for the balance of your entire factory:

• For Quality: It incorporates high-precision sensors for absolute reliability of gas (O2 / CO2) and sealing measurements. It also offers native and secure data management to export your audit reports (IFS / BRC) in one click and without risk of error.
• For Production: Ultra-light (only 500g) and with an extremely intuitive touch interface, it can be taken anywhere. The tests are done in a handful of seconds, ensuring smooth control on line without ever creating a bottleneck.
• For Maintenance: Its sturdy frame is designed to withstand the rigors of the field and heavy-duty use. The elyos® prioritizes ease of use and equipment availability to minimize downtime and make the maintenance teams’ work easier.
• For R&D: A true 2-in-1 tool, the elyos® combines gas analysis and leak testing on the same sample. This versatility provides development teams with the wealth of data needed to validate new materials and optimize product preservation.

In conclusion?

Satisfying the speed of production, the rigor of quality, the robustness of maintenance and the agility of R&D all at once often seems like a puzzle. It is by combining all these field requirements that Anéolia has designed the elyos® : a unique portable device, designed for the balance and overall performance of your factory.

Learn more about the elyos® : click here