APEC Blog

The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) created stricter food safety rules for farmers, growers, and food processors of all kinds. Compliance means preventing or dramatically reducing the chance of contamination, while non-compliance can result in FDA fines, consumer illnesses, and legal battles. Process design,…

Though they’re often used in highly durable scales and heavy equipment, load cells themselves are somewhat delicate, and can easily be damaged by surrounding elements. This is what makes hermetic sealing so important. Hermetically sealed load cells are air- and water-tight, protecting the delicate measurement…

In our previous post, we discussed problems engineers and scale dealers often face when working with traditional strain gauge scales and load cells, and solutions that can improve accuracy and durability. In many cases, utilizing capacitive digital load cells can help to avoid problems posed…

负载细胞are essential devices used in many processing systems, though we seldom think about them. Only when the load cell malfunctions and the scale is inaccurate do we think about the workings behind the measurement. When it comes to measuring ingredients–from fine pharmaceutical powders…

For automated processing to work in any industry, from food processing to chemical processing to pharmaceuticals and more, ingredients must be weighed accurately. In our previous post, we explained how to choose a load cell and scale instrument that works best for your mix. In…

Automated systems have made food, pharmaceutical and chemical processing systems faster and more efficient. An important part of this process is the accurate weighing of ingredients. As ingredients have become more concentrated, the importance for highly accurate scales has increased. The challenge for many engineers…

There are many factors affecting feedlot efficiency that operators cannot control. This makes the factors that operators can control even more important. Automation technology is one way that feedlot operators are finding ways to improve efficiency. With the right strategy and the right equipment, you…

The increased use of super sacks in feed and pet food processing has saved operators hours in time, reduce costs, and helped to dramatically improve efficiency. A one-ton bulk bag (AKA super sack, flexible intermediate bulk container or FIBC) can take the place of forty…

Whether for flavor, vitamin content, shelf life, or texture, liquid coating is the preferred application method for many cereals, snacks, pet food mixes, and more. Though this provides a number of efficient, time-saving advantages for snack coating, it can introduce some challenges if the process…

In the previous post, we discussed common problems that can occur with the start of a micro-ingredient system, including ingredient bins and feeders. The latter half of the system is generally more complex, and more issues usually arise here. In this blog post we’ll cover…