Odenberg Engineering, a designer and provider of Peeling Process Technology and Electronic Sorting Solutions has identified energy consumption and improving product yield as some of the greatest challenges facing low and high volume processors. Increasing costs of both raw product and oil has pushed input increases well into double figures over the past 2 years.

The knock on effect has processors seeking solutions to deliver more with less. Eamon Cullen, Odenberg’s Process Technology manager believes Odenberg, renowned for its leadership and innovation in this field, has developed solutions perfectly tailored for today’s global processing market.

Odenberg have an impressive reputation and installed base with the worlds leading potato processors across the French fry, flakes, mash and refrigerated vacuum pack sectors. With 40 years experience and in depth knowledge of steam peeling and peel removal plus electronic optical, few can offer such advanced, intelligent peel process solutions. Not alone have Odenberg focused on high yield peel removal solutions but have considered the complete process, an understanding which has brought together the ‘Integrated Peeling Line’.

The ‘Integrated Peeling Line’ is tailored for each individual customer following a detailed review of the customer’s process requirements and completion of trials on the customers product at Odenbergs dedicated Research and Development facility in Dublin. Cullen states that there is more at stake than simply removing product peel; it must be completed in the most efficient method possible not only in flesh loss but also in energy consumption and reliability. It’s very easy to play safe and over peel your product and not even see the cost of this waste. But is there a better way? 

“Yes,” says Cullen, “the key is to control steam use in the process. The intelligent approach is to make use of all components in the process to work efficiently together for the common good. That is specifically why we have developed Centrifugal dry deskinners, Brushers and Polisher/Rincers specifically tweaked to match the performance and characteristics of our leading edge Orbit peelers. The break through  comes from the all new Peel Scanner² which monitors and adjusts the lines performance whilst the Titan electronic sorter with its 3 way sort removes unsuitable product, waste and harmful foreign material from the stream and also redirects under peeled or minor defect product for repeel. Together each plays its part so you are not wasting your money and capacity unnecessarily.”

The eagerly awaited all new Peel Scanner², optically inspects peeled product,  continuously and intelligently adjusts the peeler parameters (abrasive or steam) and those of the peel and defect removal equipment (deskinners, polishers & rinsers) delivering savings on product losses and energy. The result is a dynamic peel removal process continually optimized for the characteristics of the actual product without the need of human interaction. This contrasts to the manual system requiring frequent operator adjustments but more often tending to an over peel situation. Using this innovative approach, typical improvements of up to 2% of your yield can be expected in addition to the energy savings.

The Peel Scanner² uses high resolution colour camera technology and high speed processing for consistent and accurate peel recognition. Its powerful defect analysis and control software has been developed in house from a database of over 10 years of analysis. With an intuitive touch screen interface it provides the user with invaluable real and historic information and analysis on their peeling operation including peel quality, lengths, widths and variance. Obviously as a feedback system, the savings in both energy and yield improvement can be very substantial.

For any processor the selection of equipment is determined by the throughput requirement, the level of surface defects on the incoming product and the customer’s requirement for the quality of the finished product. With Odenbergs peeling line process technology process yields as high as 93% using a steam pressure of 20 bar.g and a steam time of 5 – 8 seconds can be achieved with peel removal monitored and adjusted by the Peel Scanner2.

As a result of developments, Odenberg is currently ramping up production having recently secured a number of major strategic orders in the USA, Turkey, Spain, the United Kingdom, China & Japan. Odenberg’s peeling lines are supplied in various through put ranges of 2,000 – 3,000 Kg/hr up to 30,000 – 40,000 Kg/hr and Odenberg offers its customers the opportunity to complete peel loss trails to demonstrate the lowest peel loss achievable for their specific product.

For more information, contact Odenberg Engineering