Why is temperature and pressure control in autoclaves crucial in canned food production?

In the production of canned foods, the sterilization process in autoclaves involves subjecting products to high temperature and pressure for a specified period of time. These parameters are necessary to eliminate bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that can cause food spoilage and pose a health risk to consumers. Insufficiently high temperatures or too short a process time can lead to incomplete sterilization and, consequently, the growth of harmful microorganisms in products, jeopardizing their shelf life and safety.

Precise management of temperature and pressure not only eliminates bacteria, but also ensures that food products retain their quality, texture and taste. Excessive temperature or excessive residence time in the autoclave can lead to over-processing of food, which affects its sensory qualities and nutritional value. Therefore, proper process control is crucial to ensure a balance between sterilization efficiency and preservation of product quality.

In addition, compliance with food safety standards and regulations, such as HACCP, requires accurate recording of process parameters. With precise control of autoclaves, manufacturers are able to meet stringent industry requirements, conduct audits and document processes, ensuring safety and consumer satisfaction.

How to automate the sterilization process in autoclaves? The customer's problem

The client, operating in the canned food industry, was struggling with significant challenges in the area of controlling sterilization processes in autoclaves. The biggest problem was the need to manually select sterilization programs, which increased the risk of human error. Each product required individual temperature and pressure settings, and manual entry of these parameters by operators not only slowed down the process, but also posed the risk of selecting the wrong program for a particular product. An error at this stage could lead to insufficient sterilization, reducing product safety and quality.

In addition, the autoclave control system the customer was using was outdated and did not meet modern requirements for production automation. The lack of automated sterilization cycle management capabilities made it difficult to increase production efficiency and maintain full compliance with industry standards. The customer needed a secure solution that would enable automatic program selection based on item number and eliminate errors due to manual control.

Manual control of autoclave processes poses the risk of human error, which can result in inappropriate sterilization parameters for different products. In the canning industry, where a variety of products require different sterilization cycles, manual data entry can lead to mistakes, which reduces production efficiency and increases the risk of complaints. In addition, the lack of automation significantly limits the ability to increase production efficiency, and complicates the audits and documentation required to meet industry standards.

The solution to these challenges is full process automation, which prevents human error, optimizes uptime and enables precise control over key sterilization process parameters.

How does a PLC automate pressure and temperature control in autoclaves? Our solution

To overcome the challenges of controlling sterilizers manually, we came up with a comprehensive solution to automate the entire sterilization process. The centerpiece of the implementation was the advanced control system JUMO mTRON T. It is a modular automation system that integrated temperature and pressure management in autoclaves, eliminating the need for manual input of sterilization parameters and programs. JUMO mTRON T provides flexibility in managing a variety of products, which has allowed processes to be better tailored to the specifics of canning production.

The second key component was the LOGOSCREEN fd recorder, which enabled continuous monitoring and recording of key parameters, such as temperature and pressure, during the sterilization cycle. This recorder provides full documentation of processes, which is essential for audits and compliance with food safety standards.

The most important improvement was the integration of a barcode scanner into the control system. With this solution, it became possible to automatically recognize the product based on its article number. After scanning the article number, the system automatically selected the appropriate sterilization program for the product, which significantly reduced the risk of errors resulting from manual selection of parameters.

The entire solution allowed to increase production efficiency, eliminate errors and fully automate the process of selecting sterilization programs, which contributed to the optimization of factory operations.

How has an automated sterilization system improved operational efficiency? Customer benefits

After implementing the automation of sterilization processes in autoclaves, the client reported a number of benefits that significantly affected production efficiency. First and foremost, the automatic selection of programs based on article number eliminated the risk of errors resulting from manual parameter entry. Thanks to the integration of the barcode scanner and control system, each scan of the product automatically activated the correct temperature and pressure settings, which significantly reduced the number of mistakes in the process.

Another benefit was increased operational efficiency. Process automation reduced cycle times, which directly increased the number of products that could be processed in a day. Reducing machine downtime and eliminating manual operation of autoclaves also increased team productivity and reduced the need for operator intervention.

The introduction of an automated system also resulted in cost savings. Fewer errors meant less waste and the need to reprocess products. In addition, eliminating the need for manual monitoring and program selection allowed better use of human and energy resources, which reduced operating costs.

Finally, the implemented solution gave the customer flexibility for the future. Thanks to the modular structure of the automation system, the client gained the ability to easily expand the sterilization function as production needs grow, ensuring that the system can adapt to changing market requirements. Automation has increased both the quality of production and the client's competitiveness in the canning market.

About the author

My name is Ewelina Szmit and I have been working in content marketing for several years, combining my professional skills with my passion for writing. I am convinced that even the most technical topics can be presented in an interesting and accessible way for everyone. Outside of work, I unleash my creativity by creating newspaper collages. I like to spend my free time being active, walking my dog or running.

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