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Whether they are classic fries, fries with a special shape or wedges or extra crispy or very thin fries ... there is probably no fries dream that the Belgian company Farm Frites does not make come true. To carry out the automated processes as efficiently as possible, the company from Lommel counts on the level and pressure measuring technology from VEGA.
The Farm Frites plant in Lommel is distinguished by a large number of new installations and modern production facilities with separate storage and cooling facilities. The floors are spotless, all components must be so robust that they can be thoroughly cleaned daily with hot water and every two weeks with chemicals. Besides silos and twenty tanks for the various oils, the large potato processing machines reaching up to the roof are particularly impressive. In recent years, as many processes as possible have been automated, partly to make production more efficient and partly for the sake of occupational safety.
The first experiences with VEGA sensors date back as far as 2005 and some specimens from that time are still in use. For example, the VEGAVIB 61 still works very reliably in detecting dirty, unpeeled potatoes. Since 2019, the company has increasingly opted for these instruments to automate and monitor even more processes. For example, VEGA sensors are used in the numerous storage tanks for the various oils, where they continuously measure and detect the level. Furthermore, several VEGASWING 51 have been installed on the small tanks and several VEGAVIB 61 for the detection of potatoes in water. In addition, the VEGABAR 83 has been in use since 2017 and the VEGAPULS 64 since 2019. Since this year, the easy-to-install level switch VEGAPOINT 23 has been used in outdoor edible oil storage tanks.
In the past, pressure sensors were used for level measurement in palm oil tanks. However, palm oil solidifies quite quickly, so there were often false readings due to fouling on the pressure sensor. "Sometimes the sensor would indicate full, i.e. 100%, when in reality the tanks were completely empty," knows Maarten Willems, manager of electrical maintenance at Farm Frites. "The temperature of the oil in the tank - which can reach 150°C at the bottom and is still about 80°C at the rim - also caused problems." It was time for something different. The radar level sensor VEGAPULS 64 does not get impressed by temperatures or solidified palm oil, because it measures contactless. So by switching to radar technology, this problem could easily be overcome. Moreover, it is much easier to replace a radar sensor than a pressure sensor. "With the VEGAPULS 64, no additional process connection to the bottom is needed, which reduces the risk of leakage," Willems points out.
A newcomer from VEGA has been deployed on the conveyor belts since 2020 - VEGAPULS C 21 type sensors measure the height of the fries there. "The fries are on the conveyor belt to dry and must be distributed as evenly as possible to prevent them from sticking," Willems describes the challenge. "When there are no fries on the belts, sensors automatically reduce the frequency of the 25 fans. Each of these fans consumes 22 kW, so that saves a lot of money." The VEGAPULS C 21 was chosen because, on the one hand, it is very attractively priced and, on the other, it is not hampered in its work by fouling or condensation." A special application are the "Batter Tanks. That is where the French fries are coated with a special layer of water and powder to make them crispier. This taste-bud experience requires an array of VEGABAR 38 type pressure sensors to monitor the supply line. The VEGAPOINT 11 capacitive switches detect high or low level.
"I commissioned the instruments myself and all the instruments could be set very easily via the VEGA Tools app or sometimes via PLICSCOM," Willems says. "I can even log into the VEGAPULS 64 instruments on the storage tanks in my office, which is about 50 m away from the tanks, to check them or do something with the settings." He also appreciates the easy and time-saving commissioning of the VEGAPOINT 23 via the VEGA Tools app. So far, there have been very few problems with the sensors, which work very reliably. As an example, Willems mentions the VEGABAR 82 with ceramic membrane: "They are simply robust sensors that still look good despite the sometimes very intensive processes we have here. Unlike other manufacturers, the employees of VEGA Belgium are also always present, by visiting us, through service or to draw attention to new developments. I appreciate that very much."
