The amount of waste produced in the meat processing industry can be considerable and costly in terms of production and disposal of the material.

Waste compactors are one way of continuing production without the need to stop to remove waste at intervals from containers or skips within the production process. By compacting the waste, it can also be removed and handled more easily and safely for disposal.

A meat processing company has worked with Engefi Engenharia Eficiente Ltda, an electrical integrator and panel manufacturer, to create greater speed control over its compactor, allowing for changes in the incoming quantity and type of waste.

Engefi developed a solution that could be integrated into compactors using Optidrive E3 variable frequency drives (VFD).

“The existing compactors worked well but having greater control of the operating speed meant it could mirror production levels and the type of meats and waste being used,” said Marcus Silva, Head of Sales, Latin America.

Aligning speeds created a faster process with less downtime

“By matching the compactor’s speed to production levels and the type of product, created a faster process with less downtime. The compacted meat also takes up less room, making it easier to handle and dispose of. This provided added safety for staff involved in the production and disposal processes.”

An Optidrive E3, Frame Size 3 with an IP20 enclosure is being used in the application. Its compact size meant it could be easily installed into the panel, as well as being able to handle the environmental conditions.

The 380V, 3PH, 24A, drive was more than capable for the application. It will now be used on other compactors operated by the company.

Denner Ferreira of Engefi, said: “There were several factors in choosing the Optidrive E3 for the application. The first was reliability and ease of use; we needed a VFD that could operate in the production environment and could be easily set up. The Optidrive ticked all these boxes.

“Additionally, its compact size and robustness made it ideal for such an operating environment. It could also be easily installed into a smaller panel, taking up less space.”

The Optidrive E3 provides unrivalled simplicity of installation, connection and commissioning, allowing the user to benefit from precise motor control and energy savings within minutes.

More information about the Optidrive E3 can be found at www.invertekdrives.com.

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