THE SAUSAGE MANUFACTURER WHO INVESTS IN THE NEW FCA 140 FROM POLY-CLIP SYSTEM BENEFITS ENORMOUSLY FROM THE THE SAUSAGE MANUFACTURER WHO INVESTS IN THE NEW FCA 140 FROM POLY-CLIP SYSTEM BENEFITS ENORMOUSLY FROM THE SHORTEST DOWNTIMES ASSOCIATED WITH CASING CHANGE, CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE. MAXIMUM PROCESS RELIABILITY AND USER SAFETY, AS WELL AS A HIGH DEGREE OF OPERATOR COMFORT, ARE THE OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF THIS NEW AUTOMATIC DOUBLE-CLIPPER.
Efficiency combined with reliability – the new name: FCA 140
State-of-the-art in every detail of a clipping machine, whether it be its revolutionary safety technology, its monitoring features or just minor improvements, the FCA 140 sets a new standard in terms of machine performance and availability, and thus the efficiency of the modern automatic double-clipper. The semi-automatic operating concept of front flap and optional casing brake assistant reduces to a minimum the amount of manual intervention by the operator during casing change and thus increases the productivity of the clipping machine. Production time is saved by the front flap opening automatically when the filling horn is swivelled, and this saving builds up over the course of a single shift. The FCA 140 combines the advantages of minimum set-up times with maximum operator safety. And the new safety casing brake with hand guard guarantees maximum protection; when making adjustments, the safety distance towards the voiding separator is always observed.
Furthermore, safety monitoring is such that unintentional production start without the casing brake is impossible. Safety and reliability, a rapid start-up and continuous production – these are the features that make the machine so efficient. Sensors for recognition of separator hole size and clip pressure setting, a clipping auto-stop system which monitors the end of the clip supply on the reel, and sensors for casing end and loop end recognition are essential equipment features of this double-clipper. Its compact, robust design and low noise level make for an agreeable work environment. And its ease of maintenance helps to ensure maximum service life and thus protect the value of the investment: consolidation of lubrication points into a lubrication bar or optional central lubrication machine cycle-dependent.
The FCA 140 reliably closes collagen casings of calibre up to 58 mm, fibrous casings up to 90 mm, as well as plastic casings up to 150 mm. It operates at a speed of up to 156 cycles per minute in continuous operation. The R-ID clip series, ideally suited to this application, ensures a smooth closing procedure which requires the operation of smaller forces, with the result that wearing parts are less heavily loaded. And indispensable for a visually appealing end product with short sausage shoulders is the linear voiding separator. This increases the sausage slice yield. The R-ID clip shape guarantees uniform pleating of the casing. The clip sits centrally on the tail and the special inner profile means that it exerts a greater holding force on the casing. As a result, depending on the product and with plastic casings, the closure is bacteria-tight. This clearly improves the flexibility of the product in terms of supply management, so that the shelf-life does not have to be unnecessarily shortened. And finally, the geometry of the safety-coated punches and dies also has a wear-reducing effect.
State of the art with PC control
The level of automation of this automatic double-clipper allows for a large measure of process monitoring, for example of the various parameters stored in the recipe management system. If discrepancies or non-conformities are detected, the FCA 140 provides an automatic warning indication. The operator is intuitively guided by self-explanatory icons through the menu structure of the SAFETY TOUCH display. Particularly operator-friendly are the bottom row individually assignable manual functions, e.g. inching mode of the control. PC control results in rapid and precise signal processing. And the diagnostic system offers, on the SAFETY TOUCH display, direct and clear indication of the machine’s operational status, as well as an analysis of filling and clipping times. The USB interface for data import and export comes as standard. Automation and operator comfort guarantee the shortest possible set-up times, even higher operational safety and the most efficient machine utilisation in the FCA class.
Hygiene design down to the last detail
Where food processing is concerned, hygiene demands the highest priority. And its hygienic design, allowing for thorough but rapid cleaning, is what marks this machine out. It begins with the easy-to-open machine cover – so quick and uncomplicated, and proceeds to the core element of the automatic clipper, the separator, which has a special ‘cleaning position’. Here, too, the FCA 140 has been designed down to the last detail. And it continues with the ultra-hygienic conveyor belt with its contactless drive, which gives the FCA 140 automatic double-clipper a further unique selling point. The conveyor belt in hygienic design, without corners, edges or niches, is characterised by its compactness and high quality. It can be completely disassembled without the use of tools. The blue conveyor belts are effortlessly dismantled and cleaned.
The FCA 140 is also characterised by its use of high-quality stainless steel and titanium, involving state-of-the-art tempering technology. The machine design of this new automatic clipper thus satisfies the most stringent requirements for hygiene and safety, as well as complying with all guidelines applied in the food industry.