Machine vision solutions for inline inspection in confectionery
A traditional field of application for vision systems is the confectionery industry. Here, many quality features or product characteristics can only be checked visually.
Bi-Ber has been supplying camera systems for confectionery “made in Berlin” for more than 25 years now and has immense experience in this special industry. Examples for Bi-Ber’s solutions are the all-round 2D or 3D inspection of chocolate bars, the quality check of toppings or waffles as well as the product inspection with artificial intelligence (AI).
In this application, the vision system carries out the final inspection of chocolate-coated wafers. While still in the mould, the chocolate wafers are checked for foreign objects and quality defects. Holes, breakage, smeared coatings and leaking fillings must be marked as rejects. Up to 60 moulds per minute with a maximum of 54 products in each can be inspected.
Bi-Ber vision systems are Windows-based and equipped with modern GigE or USB3 color cameras. They have multilingual firmware and modern software interfaces and functionality.
For more information
send an email to: sales@bilderkennung.de
call: +49 30 8103 22260
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World Packaging Organisation (WPO) welcomes new members
The World Packaging Organisation (WPO) approved three new “Full Members” during its 109th Board Meeting and the first of 2023 held at interpack trade show on 7 May 2023 in Düsseldorf/Germany.
“It is extremely meaningful to WPO to get new members from regions where we are not that active yet,” said WPO President Pierre Pienaar. “This is a way of increasing our presence in other regions and, most important, to contribute to the sustainable development of local and global packaging industries. On the other hand, no doubt these three new countries – Egypt, France and Ireland – will give excellent inputs to WPO new projects and actions.”
Luciana Pellegrino, WPO Senior Vice President of Marketing and President elected, completed: “The more packaging associations that join WPO, more we can have a better approach to the global packaging challenges, especially key ones related to save food, food safety, sustainability, digitalization, packaging innovation and packaging education programmes.”
Advertorial: WDS informed about flexible machine concepts
Under the motto of “WDS – Home of Confectionery Diversity: Production Lines for All Capacity Requirements”, Winkler und Dünnebier Süßwarenmaschinen (WDS) presented at interpack 2023 trade show in Düsseldorf/Germany customized production lines for chocolate, gum and jelly, toffee, fondant and hard candy.
At the booth, visitors could also learn about the WDS “sweetOTC” division, which specializes in the product development and production of innovative OTC confectionery or supplement dosage forms. With new, specially designed WDS production plants, companies can expand their product portfolio and thus open up new growth markets.
Another important topic was “starch-free WDS production technology under GMP conditions”. To this end, the company has developed innovative plant technology for depositing and demoulding with polycarbonate moulds.
Vitafoods Europe 2023: world’s most important nutraceutical event
With over 1,060 global exhibitors from across the nutraceutical industry converge, this year’s show marked the biggest edition of Vitafoods Europe in its 26-year history.
The Vitafoods Europe debut of the Future of Nutrition Summit brought together C-suite nutrition leaders to discuss the future of the industry and network. Meanwhile, the Vitafoods Europe Conference returned in a new format and location on the show floor, spotlighting innovation opportunities and ways to overcome common industry challenges. Delegates reported sessions sparking inspiring conversations and highlighted the value of face-to-face connection over crucial issues.
“As the world’s leading nutraceutical event, Vitafoods Europe has a vital role in driving the industry forward,” Andy Mather, Brand Director of Vitafoods Europe at organizer Informa Markets, emphasized. “With the addition of the new Future of Nutrition Summit and the return of the Vitafoods Europe Conference for 2023, we successfully brought some of the brightest minds our industry has to offer together to inspire the innovation that will shape both today and tomorrow.”
With a range of online and in person events, Vitafoods Insights is a 365 platform for the nutraceutical community. Vitafoods Europe will return in 2024 online (6 to 17 May) and in Geneva (14 to 16 May).
Azelis acquires Gillco Ingredients
Azelis has signed an agreement to acquire 100 % of the shares of Gillco Ingredients, a specialty ingredient provider in the food and nutrition market in the US.
Founded in 1982, Gillco has developed long-standing relationships with global blue-chip suppliers, a diverse portfolio of specialty ingredients and applications and strong market expertise across most food industry segments, including bakery and nutraceutical markets. The company has 40 employees serving almost 1,000 customers from its San Marcos/California headquarters.
Dr Hans Joachim Müller, Azelis’ CEO, says the acquisition strengthens its lateral value chain for the US food and nutrition market and broader life sciences segment. “It allows us to offer a compelling proposition to principals and customers. In line with our strategic vision to be the preeminent innovation service provider in all territories where we operate, we welcome Gillco to the Azelis family.”
Nactarome acquires Calaf Nuances flavour house
Nactarome has acquired Calaf Nuances, a Spanish-based producer of flavours solutions with broad application expertise across F&B categories.
Nactarome is focused on providing a comprehensive portfolio of all-in-one natural flavourings, extracts and functional ingredients to the global F&B industry. The group has grown exponentially in the last five years, comprising 13 production sites and over 550 employees. It indicates that Calaf Nuances will provide “an interesting addition to its range of sweet and savoury flavours and blends for F&B.”
Calaf Nuances has many international customers across Spain, Europe and Mexico. The flavour house is recognized for its own-created flavours. Besides molecular flavour creation, it boasts in-house technologies, including biotransformation, maillard reactions, distillation, concentration and encapsulation to create differentiating flavours for many applications in the food industry.
Luigi Del Monaco, CEO at Nactarome, comments: “With this acquisition, we have expanded our presence in the Spanish and Latin America markets and gained access to new competencies and capabilities that will enable us to serve our customers even better. This move aligns with our long-term strategic plan to strengthen our position and create sustainable value for our stakeholders.”
Mondi to modernize its Dynäs kraft paper mill in Sweden
Mondi, a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, is upgrading its Dynäs pulp and paper mill in Sweden.
The Dynäs mill produces high-quality sack and speciality kraft papers, used for a variety of paper-based packaging solutions for industrial and consumer industries and is an important part of Mondi’s Flexible Packaging business. The project includes the installation and upgrade of machinery and equipment such as a new cooking plant and bark boiler, which will improve the millʼs energy efficiency. Upgrades will also further reduce air and water emissions and result in better wood utilization at the mill. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
interpack 2023 trade show exceeds exhibitors’ expectations
For those in the product packaging and processing business, there was only one “place to be” from 4 to 10 May 2023: interpack in Düsseldorf/Germany.
interpack delivered what it promised and exceeded exhibitors’ expectations: the world’s largest and most relevant packaging trade fair set standards yet again, connected the industry on a global level and acted as both a marketplace and content hub. Approximately 143,000 visitors from 155 countries, many with firm intentions to buy, came to the event. Two thirds of the visitors came from abroad. Alongside many European countries, the largest visitor nations were India, Japan and the USA. Around 75% of visitors came from middle or top management.
At the end of the trade fair, Bernd Jablonowski, Executive Director at Messe Düsseldorf, said: “With interpack we were able to finally hold one of the Messe Düsseldorf’s most important events again. It has reported back impressively and reinforced its position as the global platform for the exchange amongst all players in the packaging sector, related process industries and all user industries. Our targets were exceeded by far.”
