Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Case Studies & Field Reports

Field Reports

A new way to clean revolutionizes a French fry plant

Ultrasonic cleaning technology helps a Canadian frozen foods processor save on production costs.

Omegasonics Pro Plus ultrasonic cleaner

The Omegasonics Pro Plus ultrasonic cleaner at the Cavendish Farms plant deep cleans old and new components on a regular basis. Source: Omegasonics.

January 7, 2016

To produce frozen French fries, Cavendish Farms uses intricate machinery that requires regular cleaning and maintenance to decrease downtime and increase efficiency. In its New Annan potato processing plant on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, the process required to maintain its technology was lengthy and cumbersome. Scales, shakers, vibrators, graders, baggers, open bag detectors, metal detectors, case packers, sortation conveyors, palletizers, wrappers, gear boxes, ceiling cooling units and stainless steel filters all require regular cleaning and repairs.

Oil from the French fries clogs pivot points and other components, including parts that are more complicated to clean and maintain. Each of the plant’s 12 Ishida scales has 28 buckets—14 pool hoppers and 14 weigh hoppers. It can take up to four hours every few months to disassemble one bucket, hand scrub each component and reassemble and replace the unit. Oil also can cause errors on the scales and other malfunctions, including errant fries in the machinery.

Chris Keough, packaging maintenance supervisor at Cavendish Farms’ New Annan plant, realized an alternative cleaning process was in the company’s best interest. One weekend, he watched an ultrasonic machine clean a set of golf clubs, and he got an idea. A few months later, an Omegasonics 33-gallon Pro Plus industrial unit was on the plant floor. “Our ultrasonic system has completely changed how we do things,” says Keough.

The plant has realized the benefits of the system in several areas including labor efficiency and time savings. Before installing the system, the regular maintenance task list, on top of emergency repairs, was so time consuming for his mechanic that maintenance was continuously backlogged. The ultrasonic unit has reduced cleaning time by more than 85 percent.

Previously, it took not only four hours to clean one of the Ishida bucket scales, it required a skilled mechanic to do it. Now, a staff member, not a mechanic, can clean eight scales in four hours. The plant floor worker simply puts the scale into the ultrasonic unit and leaves it largely unattended while it does its job.

“I can’t emphasize enough the amount of time the ultrasonic unit has freed up for my mechanic,” says Keough. “We purchased it in June 2014, and we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel on our backlogged maintenance list. We’re running cleaner, better equipment and using fewer man hours to do it.”

With less time spent on cleaning, old and new components are getting deep cleaned on a regular basis, increasing their performance and efficiency. For example, vibrators used on the plant’s processing line contain fibers with only .02 inches between them. Over time, these spaces fill up with dirt and grime, deadening their vibration and ultimately decreasing production efficiency. The fibers and the spaces between them were nearly impossible to clean by hand. But, ultrasonic cavitation bubbles reach into these intricate crevices and thoroughly clean the delicate fibers and all adjoining components, decreasing maintenance time and increasing productivity.
 

For more information:

Frank Pedeflous, 888-989-5560,
omegasonics@omegasonics.com, www.omegasonics.com.

KEYWORDS: technology

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    People & Industry News
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Cleaning | Sanitation
    By: Richard F. Stier
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

OT Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities in Food Manufacturing Facilities

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Understanding Impacts of OT Cybersecurity Events in Food Manufacturing

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions April 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

FMTE Formed by Four Food Manufacturing Companies

Coalition Unites Europe’s Food Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment Sector

Kraft Heinz DeKalb Distribution Center Rendering

Kraft Heinz Upgrades U.S. Manufacturing Facilities

Sanitation worker spraying water

Fighting the Foodborne Bacteria War with Cleaning and Sanitation

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • OAL steam infusion system

    High-tech hydration makes a traditional drink even better

    See More
  • Cirkul’s concept is straightforward and transparent

    A Perfect Cirkul

    See More
  • Accurately picking up soft cheese

    A Better Vision for Food Traceability

    See More
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!