Point and Continuous Level Sensors in Food Processing: Ensuring Quality, Safety, and Efficiency

Maintaining precise control over ingredient levels and product quantities in the food processing industry is crucial for ensuring consistent quality, safety, and efficiency. Point and continuous-level sensors play a vital role in achieving these goals by providing accurate measurements and real-time monitoring of various substances throughout production. These sensors find applications in inventory management, overfill protection, waste management, and regulatory control.

When selecting level sensors for food processing applications, it is essential to consider the importance of 3A-certified probes. The 3A Sanitary Standards, developed by the 3-A Sanitary Standards, Inc., set strict guidelines for the design and materials used in equipment that comes into direct contact with food products. By choosing 3A-certified probes, food processors can ensure that their level sensors meet the highest standards of hygiene and cleanability, preventing contamination and ensuring the safety of the final product.

Level control sensors are invaluable tools for inventory management in food processing facilities. By continuously monitoring the levels of ingredients, such as liquids, powders, and solids, in storage tanks and silos, these sensors provide real-time data that helps optimize stock levels and prevent shortages. This information enables food processors to streamline their supply chain, reduce waste, and minimize production downtime caused by insufficient raw materials.

Overfill protection is another critical application of level sensors in food processing. By installing point-level sensors at strategic locations within storage vessels and processing tanks, food processors can detect when the product level reaches a predetermined maximum threshold. These sensors trigger alarms or automatically shut off filling processes, preventing costly and potentially hazardous spills. Overfill protection safeguards against product loss and helps maintain a safe working environment for employees.

Level sensors also contribute to food processing facilities' effective waste management and regulatory control. By accurately monitoring the levels of waste products, such as wastewater or byproducts, food processors can ensure that these substances are correctly handled and disposed of in compliance with environmental regulations. Additionally, level sensors can help food processors meet stringent food safety regulations by precisely measuring ingredient quantities and ensuring that products meet the required specifications.

In conclusion, point and continuous level sensors are indispensable tools in the food processing industry, enabling manufacturers to maintain the highest quality, safety, and efficiency standards. By utilizing 3A-certified probes, implementing level control for inventory management, and leveraging level sensors for overfill protection, waste management, and regulatory power, food processors can optimize their operations and deliver consistently superior products to consumers.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

Piping Specialties, Inc. - Leading the Way in Industrial Valve Solutions in New England

For decades, Piping Specialties, Inc. has carved out a prestigious position as one of New England's top industrial valve suppliers. Their journey reflects a commitment to excellence, offering various superior industrial valves, automated valve packages, and custom valve specification services accompanied by unrivaled application support. They are a beacon of quality and innovation in the industrial valve market.

New England, with its vibrant mix of industrial sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, energy, marine, and manufacturing, demands high-quality, specialized equipment to maintain high standards of efficiency and safety. Piping Specialties shines here, expertly navigating the unique challenges of these diverse sectors and delivering tailor-made solutions that surpass expectations. They stock an extensive range of top-notch valves and automated valve packages, ensuring that every industry finds what it needs for its specific operations.

The outstanding sales engineering support is the cornerstone of Piping Specialties' unmatched service. The company excels not merely in selling products but in crafting solutions. Their seasoned sales engineers engage closely with clients across various industries, guiding the selection process to post-sales support. This holistic service approach ensures that clients receive the finest products and the proper application and integration advice, leading to enhanced efficiency, safety, and cost savings in their operations.

Understanding the critical nature of industrial processes, Piping Specialties offers meticulous valve specification services. This vital service ensures clients pick the ideal valves that align with their operational needs and comply with industry standards. Such meticulous attention to detail is crucial for sectors with strict regulations and high safety requirements, guaranteeing that all equipment meets necessary guidelines and performs flawlessly under diverse conditions.

Piping Specialties extends its commitment to superior service beyond mere product sales. They provide comprehensive application support, including troubleshooting, technical guidance, and on-site assistance. This unparalleled support is essential in reducing downtime, boosting productivity, and ensuring that industrial processes operate smoothly and efficiently.

As the industrial landscape of New England continues to evolve, Piping Specialties remains ahead of the curve, embracing changes and introducing cutting-edge solutions. Their commitment to innovation, combined with extensive expertise in valve technology, establishes them as the preferred partner for many of the region's leading industrial entities.

The company's deep understanding of the multifaceted challenges faced by different industries enables it to offer products and complete solutions that enhance overall operational effectiveness. Whether a pharmaceutical firm needs precise process control, an energy provider looking for reliable critical application equipment, or a marine operation seeking sturdy and robust valves, Piping Specialties delivers expertise and products that meet these requirements.

Piping Specialties, Inc. is more than a supplier; they are a trusted partner. Their longstanding experience and a broad spectrum of products and services solidify their status as New England's premier industrial valve supplier. The company's dedication to delivering high-level sales engineering services, application support, and technical know-how has secured the trust and loyalty of customers across the region's leading industrial sectors. Piping Specialties, Inc. is the definitive source for all industrial valve needs, continuously proving its commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. They not only set the standard in the industrial valve market but constantly raise the bar, ensuring that they are always the first choice for businesses throughout New England.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

Advanced Valve Assemblies for Liquid and Gas Venting and Safety Shut-Off Operations

FM classes 7400, 7412, 7420, and 7422 are standards and certifications established by FM Global, a large insurance company emphasizing loss prevention services. Each class specifies particular requirements for equipment and systems used in industrial and commercial settings. These classifications are part of FM Global's comprehensive approach to ensuring safety and reliability in equipment and systems related to fire protection and risk reduction.

A-T Controls manufactures FM-approved valve assemblies for liquid and gas vents and safety shut-off requirements. These valve assemblies have received FM approval, certifying their suitability for applications that demand protective measures for fuel-burning equipment by FM classes 7400, 7412, 7420, and 7422. Each assembly comprises a spring return automated ball valve, an explosion-proof limit switch, and a solenoid pilot valve. Customers can choose from two designs for the valves: a 3-piece design, which offers options for threaded, socket weld, or butt weld end connections, and a flanged design, available in ASME Class 150 and 300. These valves come in sizes from 1/4 inch to 6 inches. The assemblies are at the forefront of quarter-turn automation technology, featuring a rack and pinion actuator. In synergy with the assembly's superior valve seating and stem seal design, this actuator ensures reliable and consistent closure and venting as required. These assemblies offer a compact, efficient solution for fuel gas safety shut-off or venting systems.

For more information, contact Piping Specialties, Inc., a premier New England-based company specializing in the specification and support of industrial valves. At the heart of their expertise lies a deep understanding of valves, which are crucial to ensuring industrial safety and operational efficiency. PSI is a team of seasoned professionals who excel in selecting the most suitable valves for various industrial applications. From initial consultation and specification to after-sales service, PSI ensures every valve operates at its best, safeguarding processes and personnel.

Piping Specialties, Inc. is a trusted ally committed to delivering excellence in industrial valves in an industry where precision and dependability are non-negotiable.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Maximizing Accuracy and Efficiency: The Benefits of Using Head Mount Temperature Transmitters in Industrial Applications

A head mount temperature transmitter is crucial in industrial control instrumentation, particularly in processes where precise temperature measurement and control are essential. The transmitter is mounted directly on or near the temperature sensor in the sensor housing, in the protective enclosure known as a "connection head" or "thermowell head." The transmitter fits into or onto this head, making it a part of the sensor assembly. Here's a detailed description of its functionality and value:

Functionality

• Temperature Sensing: The primary function of a head mount temperature transmitter is to sense temperature and connect with a temperature sensor, such as a thermocouple or a Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD).
• Signal Conversion: The transmitter converts the raw signal from the sensor into a standardized signal, usually a 4-20 mA current signal, although it can also be a digital signal like HART, Foundation Fieldbus, or PROFIBUS.
• Signal Isolation and Amplification: These transmitters isolate and amplify the signal for more accurate and reliable readings, essential in industrial environments where electrical noise or long transmission distances could affect signal integrity.
•  Local Mounting: As the name suggests, head mount transmitters are mounted directly on or near the sensor, typically in the connection head of the temperature sensor. This proximity minimizes signal degradation that can occur over long distances.

Value in Industrial Applications

• Accuracy and Stability: By converting the signal close to the sensor, head mount transmitters reduce potential errors and losses in signal transmission, leading to more accurate and stable measurements.
• Reduced Wiring Costs: Wiring requirements are simple, reducing installation and maintenance costs because of the standardized signal.
• Improved Noise Immunity: Proximity minimizes the impact of electrical noise, which is especially valuable in industrial environments with high electromagnetic interference.
• Ease of Integration: Standardized output signals make integrating these transmitters into a wide range of control and data acquisition systems easier.
• Environmental Protection: Many head mount transmitters come with robust, weatherproof enclosures, making them suitable for harsh industrial environments.
• Flexibility and Scalability: They offer flexibility regarding sensor types and signal outputs, making them adaptable to various applications and scalable for future expansions or modifications in the process control system.

In summary, head-mount temperature transmitters play a pivotal role in industrial control systems by enhancing temperature measurements' accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. Their integration into process control systems provides significant value in terms of operational stability, cost efficiency, and adaptability to various industrial environments.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

Industrial Open Air Radar Transmitters Powered by FMCW Technology

Basic Understanding of Radar

Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging) is a system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. It transmits a signal, bouncing off the target and returning to the radar system. By analyzing the reflected signal, the radar can determine various parameters about the target.

FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave)

When discussing FMCW, we are talking about a specific type of radar signal. Here's how FMCW works:

1. Continuous Wave (CW): Traditional radar systems emit a brief pulse of radio energy and then wait for that pulse to reflect off an object and return. In contrast, Continuous Wave radar emits a constant signal or wave.
2. Frequency Modulation (FM): In FMCW radar, the frequency of the continuous wave signal is varied or modulated over time. This can be done linearly, where the frequency increases or decreases at a constant rate or in other patterns.

The benefit of FMCW is that the frequency change provides a way to determine the range (distance to an object). There's a delay when the transmitted wave bounces off an object and returns. During this time, the transmitted wave's frequency has changed. By comparing the received wave's frequency to the current transmitted frequency, the radar system can determine how long it took for the wave to return and thus calculate the distance to the object.

FMCW radar is handy because it can be more compact, requires less peak transmit power (because it's continuous wave and not pulsed), and can provide range and speed information simultaneously.

Open Air Radar Transmitters

"Open air" in the context of radar transmitters usually refers to systems that operate without waveguides or enclosed transmission mediums. Instead, they transmit their signals directly into the environment. These systems are used in various applications, including vehicle radars (like those used in adaptive cruise control or autonomous vehicles), weather radars, and more.

Summary:

An open-air radar transmitter that uses FMCW is a radar system that transmits a continuous wave signal directly into the environment, modulating the signal's frequency over time. By analyzing the frequency shift of the returned signal relative to the transmitted signal, the radar can determine the range to the reflecting object. This technology is widely utilized due to its efficiency, compactness, and ability to provide detailed information about detected objects.

Drexelbrook's open-air radar products deliver exceptional resolution and accuracy tailored for demanding applications. These instruments harness FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) technology, ensuring a powerful signal at the measurement surface. This robustness guarantees optimal return signals, even when measuring agitated liquids.

A Drexelbrook radar level transmitter stands out as the optimal choice for applications that necessitate non-contact technology.

For more information about Drexelbrook level instruments in New England, contact Piping Specialties / PSI Controls. Call 800-223-1468 or visit https://psi-team.com.

The Evolving Role of the Industrial Valve and Control Sales Engineer in the 21st Century

The 21st century has been a period of unprecedented technological advancement. From AI and machine learning to IIoT and big data, industries are undergoing rapid transformations, changing how they operate, design, and deliver products. A key sector experiencing transformation is the industrial valve, process instrumentation and control sectors. 

The role of the Sales Engineer, in particular, has evolved drastically compared to what it was in the earlier parts of the 21st century. Today's Sales Engineers must demonstrate new responsibilities, skills, and contributions to be successful in the modern industrial valve and control environment.

1. From Product Knowledge to Solution Architects:

In the early 2000s, the primary role of a Sales Engineer was to have an in-depth understanding of the product portfolio. They were expected to explain the technicalities and features of industrial valves and controls to clients. However, today, Sales Engineers don't just sell products; they sell solutions by understanding the client's specific needs and industry trends and then architecting a solution that might integrate multiple products and technologies.

2. Integration with IIoT and Digital Platforms:

With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), valves and controls are no longer standalone hardware; they are now connected, smart devices that relay real-time data. A modern Sales Engineer needs to be adept at explaining the advantages of these connected systems, from predictive maintenance to real-time monitoring.

3. Enhanced Collaboration with Cross-functional Teams:

Previously, Sales Engineers operated more independently, liaising primarily with mechanical engineering, instrument engineers, purchasing, and perhaps product managers. Today's Sales Engineers, however, have to collaborate with a broader array of teams, from software developers to data scientists, to deliver comprehensive solutions. This shift demands excellent communication skills and a holistic understanding of the business.

4. Continuous Learning and Adaptability:

Modern Sales Engineers cannot afford to be static with new technologies emerging at a breakneck speed. They must be committed to lifelong learning, understanding the basics of artificial intelligence when discussing predictive analytics or learning about cybersecurity when addressing the safety of connected devices.

5. Emphasis on Consultative Selling:

The early 21st-century sales approach was more transactional. A client expresses a need, and the Sales Engineer provides the appropriate product. Today, Sales Engineers take on a consultative role with businesses seeking efficiency and optimization. This approach involves understanding the client's ecosystem, identifying pain points, and proposing integrated solutions that add value.

6. Soft Skills and Relationship Building:

Technological prowess alone is not enough. The modern Sales Engineer must possess exemplary soft skills. Building long-term relationships, understanding client psychology, and showcasing empathy are all crucial. As technology advances, human connection becomes even more valuable in sales.

7. Navigating a Global Marketplace:

In earlier years, Sales Engineers often dealt with local or regional clients. However, with globalization and digital connectivity, they are now navigating a global marketplace. This global reach demands understanding different cultures, regulations, and market dynamics.

8. Sustainability and Green Technologies:

The global push towards sustainability has also impacted the industrial valve and control sector. Sales engineers now need to be versed in green technologies energy-efficient systems, and be able to communicate the long-term benefits of sustainable solutions to clients.

The role of the industrial valve and control Sales Engineer has undoubtedly expanded in scope and complexity. These professionals are now at the intersection of technology, business, and consultative service, requiring them to be multi-faceted and agile. The evolution of their role reflects the broader changes in the industrial sector and the global marketplace.

Companies in the valve and control industry that wish to remain competitive should invest in continuous training and development for their Sales Engineers, ensuring they meet the ever-evolving demands of the job. With the right skills and approach, the modern Sales Engineer can propel businesses to new heights in this dynamic 21st-century landscape.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468