As a global partner in packaging and material testing and inspection, the primary task of industrial physics is to provide a wide and diverse range of testing solutions, enabling customers to easily tackle various challenges. To achieve this goal, industrial physics is constantly paying attention to and adopting the latest technological advancements.

The global wave of innovation is changing various industries, especially in the packaging sector. This year, Industrial Physics has released a comprehensive industry report that delves into the biggest opportunities and challenges facing packaging innovation in 2023.Click here to access the Industrial Physical Packaging Innovation Industry Report.

However, innovation is not limited to packaging alone, it also involves a comprehensive transformation of the production process. Therefore, Industrial Physics is committed to developing advanced testing solutions that enable users to operate more intelligently in acquiring improved data communication technologies, creating greater value for customers.

Bringing disruptive solutions to customers

Recently, our partner KHS Group has achieved significant success, fully leveraging the advantages of two innovative devices - our Steinfurth Universal Logger System (ULS) and the new PU Monitor monitor. These two devices inject new functionality and vitality into our existing Steinfurth pasteurization control system. As an international manufacturer specializing in beverages and liquid food, KHS Group is renowned in the field of filling and packaging equipment.

In the past cooperation history, KHS has been using our Steinfurth universal recorder system in engineering and customer sites to conduct in-depth diagnosis of their pasteurization equipment.

So, why is it important to accurately control the pasteurization process? Simply put, pasteurization requires maintaining the temperature inside the beverage container at the pasteurization standard temperature for a period of time to ensure that all bacteria inside the container cannot survive. Therefore, this is a crucial application to ensure the safety of beverages inside packaging.

Different packaging will have different parameters, so different recording systems are required to ensure accurate test results. For companies like KHS Group that cover multiple packaging types, this can be a quite complex task.

The flexibility of the Steinfurth Universal Recorder System (ULS) provides KHS with the ability to accurately control various beverage containers using the same recorder system. This flexibility eliminates tedious assembly steps and provides detailed measurements of customer packaging.

Accurate packaging with precise parameters!

The collaboration between Industrial Physics and KHS team has been ongoing for many years. They are responsible for supervising a large production line, one of the key tasks of which is measuring pasteurization, reducing microorganisms that may affect shelf life and ultimately damage the products inside the packaging by heating the packaging.

Dr. Markus Grafen, R&D Manager of Industrial Physics, explained:

For many years, the KHS team has been using our recorders to track temperature, ensuring that the temperature is reached within the specified time to ensure the safety of microbial levels. ”

However, what often makes things difficult are the various fixtures and testing levels associated with different containers. When using the recorder, the operator inserts the probe into the container, allowing temperature and pressure to be measured, and enters the area commonly known as the "cold spot" - which is the part of the container that requires the longest heating time and therefore the longest pasteurization time. However, this' cold spot 'may vary significantly depending on the packaging size of each specific customer.

This is what makes Steinfurth ULS special.

Promote innovation in communication tools for pasteurization recorders

Another innovation developed in collaboration with KHS is the new PU Monitor PU Monitor, which complements the functionality of the Steinfurth Universal Recorder System ULS. PU monitor is a compact independent device equipped with a 7-inch touch screen, which can directly analyze the results of the universal recorder system ULS on the production line. By adopting advanced and user-friendly communication protocols, PU monitors are able to transmit time and temperature records to the KHS central control system. This enables KHS to obtain accurate test results, which can be accessed instantly in the customer's system.

At KHS's cleaning and pasteurization technology capability center, Steinfurth's recorder system has always been an important component of our quality inspection of pasteurization equipment. These powerful recorder systems have withstood the test of harsh industrial environments. The innovative design of the Universal Recording System (ULS), combined with the PU monitor - an interface device that supports the Internet of Things - has pioneered modern methods for measuring pasteurization units. The user-friendly and simple dashboard of the PU monitor enables seamless communication with data loggers and displays measurement charts without the need for trained personnel. In addition, the new PU monitor can communicate with our application to set parameters for the data logger or transmit measurement results to the HMI, allowing machine operators to visualize and compare results directly without the assistance of KHS personnel. ”KHS debugging engineer Shareef Muhammad Hamza said.

In industrial physics, we are committed to providing global packaging, product, and material integrity protection for manufacturers, production lines, and laboratories. For us, this is not just about providing testing and inspection instruments, but also about providing support to our customers. As true partners, we answer questions, share knowledge, and most importantly, take swift action if problems arise.

For companies like KHS, this is a huge game change - it allows them to innovate in testing, greatly simplify processes, and achieve strong testing results. The innovation here lies in the advanced communication technology carried by the PU monitor. By integrating the PU monitor with their system, data transmission is seamless, allowing them to easily obtain test data, and KHS can have a direct conversation with the system to set up corresponding settings based on the specific needs of the packaging type interested in testing in a particular context. ”Dr. Markus Grafen, R&D Manager of Industrial Physics, stated.

About KHS Group

KHS Group is one of the manufacturers of filling and packaging systems for the beverage and liquid food industry. In addition to its parent company (KHS GmbH) headquartered in Germany, the group has production bases in Ahmedabad, India, Waukesha, USA, Zinacantepec, Mexico, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Kunshan, China. In addition, KHS has multiple sales and service centers worldwide, dedicated to providing comprehensive support to customers. KHS produces modern, high-capacity filling and packaging systems at its headquarters in Dortmund, Germany, as well as at its factories in Bad Kroitznach, Clive, Worms, and Hamburg. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, a listed SDAX company, KHS Group achieved a turnover of approximately 1.291 billion euros in 2022 and has 5002 employees.

For industrial physics, developing easy and efficient testing solutions that allow customers to easily and accurately enjoy testing results is crucial. If you would like to learn more about how industrial physics can support your needs, please feel free to contact us at any time!