Machine Control in the Food Industry

Grafenhausen/Berlin: The traditional methods for producing meat specialities remained unchanged for centuries. But they became insufficient after the onset of industrialization, when meat processing became increasingly concentrated at just a few locations.

The quantities soon reached industrial dimensions, but the old techniques were only slowly replaced by modern processes. This proved fatal for working conditions in the huge abattoirs, some of which – such as Paris and Chicago – achieved legendary status.

Relief finally came at the beginning of the twentieth century when health and safety norms were introduced and enforced. Another consequence of these developments was the setting up of the American regulatory body, the FDA.

The field of meat processing demonstrates very vividly how special machines and processes were a vital precondition for reliable manufacture of high quality products in large quantities. Today’s ongoing development work on food processing machines focuses on equipping them with high-grade automation systems.
The extent of progress achieved with modern drive and control components is demonstrated, for example, by the high-tech IR 56 Curing Centre made by Rühle Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH. [more]