Integration with existing machines
To develop a new product, Calibra relied on IntOCon to design a fully customized line where an existing destacker and sauce dosing unit were seamlessly integrated into a complete line for filling fixed weight trays with sauce, fresh chicken fillet and a herb topping.
For optimal and fast cleaning of the production line as well as the floor underneath, the control cabinet was mounted in the height.
Flawless filling of trays to fixed weight
Scales were integrated for accurate filling of trays with chicken fillet to the predetermined weight. The scales trigger a light signal to the operators as soon as the correct weight is reached. This way, giveaway is eliminated and all trays are delivered with the correct weight. At the end of the line, there is a final check for metal.
Dosing of spices
Additional challenge is the precise dosing of a spice topping at the end of the production process. A vibration system controls dispensing of the correct dose at the correct place at the exact time.
Calibra testifies:
Calibra, with head office and production in Roeselare, Belgium, started 20 years ago and is a major processor of fresh chicken fillet. The team of 32 people processes up to 70,000 kg of chicken fillet per week and delivers all over Europe.
Mr. Oliver Serruys, Sales & Operations Manager talks about the cooperation with IntOCon:
“A new production hall was commissioned at the end of 2022. We had a number of ideas to market a new product and how the line should look like. It involves automatic unstacking of trays, dosing with sauce, filling with fresh chicken fillet to a predetermined weight and finally finishing with a herb topping.
We got in touch with IntOCon and explained the concept. IntOCon thought along how to integrate some existing machines into an otherwise fully customized line. Soon a first proposal was presented. The line was completely drawn in detail. IntOCon handled this very professionally. After a few adjustments, the next step was to test it in our production with fresh products.
The biggest challenge was to design and set the weighing units in such a way that the operators receive a green light signal when the correct weight of fresh chicken per tary is reached. This makes it easy for the operators to work quickly and without errors.
In addition to the technical challenge, the time pressure on the project was very high, but IntOCon got the line up and running perfectly and trained our people within the agreed deadline.
We appreciate the good communication with IntOCon and the line works exactly as we had in mind. When new ideas come to us, we will undoubtedly call IntOCon. We can definitely recommend IntOCon for customized machines to anyone.”
