Engineering R&D

Lubrication keeps wheels turning in flash freezing applications

For the meat packing industry, lubrication for conveyors must maintain adequate lubricity in freezing cold areas, provide corrosion resistance and be safe to use.

Wayne Labs

September 28, 2015

Pork processing, like any live protein processing, is not a nice environment for humans or machines.

Food Safety

Antimicrobials are more than just ingredients

Minimize potential contamination with antimicrobial materials incorporated in floors, walls, overheads, ceilings, drains, doors, clothing and non-food contact surfaces.

Richard F. Stier

August 24, 2015

When most people in the food industry hear the word “antimicrobial,” they usually think about preservatives such as sodium benzoate or calcium propionate.

Engineering R&D

Putting 'static cling' to use

You’ve seen the commercials for washday products that eliminate static cling. Ironically, the principle behind it gives an innovative robotic gripper a light, gentle touch that doesn’t bruise food items.

Wayne Labs

June 17, 2015

If you’ve ever experienced static cling when you take off a sweater in a dry, winter environment, you’re already familiar the technology behind Grabit’s robotic gripper technology, which the company calls electroadhesion.

Engineering R&D

A secure, reliable automation controller from the silicon up

Rather than apply Band-Aids to old technology, the designers of this automation controller started with a clean sheet of paper.

Wayne Labs

May 31, 2015

If you could design and build a new programmable automation controller, what characteristics would you include?

Engineering R&D

Extended Interview: Food-safe, surface enhancement process extends component life

This recently developed surface enhancement technology can extend the lifetime of grinders and other critical wear components from two shifts to many months with no peeling or flaking.

Wayne Labs

April 8, 2015

Food Engineering caught up with David Bell, founder, president and CEO of Phygen Coatings, to hear more about surface enhancement technology.

Engineering R&D

Food-safe, surface-enhancement process extends component life

Wayne Labs

April 6, 2015

While this surface-enhancement technology may sound too good to be true, it has been put to the test by Argonne National Labs for its durability.

Engineering R&D

Scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours!

Wayne Labs

November 5, 2014

Have a robotics work cell project in a meat plant?

Engineering R&D

Surface appeal: Novel antimicrobial for direct food contact

Novel antimicrobial quickly neutralizes broad range of pathogens on food contact surfaces; now takes aim at direct food contact.

Mikell Knights

March 8, 2014

Chlorine- and ammonia-based disinfectants and sanitizers are typically used as interventions or rinses to eliminate dangerous bacteria, fungi, viruses and foodborne pathogens on food preparation and food processing areas.

Engineering R&D

X-ray's double take on inspection detection

Dual energy X-ray systems bring value added detection features to identify missing product, damaged product, dented or altered packaging and presence of a premium item.

Mikell Knights

February 7, 2014

Conventional single-energy X-ray inspection technology has been established as a reliable tool in detecting contaminants like stainless steel, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass, calcified bone, mineral stone and high-density plastics and rubber.

Engineering R&D