Pneumatic components: driving innovation in the food and beverage industry and opening a new journey of intelligent production

Pneumatic systems in the food and beverage industry: from core requirements to efficient solutions

        In the food and beverage industry, the hygienic requirements of the production environment, high-precision control of the process and the stability of the equipment are the key to the sustainable development of the enterprise. We, ATG, have brought together high-quality products from well-known brands such as SMC, ATG, EMC and many cooperative brands . We will combine industry practices to analyze how pneumatic systems can provide customers with full-process solutions from raw material processing to finished product packaging through modular design, food-grade certification and intelligent control.

1. Core challenges of the industry and adaptability of pneumatic technology

（1）Hygiene and safety: Food and beverage production must comply with international standards such as FDA, NSF, ISO 22000, and equipment must have self-cleaning design and corrosion-resistant materials (such as 316L stainless steel).

• SMC sanitary cylinders (such as C55/CD55 series) use FDA-approved grease, the surface is electrolytically polished, and the dead-angle structure prevents the growth of microorganisms.
• ATG sensors support IP69K protection level and can operate stably in high-pressure steam cleaning environments, ensuring continuous compliance of the production environment.

（2）Process accuracy: Filling, sorting and other links require micron-level positioning accuracy, and the pneumatic system achieves precise adjustment through proportional valves and servo control.

• SMC precision pressure regulating valves (such as ITV series) have a response time of less than 50ms and a pressure control accuracy of ±0.5%, making them suitable for the delivery of trace additives in beverage mixing.
• The ATG visual sorting system combined with pneumatic actuators can complete high-speed sorting of special-shaped foods (such as cookies) within 0.1 seconds, with a sorting accuracy rate of over 99.5%.

（3）Equipment reliability: 24-hour continuous production requires the equipment MTBF (mean time between failures) to exceed 100,000 hours.

• SMC compact slide cylinder (such as MGG series) adopts double guide rail design with repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.05mm, which is suitable for bottle grabbing on high-speed filling lines.
• ATG's intelligent monitoring system uses predictive maintenance algorithms to provide early warning of equipment wear and tear, reducing downtime by more than 30%.

2. Typical application scenarios and technical solutions

（1）Liquid filling and packaging

          When filling carbonated beverages, sauces and other fluids, it is necessary to measure accurately and prevent dripping. SMC pneumatic filling machines use a combination of plunger-type metering cylinders and speed regulating valves. The filling volume adjustment error is less than 2%, and it can easily switch between containers of various specifications. ATG's anti-drip valve group integrates a pressure sensor and a quick shut-off valve, which quickly closes the flow channel within 0.01 seconds after filling to avoid material waste.

（2）Solid material transportation

           For fragile products such as potato chips and nuts, extra care must be taken when conveying and palletizing. The SMC vacuum conveying system uses the Venturi effect to achieve low flow rate and high suction handling to reduce product breakage. ATG's flexible gripper is made of food-grade silicone material, which can flexibly grasp products of different shapes and reduce manual sorting costs.

（3）Cleaning and sterilization

           Cleaning in place (CIP) and sterilization in place (SIP) of production equipment are crucial. The SMC stainless steel ball valve body has no welds inside and can withstand 135°C high-temperature steam sterilization, which complies with ASME BPE standards. The ATG steam regulating valve uses PID control to achieve closed-loop regulation of temperature and pressure during the sterilization process, ensuring stable sterilization effect.

3. Technical advantages and service capabilities

（1）Enrich product portfolio to meet diverse needs :

          SMC provides a full range of pneumatic components, from AF series filters for air source treatment to CDQ2 series cylinders for actuators, covering all application scenarios in the food industry. ATG provides customized integration services, covering sensors, controllers and MES systems, to help customers achieve intelligent upgrades of production lines.

（2）Strict certification and compliance to facilitate global market access

           SMC products have passed multiple certifications such as FDA (food contact materials), NSF H1 (food grade grease), ISO 21287 (hygienic design), etc. The ATG system complies with international standards such as CE, UL, RoHS, etc., helping companies to easily cope with global market access requirements.

4. Looking to the future, pneumatic technology integration and digitalization will accelerate progress

（1）Integrate Industry 4.0 to realize intelligent production

          SMC's MXQ series of intelligent cylinders have built-in displacement sensors, which interact with the host computer in real time through the IO-Link protocol to achieve full traceability of production data. ATG's digital twin system optimizes process parameters in advance through virtual simulation of production line operation, significantly reducing trial and error costs.

（2）Practicing sustainable development and leading green production

          SMC's energy-saving compressor EL series uses permanent magnet motors, which reduces energy consumption by 30% compared to traditional models. ATG's waste heat recovery system uses the heat energy generated by pneumatic equipment for workshop heating, realizing energy recycling and helping enterprises save energy and reduce emissions.

          With high cleanliness, high precision and high reliability, pneumatic components have become the core driving force of automated production in the food and beverage industry. We focus on providing customers with compliant design, intelligent upgrades and full life cycle services to help companies improve efficiency and ensure quality in market competition. If you want to know more about customized pneumatic solutions, please contact us immediately to work together to create an efficient, safe and intelligent modern production line!