ViscoTec’s new hygienic dispenser aims to meet growing demands of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic production.
To be presented to the market in time for the FachPack 2016 exhibition in Nuremburg, the Hygienic Dispenser VHD performs reliable, precise, and reproducible dosing of products with a wide range of viscosities and abrasiveness on semi and fully-automatic filling.
Head of Food & Cosmetics at ViscoTec Wolfgang Merklein explains: "It impresses not only through its outstanding hygienic standards, which come close to those of the pharmaceutical industry, but also through its simple implementation onto production lines with regard to dosing small quantities in the production of food and cosmetics.
We are well prepared in terms of Industry 4.0 and individualisation respectively, such as customised food."
The ViscoTec Hygienic Dispenser is available in three different sizes, allowing for volumes of 0.35ml to 5.1ml per revolution. The smallest of dosage volumes can be perfectly dosed with a deviation of only +/- 1%.
In addition to FDA-compliant components, it has a European Hygienic and Design Group (EHEDG) compliant hygienic design, which is possible to automatically clean via connection outlets. The cleaning medium is applied via the outlet in order to carry out automatic rinsing. Alternatively, the new dispensers can be disassembled quickly and cleaned manually.
As in all dosing systems from ViscoTec, the VHD uses proven endless piston technology based on the use of eccentric screw technology. For the VHD, many characteristics have been optimised and specially enhanced for use in the food and cosmetics branch.
Among other things, the interior of the dispenser has been analysed and redesigned to avoid dead volume and prevent contamination through harmful micro-organisms. Tri-Clamp flanges with hygienic standards simplify the integration of VHD into existing systems.
Due to the dosing geometry, a constant flow volume proportional to the rotary angle is always generated per rotation. The flow is reversed by changing the direction of rotation. The volume is therefore clearly defined by the angular degree. This technique comprises of pressure-resistant, linear pump characteristics, which make a clear statement about the relationship between revolution, time, and delivery. This in turn leads to a guaranteed dosing accuracy of 1% at the pump outlet, which is often below this in practice.
A further benefit of this technology lies in the resulting conveying chamber and the volume remains absolutely constant when in motion. This makes it possible to promote and fill solids-laden media and even lumpy products.
In addition, in over 95% of applications, filling and dosing valves can be eliminated as a reverse flow at the end of dosing allows for a controlled breakage of the product thread, which prevents any dripping. Even the most difficult, highly viscous liquids can be reliably dosed or filled without causing pulsation, incorrect dosages, or excessive stress on the material.
With the VHD, ViscoTec has succeeded in reaching another unique milestone in the further development of the eccentric screw technology principle. Comprehensive quality management, its own research and development work, and collaborations with manufacturing companies and institutes guarantees the required quality of ViscoTec dosing systems and provides long service life even with difficult dosing applications.