During the turmoil of 2020, North Americans sought refuge in comfort food associated with memories of better times. Responding to that need, U.S. dairy producers churned out just over 1 billion gallons of ice cream last year. The average American consumes approximately 23 pounds of ice cream and related frozen desserts per year. Fortune Business Insights estimates that the global ice cream market will reach $91.9 billion in 2027.1
Today, ice cream and other frozen dessert options are endless: French, reduced fat, lactose-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, organic, gelato, sherbet, snow cones, frozen yogurt, etc. With that wide variety of products come regional, national and international rules – and stringent parameters that govern the crafting of these delicious treats. Meeting these requirements can be daunting for producers small and large, and researching possible solutions can be just as intimidating.
Incorporating automation/analytics into your company’s production line can improve your operations in significant ways. It better standardizes product quality. It streamlines the traceability of raw materials and foods from the production floor to order fulfillment. Because machines are precise, they can create a consistent premium product that ensures customer satisfaction and loyalty. Cybertech Automation has implemented quality control systems that monitor product characteristics such as color, fill level, cap alignment, date code validation, weight and more. We can also ensure that your filler setup matches your desired output product. All of this results in tangible improvements to your overall process that reduce shipping errors and costly rework. Most importantly, automated food production lines are far more responsive to changing regulations and consumer demands – limiting down-time and loss of profits.
Automation in food production also improves workplace safety. Sensors, automated dump valves and locks can limit worker exposure to hazardous areas. Cybertech Automation has also added safety controls to packaging machines – ensuring that personnel can only access the equipment when it is in a safe state.
If/when you’re ready to dive deeper into manufacturing execution systems (MES) and enterprise resource planning (ERP), Cybertech Automation is ready to assist with that next step. We help customers design systems that integrate production dashboards with overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) systems – allowing you to evaluate your productivity against your own uptime targets and evaluate your success against industry standards. Good data means good business decisions – and even better ice cream.
What’s the best way to get started? Work with Cybertech Automation to design the perfect combination of automation and equipment that meets your unique requirements. Our experienced staff have decades of experience designing, developing and implementing specialized control systems for the food industry. For the dairy industry specifically, we have extensive experience with:
- Raw product blending systems
- Batch pasteurization
- HTST pasteurization
- Integrating clean-in-place (CIP) systems with overall automation structures
- Material handling (feeding to and from filling and packaging machines, conveyor indexing, etc.)
- Specifying equipment/systems that adhere to FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements
We’re always ready to learn about the specific needs of food and beverage customers and provide options to maximize production while staying within budget.
Interested in speaking with a Cybertech Automation control system specialist to discuss your facility upgrade? Please contact sales@cybertechusa.com today.