Individual calibration concept ensures plant availability

07-11-18

MEGGLE relies on Endress+Hauser’s expertise in the area of on-site density and flow calibration.

“The planning phase, as well as the actual calibration of the measurement instruments in the milk receiving area, went without a hitch. Excellent planning of the connections, Endress+Hauser’s extensive know-how and the traceable reference instruments led to very little production downtime.” 

 

Andreas Süßmaier

Testing Equipment Officer at the MEGGLE Group

 

Government and retail-specific guidelines and regulations such as the IFS Food standard or GMP are constantly raising the bar for the food and beverage industry when it comes to quality. By regularly calibrating quality-relevant measurement instruments using innovative processes, gauge instrument managers can ensure long-term product quality and cost-efficient processes. Partnering with an accredited calibration service provider allows food and beverage manufacturers to verify calibration quality with fully traceable results.

 

MEGGLE has maintained the same recipe for success for more than 125 years: tradition, quality and continuous innovation. Among other things, MEGGLE manufactures specialty dried milk products for the pharmaceutical and food industries. The company also demands a leadership position when it comes to the quality of its own MEGGLE-branded products.  In order to satisfy this demand, MEGGLE is certified in line with the IFS Food guidelines and other industry standards.

Density and flow calibration require a high degree of expertise

The MEGGLE plant in Wasserburg, Germany understands the importance of regularly calibrating the roughly 750 quality- and billing-relevant measurement points. The focus is on measurement instruments that are incorporated into a quality management (ISO 9001, HACCP, IFS Food, GMP) or energy management (ISO 50001) system. Regular calibration furthermore ensures correct calculation of the fat content of the raw milk delivered on a daily basis. “Regular calibration requires extensive planning and coordination to ensure plant availability. The measurement instruments are also becoming more complex. Calibrating density and flow meters requires extensive expertise, which is why we increasing rely on external support,” says Andreas Süßmaier, instrumentation manager at the MEGGLE Group. Given the complexity of density and flow measurement instruments, plus the special knowledge that is required, Süßmaier places his trust in Endress+Hauser’s know-how. 

 

Determining the right calibration process is imperative 

Density measurements are necessary to determine the fat content of the milk and are crucial for precise billing of the delivered milk. Furthermore, the plant has to precisely measure the flow and thus track the exact quantity of milk that is delivered. With these requirements in mind, the Endress+Hauser calibration service carried out traceable calibration of the affected measurement points with the help of processes that comply with the IFS Food standard. With the density flow measurement instruments, Endress+Hauser’s patented calibration process was deployed on-site at the plant. To calibrate the flowmeters, Endress+Hauser chose the traceable mobile calibration rig with its time-saving, inline concept.


Picture: Patented, on-site density calibration process reduces system downtime

Patented, accredited and manufacturer-independent calibration directly on-site 

Endress+Hauser’s traceable on-site density calibration service is the only one of its kind in the world. The service team relies on a specially-developed mobile rig that uses a Promass F as a highly-precise reference instrument. The result is that MEGGLE profits from highly-precise density measurements carried out directly in the plant under actual operating conditions. Another advantage for Süßmaier is that the calibration service is not restricted to Endress+Hauser density measurement instruments since it is used to calibrate instruments from other manufacturers as well. 

 

The inline concept means that the flowmeters can be calibrated on-site within a short period of time, even while they are still installed. This eliminates the need to remove and re-install the instruments, which significantly reduces process interruptions. An accredited mobile calibration rig with Coriolis instruments serves as a reference standard. These instruments are traceably calibrated to national standards such as METAS, PTB and NPL. Endress+Hauser is the first and only provider to offer DAkkS-accredited inline flowmeter calibration directly on site. “The planning phase, as well as the actual calibration of the measurement instruments in the milk receiving area, went without a hitch. Excellent planning of the connections, Endress+Hauser’s extensive know-how and the traceable reference instruments led to very little production downtime,” explains Süßmaier.

Audit-compliant documentation 

“The documentation related to the calibration activities and calibration intervals is also crucial for successful audits,” adds Süßmaier. The calibration certificates are thus ISO/IEC 17025-compliant and apart from the process logs, provide the required verification of the measurement point accuracy. Thanks to the seamless and traceable calibration process, Süßmaier is now well-prepared for the pending challenges, as well as the internal and external audits. Given his excellent experience with Endress+Hauser, Süßmaier is looking to develop a long-term partnership.

 

Partnering with a DAkkS-accredited calibration service provider yields the following benefits:

• Highly-precise and reliable calibration

• Manufacturer-independent, neutral 

• Skilled and knowledgeable service technicians

 

• Seamless and traceable calibration

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