Cheese Casting Line
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
The Casting Line System consists of the following components:
- Casting Line: with two stainless steel conveyors, cooling pans,
cheese manifold, set of slitters, twist and stack unit and
miscellaneous scrappers.
- Transfer Conveyor
- Cutoff Unit
- Wrapper
MACHINE OPERATION
Machine operation begins by setting the speed for each component in the system. Trim Controls are used to synchronize the speed of the upper and lower conveyors on the Casting Line, the Transfer Conveyor and Cutoff Unit. Once these speeds are determined and set, the complete system can be adjusted up or down through the Master Speed Control.
The next step before production is to determine product size and make
the appropriate adjustments. On the Casting Line, the manifold should be
set to the appropriate sheet width and thickness. This is accomplished by
setting the sheet width adjustment blocks to the appropriate width and
setting the sheet thickness bar to the desired height. Next, determine the
correct slitter wheel spacing. Finally, set the twist and stack unit to
the number and size of the ribbons. The Transfer Conveyor requires no
setup or adjustments regardless of product size.
One of two cutoff units can be used.
With the Cutoff Unit, cam selections must be made to get the
appropriate product size. The Cutoff Unit consists of a number of cams
associated with customer- determined cutoff lengths. The Cutoff Unit also
has a lift cam with an optional lock out mechanism to get double or triple
cutoff lengths. Setups of the cams are described on the back of the Cutoff
Unit.
With the Servo Cutoff Unit, program selections can be made for desired cutoff lengths. These cut lengths are programmed into the PLC. These cut lengths may be changed while the cutoff is operating. The operator interface keypad stores the cut lengths.
The speed of the cutoff depends on the capacity of the casting line and cut length. The cutoff has twin lane capability. An optional rotary lift mechanism is required for ribbon stack heights higher than 2".
Once product size is determined and the appropriate changes and adjustments are made, the system is ready for product. The first step is to start the Casting Line System and set the line speed. Next, start the cooling system, open manifold valves and start the pump. After the sheet starts to form, make any adjustments to sheet size by adjusting the manifold valves, sheet width blocks and thickness bar.
NOTE: After the desired uniform cheese sheet thickness is obtained by adjusting the manifold valves and thickness bar, weight control is accomplished by varying the cheese pump speed.
Once the cheese sheet reaches the opposite end of the conveyor, the sheet is directed around the end drum, over the doctor blade and onto the stainless steel belt. After the sheet passes over the lower belt and is slit into ribbons, the ribbons are directed over transfer rolls and through the twist and stack section.
There are other areas on the Casting Line that also need to be adjusted or setup. Most require a one-time setup; others need periodic minor adjustments for product size and speed.
THE COOLING PANS
The Casting Line has four cooling pans: two underneath the top belt and two underneath the bottom belt. As the stainless steel conveyor belt passes over the cooling pans, glycol is pumped into the pans and cools the belt, which in turn cools the cheese. By adjusting the flow of glycol pumped into the cooling pans, one can adjust the cooling rate of the product.
THE DOCTOR BLADE & DOCTOR WIRE
The Casting Line has a doctor blade on the take-up end and a doctor wire on the manifold end. They should be set up to scrape the product off the belts without causing damage to the product.
THE UPPER AND LOWER SCRAPER
There is a scrapper on each of the two conveyor belts of the Casting Line. They should be set up to remove any product residue or frost.
The next machine in line and downstream of the Casting Line is the HART DESIGN Cutoff Unit. It has computer-designed cutoff cams for a vertical cut at any speed to 200 cuts/minute. It can cut consumer-size stack heights of 3 3/4" high and institutional loaf-size heights of 4 1/2". Changeover time for different cutoff lengths takes approximately one to two minutes.
A rotary Servo Cutoff Unit is also an option. It may cut up to 240 cuts/minute. Most any cut length can be achieved. This cutoff can cut stack heights up to 2", and with an optional lift mechanism, can cut an additional 2" higher. The servo synchronizes the belt speed and cutting wire.
The next machine in line is the HART DESIGN Ribbon Stacker. The individual loaves coming from the cutoff unit are conveyed to the pivoting infeed conveyor of the Ribbon Stacker. At this point, the stacks are combined to form a loaf.
Timing of both the upper and lower stacks to achieve proper combined loaf alignment is adjustable during operation.
Speed of the two stage stacker is adjustable to a maximum combining capacity to produce thirty 5# loaves per minute. The three stage stacker can combine loaves to produce a maximum of 20 finished loaves.
The HART Stacker then conveys the cheese loaves to the HART 3 X 12 Wrapper.
The HART 3 X 12 Wrapper can wrap three to five pound loaves of slice-on-slice or vertically stacked ribbon cheese in a variety of materials at speeds to forty-five per minute.
The HART 3 X 12 Wrapper also comes equipped with an Autofeeder. The Autofeeder transfers the cheese loaf directly to the Wrapper from the Stacker. The Autofeeder directly transfers the loaves from the Stacker to the Wrapper.
As the loaf is indexed toward the elevator position, its presence signals the film unit to feed and cut a single sheet. Speed changes can be made while the machine is running. Indicator lights provide visual checks on film registration, product presence, film jams or short film feeds. A tachometer provides a digital readout of the machine's cycling speed. Indicator lights provide the operator with troubleshooting information on items such as low air pressure, open doors or safety guards. Vertical and horizontal cutting harps are supplied with broken wire detectors. Infeed belt tensions are pneumatically maintained. By releasing the air pressure, the belts support rollers and plates can be lifted for cleaning and removal.
The Autofeeder automatically stages blocks of cheese for the HART 3 X 12 Process Cheese Wrapping Machine. The Feeder receives random spaced blocks of cheese from a conveying line, synchronizes the blocks with the HART Infeed Conveyor and automatically positions the blocks on the Wrapper infeed conveyor.
Cutoff Unit | Stacker
| 3x12 Wrapping Machine
Cheese Casting Line
|
||||