High-Performance Drives for the Food Industry
January 15, 2025
Food production is subject to the strictest of requirements. Operations in this highly sensitive hygienic environment must run smoothly to manufacture the large volume and diverse range of products efficiently and sustainably. What does this mean for companies that are active on a market characterized by fierce competition and high consumer expectations? Production processes need to be flexible, fast, and completely hygienic.
Machinery and systems that are easy to clean and disinfect are just as vital as energy-efficient drive systems that offer a long service life. At SEW‑EURODRIVE, they fulfill these requirements with high-performance gear units and stainless steel servo gearmotors, special surface materials, and innovative automation solutions. They support the food industry in every process step – from processing the raw materials and mixing to filling and cooling.
To do so, they follow a holistic approach. Their stainless steel drives and automation solutions are specifically designed for the complex, dynamic production of foodstuffs. The machines meet the stringent hygienic design standards, but are nonetheless easy to maintain. Thanks to their modular design, they can be adapted flexibly to the requirements of specific applications and operate reliably. They support processes with solutions for compact systems and integrated automation solutions that make it possible to adapt your production to new circumstances. Startup is simple and fast, and solutions are completely dependable when it comes to their operation.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways SEW‑EURODRIVE drive solutions are used. Come with SEW-EURODRIVE on a journey through various stations of food production. They will show you where you can find their innovative technology.
The growing demand for healthy, sustainable foodstuffs is posing some interesting challenges for the food industry. More and more production steps need to be energy-efficient, reliable, and hygienic, all at the same time. With drive technology from SEW‑EURODRIVE, you have the perfect technology to meet these requirements. They will help you design your production processes smoothly and with the maximum level of hygiene.
Hygienic design and durable components
Hygiene is a key factor in food production. Their solution for this is special stainless steel gear units and coatings that are resistant to acids and alkalis. The drive components can be easily and reliably cleaned and are resistant to even aggressive cleaning agents. As a result, even when subjected to regular disinfection, the machines retain their efficiency and are always ready for use. Durable drive components ensure that the system is always stable, operating reliably without interruption, and that the maintenance outlay remains at a minimum.
Flexible and compact systems
Demand for foodstuffs is on the rise, and production is running at full speed. The greater the number of products that need to be manufactured, the greater the amount of space required in plants. However, there isn’t always space available. Particularly in food production, every square meter counts, so the key is to find flexible, space-saving system layouts. Thanks to the modular solutions from SEW‑EURODRIVE optimum use can be made of even the smallest production area.
If a recipe or unit size changes, it is essential that machines can be reprogrammed quickly. This keeps the system efficient, even if products or filling volumes change during ongoing operations. Their drive solutions and motors are designed in such a flexible way that they can adapt easily to changes in the production process.
Milk production from stirring to filling
Let’s take dairy products as an example. Stirring in yogurt cultures or mixing various lactic acid bacteria for cheese requires absolute precision and gentle, hygienic working. Stirring and mixing is a key step here – whether in small laboratory systems or in large tanks with capacities into the thousands of liters. Especially during processing into yogurt or cheese, machines need to move large volumes dynamically in a short period of time. This gives rise to high axial and radial forces. Their specially developed gear units designed for use in agitators ensure that the sensitive ingredients are mixed gently and evenly to an homogeneous mass.
The robust drive solutions ensure reliable load management and stable power supply, even when there are fluctuations in the grid. Thanks to intuitive software and scalable controllers, production can be relied on to run smoothly – an absolute must for a process in which every minute counts. These systems are optimized for use in hygienic environments, and are particularly maintenance-friendly thanks to their robust design. This is essential in dairies – especially when they are in everyday use.
The X..e series impresses with its particularly robust design and optimized shafts that effortlessly cope with even the heaviest loads. Made for mixing processes in milk processing, they are stable and reliable.
Thanks to the hygienic design and high corrosion resistance, the stainless steel gear units of the RES.., KES.. And WES.. easy to clean. They can be used flexibly in many steps of milk processing.
The aseptic DAS.. Motors meet the highest hygiene standards with their design without fans and smooth surfaces. Germs cannot accumulate here. They are therefore ideally suited for an absolutely clean production environment.
The CM2H series from SEW-EURODRIVE comprises efficient stainless steel servomotors that have been developed for applications with high hygiene standards. The series is made of high-quality stainless steel (AISI 304), is corrosion-resistant and can withstand aggressive cleaning agents. The integrated encoder system of this motor series can be used to implement applications with precise speed, position or torque control. They are suitable for a wide range of applications thanks to their great flexibility in terms of combinability with PSH, RES, WES, KES stainless steel gear units and the availability of variants with B5 and B14 flange.
State-of-the-art filling systems – precise, fast, and germ-free
Once the raw materials have been processed, the product is put into tubs. Filling systems in food production are a great example of just how complex processes can be and what automation can achieve in this context. One example is the VMS filling machine. The specialists from Obersontheim in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany use the MOVI‑C® modular automation system from SEW‑EURODRIVE.
It goes without saying that the machine works to the highest hygiene standards, filling liquid and paste-type products such as baby food and yogurt germ-free. With the patented TWIST filler, multiple products can be combined in any sequence to create interesting patterns. Production is coordinated to perfection. Up to 38 000 tubs of various sizes are filled, transported, and sealed every hour – without interruption and without anything sloshing over. Smart automation is part of what makes this happen without incident. The automated motion sequences of the various system components ensure that the tubs are filled evenly, even at high speeds.
The more complex the automated motion sequences are, the more important efficient engineering becomes. Their solution is a wide range of cutting-edge motion and logic controllers, such as MOVI‑PLC® – a high-performance multi-axis servo system with prefabricated software modules. Their MOVI‑C® modular automation system offers the perfect tools for implementing modular machine concepts in fill and seal machines so that nothing sloshes over.
MOVI‑C®: This means 100% automation from a single source, from the engineering software for your planning and simple startup, to the control technology, the central and decentralized inverter technology, and the drive technology.
With MOVISUITE® standard, all components of the MOVI‑C® modular automation system can be consistently configured, started up, and monitored – from control technology and inverters to the motors and gear units. The software controls the filling parameters precisely and can easily be adjusted if the volumes or products in the line change. This means there is very little waste in production, which saves money in the long term.
Spiral freezer for even freezing
Freezing the products is a particularly sensitive step in production. Spiral freezers play a key role in this. To freeze products in such a way that they keep their structure, specialists such as Heinen Freezing rely on planetary gear units from SEW‑EURODRIVE. They designed the drives in such a way that the temperature is regulated evenly, so that the foodstuffs retain their freshness and quality. The P series planetary gear units have high torque and a compact design. They can move large masses slowly and evenly at a low speed – one revolution a minute. As a result, the freezing process runs continuously and without interruption. This cuts production costs and boosts efficiency.
“The constantly growing demand for sustainable and healthy food is presenting the food industry with new challenges. At SEW-EURODRIVE, we offer innovative technologies, particularly in the field of control and drive technology, such as in the important areas of virtual commissioning and cyber-physical control. Our customized drive and automation solutions combine maximum energy efficiency with strict hygiene and quality standards, depending on the application. With our global service and readily available spare parts for all process steps, we support our customers worldwide in optimizing their production processes and remaining competitive.”
Hans-Joachim Müller, Marktmanager Antriebselektronik | SEW-EURODRIVE Germany | 9. January 2025
Sustainability in the cold storage facility – efficient energy management and improved grid quality
Once the products have been frozen, they are transported to storage. SEW‑EURODRIVE is setting new standards in cold storage with its Power and Energy Solutions. Dutch deep-freeze specialist NewCold benefits from an intelligent energy management system that reduces energy costs and resource consumption significantly. The company leads the way in developing and operating highly automated cold storage facilities. Maintaining a constant storage temperature is key to ensuring the foodstuffs are safely preserved there. Fluctuations can lead to significant drops in quality.
When it comes to logistics at ice-cold temperatures, the demands on the technology are therefore immense. What’s more, NewCold sets particularly high standards in terms of energy efficiency and the sustainable use of resources.
SEW-EURODRIVE has provided all the electrical engineering for the company’s storage/retrieval systems, overhead trolley system, pallet transfer shuttle, hoists, and conveyors. Their brief was to reduce the peak power on the grid, make oversized transformers a thing of the past, optimize the size of the distribution network, and ensure there were no unnecessary heat sources in the cold area. The software had already been preconfigured and was parameterized on site to meet requirements. Startup was significantly faster as a result.
With their Power and Energy Solutions, they boosted energy efficiency and reduced load peaks considerably. As a result, NewCold can cut the connected load on the grid side by as much as 80 percent. Energy storage units are now used cleverly, and braking energy is recovered in the DC link. All this boosts energy efficiency and drives down energy costs. This sets the stage for NewCold to achieve its sustainability targets.
Industry-specific trends such as new flavors, changing nutritional preferences and sustainability in terms of energy efficiency and traceability are forcing production processes to be fundamentally adapted. In order to remain competitive, the use of modern technologies is crucial. With its efficient and holistic drive and automation solutions, SEW-EURODRIVE supports customers in the food industry in achieving their requirements and goals and transforming raw materials into food quickly and efficiently.
Philipp Penz, Industry Segment & Account Coordinator | 9. January 2025
Food production now and in the future
The increasing requirements in terms of hygiene, energy efficiency, and flexibility are posing some interesting challenges for the food industry. With their customized drive solutions, SEW-EURODRIVE is helping companies rise to these challenges and take on the competition. Their systems are designed for efficient, hygienic, and sustainable production processes, and offer a solution for every production step – from precision stirring and germ-free filling processes to even freezing and resource-friendly storage. Their gear units for extremely high loads and high torques, with stainless steel and aseptic motors, meet the most stringent hygiene standards, and enable a flexible, sustainable production environment that can be quickly adapted to new requirements.
In addition, their automation solutions optimize precise control in every phase of complex processes. When it comes to cold storage and deep freezing, their Power and Energy Solutions ensure processes are stable and energy-efficient, and cut costs. With SEW‑EURODRIVE as your partner, you are choosing robust, flexible, and easy-to-clean drive solutions. Efficiency with hygiene at the highest level.
More Information
Would you like to find out more about their technology for the food industry? Get in touch with them, and they can tell you how they can make your production sustainable and fit for the future, too.
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