A local developed egg grading and packing machine, with reliable, low-maintenance operation and a cost-effective price tag, is taking the local poultry market by storm.
Developed by Engitek (Pty) Ltd in Pretoria, the automated system uses the latest designs and smart materials to simplify as well as optimise the movement of parts within the machine. The system is also designed for longevity with a special emphasis on durability and low maintenance requirements.
Engitek developed a linear egg packing system which runs on advanced polymer linear bearings, supplied by igus South Africa. These linear bearings enable effortless and trouble-free operation of the machines and requires no lubricants that may otherwise contaminate eggs and accumulate dust particles.
Smooth operation
“The linear bearings from igus South Africa, are used for the packing of the graded eggs into carton trays. To handle eggs efficiently, it is essential for quick & smooth movement as provided by the linear bearings. A suction pad is used to collect the eggs and transfer them gently to the empty carton trays whilst the linear bearings provide the movement in each axis.
“Unknown to most people, the contents of eggs are actually highly corrosive and can severely damage traditional steel bearings in a short amount of time. The lubrication free polymer bearings, by comparison, are not affected by this corrosion and as a result require considerably less maintenance.
The rest of the purpose-built egg grading machine is manufactured entirely out of stainless steel and other long lasting, corrosion-free materials to ensure durability in South Africa’s tough conditions. The modular bolt-on design of Engitek’s equipment also means that farmers can add capacity by simply buying another machine as an extension to the existing equipment,” says Engitek (Pty) Ltd.
Cost effective
With the use of widely available spare parts and service items, Engitek (Pty) Ltd adds another advantage over imported machines. This not only reduces the cost of spares, but also enables work to be carried out by the farmer or a technical foreman rather than requiring expensive technicians to be brought in from the major centres for technical issues.
Considering the Engitek (Pty) Ltd Egg Grading machines are approximately one third the price of an imported equivalent, it is not surprising that the equipment is in high demand from local farmers both big and small. Solutions vary from manually operated grading machines capable of handling 750-10 000 eggs per hour to automated grading and packing machines capable of handling more than 10 000 eggs per hour.
No ordinary achievement
The entire process requires the eggs to be loaded onto the machine from where it moves to rollers which aligns the eggs. A powerful light enables the examination of the eggs internals and for detecting defects and cracks.
Defected and cracked eggs are removed. The rest of the eggs then roll over the grading stations to be sorted into the graded weight categories. These are then packed accordingly – ready for further processing.
“Thanks to our special design and simplified running mechanism that uses polymer bearings from igus, we have been able to design an all-new machine from the bottom-up. It shows that with support from technically orientated companies like igus and other key component suppliers, we are able to produce world-beating equipment that is especially designed for our often-harsh local conditions,” Engitek (Pty) Ltd concludes.
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