Hygienic formulation line for infant powders

As part of its infant nutrition business, this leading dairy company wanted to set up an automated formulation line for the hygienic packaging of infant powders in 25 kg bags.

The installation had to meet the strictest requirements in terms of health and safety and ensure compliance with food (pharmaceutical) standards.

The main objectives were:

• Ensure maximum hygiene at every stage of the process.
• Guarantee homogeneous mixing that is gentle on the powders, with equipment design that ensures free-flowing product to prevent any risk of segregation.
• Secure the feed system with sifting, magnetic separation and inerting.
• To carry out automated packaging of powders in a controlled atmosphere, in the form of 25 kg bags.
• To allow quick and easy access for cleaning on all equipment in order to facilitate maintenance operations and batch changes.

Palamatic Process's solution is based on a complete line of gravity processes dedicated to the formulation of infant powders, incorporating specific solutions for product safety and industrial flexibility.

Material reception is handled by an EasyFlow® 125 big bag emptying station with pneumatic massage and a Sacktip® 1000 bag emptying station equipped with a Palamatic GSC/RS vibrating screen.

This equipment ensures the containment and elimination of foreign bodies right from the start.

Dosing is carried out by screw feeders on scales, ensuring the precise introduction of ingredients (milk powder, vitamins, minerals) into an Easyclean VTM vertical mixer.

This hygienic twin-shaft mixer offers total compliance with particle size and promotes the production of a free-flowing product ready for bagging, with polished surfaces Ra < 0.8 µm and quick access for manual cleaning.

At the mixer outlet, a 400 L Easyclean buffer hopper ensures continuous feeding to the packaging machine.

The product is then sieved/filtered by a stainless steel final sieve and a magnetic separator, ensuring maximum quality assurance.

Packaging is carried out by a HALPAQ HBM 1030 automatic bagging machine, which includes:

• A bottom-up filling system to limit dust formation and ensure ultra-precise dosing.
• Hygienic stainless steel deaeration nozzles.
• A double thermal sealing system.
• A mechanical finger conveyor, limiting internal mechanics and facilitating cleaning with a minimum of parts in contact.

The entire process is contained in a controlled atmosphere, limiting exposure to air and contamination.

Filters integrated into the machine ensure this internal filtration, providing a perfectly controlled atmosphere.

A final weight controller validates each bag.

Overall supervision is provided by a SIEMENS S7-1500 PLC, a 19’ Pal'Touch® screen and a barcode reader for full traceability.

EasyFlow® 125 big bag emptying station

304 stainless steel design, watertight clamping, pneumatic massage.

Advantages: total containment, maximum hygiene, optimised handling.

Sacktip® 1000 bag emptying machine

Weighing hopper, Palamatic vibrating screen.

Advantages: product safety, operator ergonomics, hygienic screening.

Weighing screw

Variable speed, continuous weighing.

Advantages: precise dosing, adaptable to infant formula recipes.

Easyclean VTM mixer

Double shaft, tool-free disassembly, finish Ra < 0.8 µm.

Advantages: homogeneous mixing, free-flowing powder, quick access for cleaning.

Easyclean 400 L buffer hopper

Pivoting bottom, flow aid.

Advantages: constant feed, enhanced hygiene.

GSC/RS vibrating sieve and magnetic bars

Tool-free cleaning, hygienic mesh.

Advantages: material safety, final filtration.

HALPAQ HBM 1030 automatic bagging machine

Bottom-up system, inerting, double sealing.

Advantages: ultra-hygienic packaging, full automation, baby food compatibility.

Pal'Touch® interface and Siemens automation

19’ screen, programmable recipes, Profinet.

Advantages: traceability, quality control, intuitive.

The infant formula line designed for this project has made it possible to:

• Reduce batch changeover times thanks to an optimised hygienic design.
• Maintain mix homogeneity without segregation.
• Ensure safe, hermetic packaging that complies with infant nutrition requirements.
• Ensure compliance with EHEDG, FDA and ATEX standards and good manufacturing practices in the food industry.