Intelligent solutions

 

Wyke Farms boosts cheese-cutting efficiency with a third ALPMA intelligent fixed-weight cutting line

Somerset-based Wyke Farms has installed its third ALPMA cheese cutting line to continue in optimising yield, increasing efficiency and enhance productivity.

The implementation of the new production line is the culmination of a 12-year relationship between Wyke Farms and ALPMA. It sees the addition of an ALPMA CUT 32 portion-cutting machine, a third ALPMA BTS 300/C block-cutting system and a third ALPMA FAP block de-bagging machine to Wyke Farms’ existing ALPMA estate.

“This reliable, easy-to-operate equipment simplifies complex processes and does exactly what we need it to," says Pete Hooper, Production Manager at the Wincanton site.

Wyke Farms now has the flexibility of three intelligent fixed-weight cutting lines, all of which can handle the entire range of Wyke Farms’ premium cheeses and block dimensions.


ALPMA BTS 300/C block-cutting system
ALPMA BTS 300/C block-cutting system

Optimising yield on fixed-weight lines

Wyke Farms converts and packs a wide variety of cheeses, including numerous flavours of Cheddar, into fixedweight portions ranging from 200g to 1000g. Each fixed-weight cutting line consists of an ALPMA BTS 300/C and an ALPMA CUT 25/HS and the new generation ALPMA CUT 32.

The BTS 300/C scans each block of cheese and calculates the best cutting plan to obtain the required sized bars with minimum waste. The bars are then fed into the ALPMA intelligent portion cutters, which weigh, scan and measure each bar before cutting it into portions of the desired weight. This minimises giveaway and keeps the weight control and performance at the highest levels, which enables Wyke Farms to meet stringent weight legislation.

"The ALPMA BTS 300/C intelligent cutting equipment is the best in class for optimising yield," says Pete Hooper.

Further ALPMA Innovations to come – ALPMA OptiYield

The new ALPMA line has been prepared for a new and exciting innovation – ALPMA OptiYield. The innovative software of OptiYield is designed to drive the performance of these best-in-class lines even higher: OptiYield learns when a portion was not optimised and from where in the bar and block this came from. As a result, this reduces the occurrence of this happening and delivers the highest yield and lowest give-away achieved in the industry.

A well-planned project, successfully executed All the Wyke Farms production lines are housed in a single room, whose layout was designed to accommodate the capabilities of the new ALPMA equipment. Wyke Farms created the original concept then collaborated with the ALPMA design team to turn it into a deliverable solution.

“We've maximised the output of our factory footprint and made our operations as efficient and productive as possible," confirms Pete Hooper. "All the objectives that we set with ALPMA at the start of the project are being met 100%," he concludes.

ALPMA CUT 32 portion-cutting machine
ALPMA CUT 32 portion-cutting machine