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Welcome to the UK food automation academic and industrial groups site
This brings together professionals from food manufacturing, academia, research institutes and automation suppliers, with the goal of increasing the engineering research and development infrastructures within the sector and to promote best practice, whilst fostering advanced engineering in automation procedures.
- Visit our News section or subscribe to our RSS feeds( with conjuction with any RSS reader software)
- or copy our upcoming Events into your diary
- or register for free to gain access to the Proceedings from the previous meetings including Leeds meeting
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Aims
- To promote world class research in the field and establish a strong UK engineering research community in this sector, including the Food Automation Centre sponsored by Yorkshire Forward
- To establish a focus for food automation research expertise and research facilities
- To maintain a comprehensive network that links academic researchers with those in the food-manufacturing and equipment providers and others with an interest in food automation
- To provide a forum that encourages collaborative research, the formulation of interdisciplinary research proposals, technology transfer and which promotes staff/student mobility between academia and industry
- To form an authoritative group of experts willing to inform Government and Research Councils on strategic trends in research directions
- To stimulate and promote high level training courses
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FMEG meeting at Holbeach Part 4 training
Anonymous writes "
Part 4 Training
Professor Meerdink reviewed training available abroad. Massey University in New Zealand hosts a 4-year B Tech course in food technology including some engineering and the application of engineering in the food industry. In the Netherlands, the Agricultural University in Wageningen teaches a 5-year Masters course in Food Science and Technology, which is science, oriented.
At Holbeach, a part time Foundation Degree in Food Manufacture has been developed. It was developed to meet a local skill shortage. It is attended by 100-day release students who also use distance learning. The sponsoring companies are in the region and beyond. The students have limited or mixed qualifications of GCSE, A levels, BTEC and even some degrees. The course has been developed to allow a top up to BSc as a progression route, thought may be taken up by 5 to 10% of students.
For mature students there may be problems on re-entry into learning. Work based assessments were part on the training and there can be progression to honours via a bridging programme. 240 credits are required for a Foundation Degree, (each module is worth 15 credits) thus a bridge is 30 credits. Units include communication and numeracy. Principles of microbiology, food science and technology, quality assurance, safety and some options including a 30 credit project.
It is proposed to build on this a full time BSc in Food Manufacture, as there is no local degree course. It is hoped to attract school leavers with A Levels or BTEC. The purpose of the discussion was to get views on the technology and engineering content and the balance between technical and vocational content. Should the course include a safety audit? Should it contain process engineering, automation and robotics applied to agri food? Should environmental and green technologies be included? The course will be accessed in both August and January. The course will allow some specialisation in for example quality and technical management or process and business improvement.
In the past training has been either discipline oriented or commodity oriented but have been criticised as providing a limited view.
It is proposed that the new training is design oriented integrating a science core with applications, consumers , markets and society. An initiative in engineering training has been led by MIT known as CDIO. This represents:
Conceiving
Designing
Implementation
Operating Systems and Products
The new approach is to meet the needs of industry providing an integrated approach, technical knowledge, reasoning, personal and professional skills, teamwork and communication. It will include hands on project work as employers noted that engineers no longer built radios or tinkered with cars.
Input was requested on
Knowledge of likely career paths
New knowledge.
Is the industry content with existing courses eg Nottingham?
Will the course attract students?
Who will teach including those from the food industry?
What skills should result?
What facilities are needed?
A questionnaire was distributed and three breakout groups discussed aspects. These will be reported later
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Posted by admin on Wednesday, July 01 @ 17:08:35 CEST (12 reads)
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Instrumentation for the food industry at Manchester University
Anonymous writes "Instrumentation for the food industry at Manchester University
The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester specialises in Control and Optimisation, and also in microwave sensors, systems and circuits and technologies including RFID in association with Siemens.
In the food area, research has been conducted on wheat particle size
distribution. There is work on Food Sensing and Imaging, including
determination of composition and detection of foreign bodies. A system to
detect chicken bones of 3mm in liquid. Instrumentation to view the
position of the yolk in an egg, red beans in water and inspection of lean
and fat in meat.
Further information can be obtained from Prof Wu in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, email zhipeng.wu@manchester.ac.uk
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Posted by admin on Friday, June 26 @ 15:48:12 CEST (10 reads)
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FMEG Debate at Holbeach on Collaborative research
Anonymous writes "
Part 2 FMEG Debate at Holbeach on Collaborative research
LINK requires innovative science, technology transfer was the responsibility of the Technology Strategy Board.
A project requires a vision to be created where benefits may be identified even if realising the benefits takes time
Sensors could be used more widely in the industry for better control and detection of defects.
Cleaning in place could be refined
Vision systems are key for flexibility and sensitivity eg the poppadom picking robot. This is a key area and the trade association is UKIVA.
What was the best type of line on which to form a proposal? You need to identify problems to tackle around which the proposal will form
One topic discussed at earlier FMEG meetings was making an economic case for automation in small and medium sized companies. Even when there was some engineering capability in a company, there was a need to present engineering and automation as value added to the process rather than an extra cost.
Short term contracts were highlighted as a block to investment, LINK would welcome participation by supermarkets
Cash flow is an issue, retailers follow fashions that may change quickly, this may block investment unless the equipment is very flexible
How can technology and automation generate value? Can waste, water use or energy use be reduced? Can costs be lowered across the supply chain. Can processes be re-engineered? Can informatics, sensing and automation generate value?
Areas for LINK include: Applied automation, new product development, new processes, lean processes using less energy, less chemicals or improving the nutritional content of food
A LINK project must be a collaboration of a group of suppliers with a group of equipment providers, supermarket and system integrators ...
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Posted by admin on Wednesday, June 17 @ 09:06:13 CEST (34 reads)
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Research Opportunities in Food Manufacturing
Anonymous writes "
Report of The Meeting on Research Opportunities in Food Manufacturing Held at The National Centre for Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln, Holbeach Campus on 13 May 2009
Part 1 Research
Welcome
Val Braybrookes welcomed the FMEG meeting to the Centre. The new facility supported the food industry in South Lincolnshire (value £2.5 billion). The facility provided laboratories, a sensory suite, teaching production line (on the Nissan model) and a library. There were strong links to manufacturing, all students were employed, part time students sponsored by over 200 businesses. Foundation degrees have been established and employers are advising on curriculum and equipment.
Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK scheme
Dr Cole explained that the scheme supported innovative science and technology that had a demonstrable route to market. The research had to be pre-commercial research with government funding between 25% & 75% of costs. The research had to be close to application, improve competitiveness and meet environmental goals to improve the sustainability and profitability of the food industry. It may include: improved raw material quality, manufacturing techniques, packaging and distribution or reduce the environmental footprint. Examples included improvements in process design or capabilities, operational efficiencies such as diagnostics, control or data management or extended shelf life.
Reduction of waste included energy management in operations, water re-use, ambient storage, low energy shelf life extension, intelligent and sustainable packaging, high value goods from waste (upcycling), automation and robotics.
There is a Feasibility LINK scheme with low cost proof of principle collaborative research. Which part of the process produces most waste? Look for hot spots and consider automation.
The scheme looks for strong networks, accesses the science base with shared costs and risks in a consortium and would lead to the dissemination of best practice
The deadline for proposals is 5 August 2009
Dr Cole may be contacted on Tel: 0207 238 1541
This was followed by a debate. The debate will be covered in part 2 of the report. ...
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Posted by admin on Thursday, June 04 @ 09:05:24 CEST (49 reads)
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Extraordinary FMEG meeting Holbeach 13 May 09
Anonymous writes "EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF FMEG AT HOLBEACH 13 May 2009
DEFRA CHALLENGE
When FMEG made a presentation to the Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Committee at Defra on 11 March 2009, the Committee Chairman challenged FMEG to put forward two research proposals at the LINK meeting in September 2009.
TRAINING
As you know, the University of Lincoln had already invited FMEG to their new facility at the Holbeach Campus with a view to discussing issues related to training. We will do this in the afternoon. Professor Meerdink wishes to get industrial input into a new course to start next year. So now is the time to put your views forward. He will present then there will be group work and a discussion.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES & LINK
We have invited David Cole, Co-ordinator, Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme, to speak at the meeting and to encourage networking we are holding a discussion of potential research ideas immediately after his presentation. He will focus on fundable areas and advise on procedures. We need both academic and industrial participants.
I hope you can take part in this unusual meeting as input can shape both research and future training for the food industry.
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD MANUFACTURING AND RELEVANCE OF CDIO (HTTP://WWW.CDIO.ORG/) FOR THE TRAINING OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS IN PROCESS DESIGN MEETING TO BE HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN, HOLBEACH CAMPUS ON 13 MAY 2009
Background 1. Collaborative Research
Following the FMEG presentation at the Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme Committee meeting held at Defra on 11 March 2009, FMEG has been challenged to present 2 research project proposals to the next Committee meeting in September 2009. David Cole, Co-ordinator, Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme, has kindly agreed to outline the programme and the opportunities for collaborative research that it can support. In order to foster consortia, this will be followed by a discussion and it is hoped that informal discussions will continue over the lunch period.
Background 2. Food Industry Training Needs
The Department of Food Manufacture and Process Technology (Holbeach Campus) delivers a part-time Foundation degree in Food manufacture as well as a part-time BSc in Food Manufacture. At this moment the Department is investigating the need for an outline of a full-time higher education provision in Food Manufacture by consulting the regional food industry and high schools. We want to develop a provision with a strong focus a technology & engineering and good balance between academic rigor and industrial relevance. The envisaged start date is 2010. The aim of this meeting is to advise us on both issues: need and outline.
Technical challenges include:
- The identification of areas for collaborative research projects for sustainable food manufacture
- The reduction and transformation of waste, and economical use of energy and water.
- Education and training needs in the food industry related to the introduction of new technology
- Defining the industry needs for food technology and food engineering
Objectives
- To explore the collaborative research ideas in automated production, in both small and larger units
- To review the potential for collaboration between academe and the food manufacturing industry
- To review the education and training challenges facing the food industry with respect to automation
- To see how academia can help in providing training and upskill workers in the food industry
Speakers have been drawn from Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme on research, and academia on training to give an overview of some engineering training and stimulate discussion.
Who should attend
- Business, human resources and environmental Managers
- Process development Managers and Plant designers
- Technical managers
- Specialists in automation and robotics from industry
- Academics interested in a co-operative projects in the field.
Networking opportunities
The programme links the industrial members of FMEG with the EPSRC Automated Food Assembly Network of University researchers from 18 Universities and with the Food Processing Faraday in promoting partnerships with universities and equipment suppliers to improve efficiency and develop new ideas. This is the fifteenth meeting of the FMEG, for details of earlier meetings see the website www.afa-net.com
Programme
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD MANUFACTURING AND RELEVANCE OF CDIO (HTTP://WWW.CDIO.ORG/) FOR THE TRAINING OF FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS IN PROCESS DESIGN MEETING TO BE HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN, HOLBEACH CAMPUS ON 13 MAY 2009
For the Fifteenth Joint Meeting of the Food Manufacturing Engineering Group and the
Automated Food Assembly Network to be held at University of Lincoln, Holbeach Campus, Wednesday 13th May 2009
09:45 FMEG Committee meeting
10:00 Registration & Coffee
10:30 Introduction & Welcome from the University of Lincoln
10:45 Defra Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme - Opportunities for Collaborative Research Partnerships - David Cole, Co-ordinator, Advanced Food Manufacturing LINK Programme
11:10 Discussion of Research Opportunities, forming consortia, eligible funding Chaired by Andrew Cowey, Vice Chairman FMEG with David Cole focussing on fundable areas and advising on procedures.
11:40 Tour of Training Facilities
12:10 Lunch
13: 40 Meeting the training needs of the Food Industry - An academic perspective - Professor Gerrit Meerdink, Head of Food Manufacturing & Process Technology, University of Lincoln
14:20 Group work on defining food industry training needs
14:50 Report back
1510 Discussion
15 40 Close Mike Dudbridge, Senior lecturer in Food Manufacturing, University of Lincoln
15:50 Tea and departure
University of Lincoln, Holbeach Campus is in Minerva House, Park Road, Holbeach PE12 7PT.
Contact Debi Melbourne Tel 01406 493000 dmelbourne@lincoln.ac.uk
Further information is at www.lincoln.ac.uk/holbeach ...
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Posted by admin on Friday, April 24 @ 10:01:48 CEST (111 reads)
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