BUPAIC: Butter Production Automation with In-line Control
The primary objective of the CreamSense project is to integrate advanced sensors into ILAÇOR's butter production line, enabling real-time monitoring of product characteristics and line operation. Specifically, continuous measurement of butter moisture content will automate water dosing to ensure compliance with legislation requiring moisture content below 16%. Additionally, fat and salt percentages, essential for butter quality, will be determined and integrated into ILAÇOR's ERP system to enhance batch quality monitoring.
Challenges addressed:
Innovation has always been a cornerstone of Glaucor's approach, enabling the design and manufacture of machinery and customized solutions tailored to customer needs and utilizing cutting-edge technologies. The moisture content in butter is not only crucial for regulatory compliance but also significantly influences line productivity and economic performance. Real-time moisture measurement will facilitate production parameter adjustments, eliminating the need for offline sample analysis and enabling the development of an automatic water dosing process.
Expected benefits:
The solution proposed in our project aims to foster the development of the Twin Transition on two lines. On the one hand, it contributes to digitalisation by democratising water dosing automation in butter production and improving the information on production quality. On the other hand, it contributes to green transition by avoiding waste due to batches of products out of specification.
The solution proposed in the BUPAIC project will provide butter producers with several benefits for the automation of the butter manufacturing process, such as the following:
- Availability of a system that characterises the final product in line at an affordable cost.
- Possibility of automating water dosage and increasing productivity by avoiding delays due to laboratory results waiting in moisture analysis.
- Avoid out-of-specification batches and control compliance with regulations (moisture content less than 16%).
- Wide availability of data on the quality of the batches produced in real-time.
Award date: 10/26/2023
Duration: 12 months
Partners:
- GLAUCOR INGENIERIA - https://www.glaucor.com/ (Spain) (funded via HIGHFIVE)
- ADVANCED OPTICAL TECHOLOGIES S.L. - https://www.aotech.es/ (Spain)
- ILAÇOR Industria de Laticinios dos Açores - www.ilacor.pt (Portugal)