Multi-purpose mixer

Charles Ross & Son Co. introduced a new multi-purpose laboratory mixer, the HSM-100LCI-T. Made of Type 316 stainless steel wetter parts polished to a 150-grit finish, the table-top unit features a dust- and fluid-spray-resistant enclosure, color touch-screen controls that display speed, percent of load, batch time and temperature, and an electronic push-button lift. It also comes with interchangeable mixing attachments including batch and inline rotor/stator sets as well as various sizes of disperser blades and propellers. Capable of multiple mixing tasks including powder wet-out and dispersion, deagglomeration/particle size reduction, solubilization, emulsification and homogenization, the HSM-100LCI-T is powered by a 1-horsepower drive, 115-volt, single-phase, 20-ampere motor that allows it to operate at speeds between 500 and 10,000 rotations a minute. 

• Charles Ross & Son Co., 710 Old Willets Path, Hauppauge, N.Y. 11788; 800/243-7677; mixers.com.

Non-destructive inspection

CMC-Kuhnke released its new Seamscan XTS System for operator-independent double seam inspection of beverage cans. Featuring automatic can rotation and automatic characteristic recognition, the Seamscan XTS uses CMC-Kuhnke X-ray Seam Imaging to non-destructively measure seam height, body hook, cover hook, overlap and seam gap in up to 50 positions around the can, resulting in minimized product spoilage, the company says. The XTS is designed to be used in conjunction with an external seam inspection solution for measurement of seam thickness and countersink depth, such as the CSG-Series Combination Seam Gauge. This would provide a complete double seam inspection station measuring all critical parameter measurements and providing a safer alternative to conventional cross-section methods, it says. The XTS also has an automatic wrinkle detection component that uses carefully calibrated X-rays to check the double seam for subtle variations in cover hook formation to see if any compromising wrinkles are present.

• CMC-Kuhnke Inc., 1060 Broadway, Albany, N.Y. 12204; 800/689-0661; cmc-kuhnke.com.

Wine chiller

Corkcicle introduced a same-named, National Sanitation Foundation-certified bottled wine chiller for restaurants. Corkcicle maintains the ideal temperature for chilled white wines and also can cool down red wines from room temperature to cellar temperature, the company says. By utilizing a reusable freeze gel, the chiller saves water and offers a clean, dripless solution for keeping wine chilled. The Corkcicle,

which can be inserted into a wine bottle in place of a cork, also saves space, allowing the user to chill up to 16 bottles of wine in the same space it usually takes to chill one bottle in an ice bucket, it adds. The Corkcicle is available in plain black and custom logo models.

• Corkcicle, 1300 Brookhaven Drive, Suite 2, Orlando, Fla. 32803; 888/444-9903; corkcicle.com.

Restaurant marketing tool

Dining Dialog and myeateria.com now offer eateria,  a digital loyalty marketing tool that allows business owners to build customer loyalty from one online tool. Specifically created to meet the needs of the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry, eateria is a one-stop shop combining the effective methods of email, social media and mobile marketing, the companies say. “Eateria is a must-have for anyone in the foodservice industry that wants to build and maintain meaningful relationships with their customers,” said Ola Ayeni, founder and chief idea officer of Dining Dialog and eateria. “We are making it easy for them to target, connect with and, most importantly, create loyal customers who will keep coming back.” Eateria also features a coupon validation system that allows business owners to track and validate coupons, thus preventing costly reprints. To sign up for a free account, visit myeateria.com.

• Dining Dialog, 1260 Iroquois Ave., Suite 202, Naperville, Ill. 60563; 630/614-1123; diningdialog.com.

Sorter monitoring software

Intelligrated added new performance monitoring enhancements to its I-Watch sorter maintenance software. The upgraded I-Watch software enables Intelligrated technicians to complete regular, remote analyses of machine performance and condition information for IntelliSort sorters, the company says. The new I-Watch can transmit up to 145 sorter performance data points daily, including wear characteristics, operational statistics as well as maintenance alarms and events, to Intelligrated’s Customer Service & Support team, it explains. Technical service technicians complete regular reviews of this data to identify abnormalities, diagnose and resolve problems, and advise customer maintenance teams on steps they can take to maximize system utilization and extend the life of each sorter, it says.

• Intelligrated, 7901 Innovation Way, Mason, Ohio 45040; 866/963-7300; intelligrated.com.

Sustainable packaging

Tetra Pak designed a new aseptic carton with the environment in mind. The Tetra Brik Aseptic Edge carton is recyclable and composed of 70-percent paper, a renewable resource from selectively harvested, re-grown trees. The cartons also have a low carbon footprint throughout their entire life cycle because they are made mainly of a renewable resource, the company says. For an enhanced consumer experience, the lightweight, compact carton also features a sloping top, which makes it easier to access, grasp and open the ridged cap, and a wider opening that makes the product easier to pour, it says.

• Tetra Pak USA, 101 Corporate Woods Parkway, Vernon Hills, Ill. 60061; 847/955-6000; tetrapak.com/us.

Watch your head

Standard-Knapp released its Versatron Case Packer with a lowering head module. This module is suitable for gentle, positive product handling, but it is rugged enough to handle 24/7 operation, the company says. The slide-out change part lowering head is equipped with color-coded change parts and pneumatics for quick, error-free changeover and also includes more doors and panels for increased visibility so that operators can perform preemptive, walk-by maintenance, it says. When equipped with this module, the Versatron Case Packer can continue to operate as a drop packer or be converted to a lowering head case packer. Ideal for the partitionless packing of glass, aluminum, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other packages, it also offers fully programmable pick-and-place motion to achieve positive placement fully into the bottom of each case, it adds. The lowering head module can be equipped with various gripper heads to provide safe, damage-free placement of product into each case with zero drop. Depending on the size of the product, the lowering head can operate at 30 cycles a minute. The Versatron shares the features of all Standard-Knapp packers, which include long life; easy operation and maintenance; fast, simple changeover; an easy-to-use human machine interface (HMI); and reliable customer service. 

• Standard-Knapp Inc., 63 Pickering St., Portland, Conn. 06480; 860/342-1100; standard-knapp.com.

Lightweight, hot-fill bottle

Amcor Rigid Plastics developed a lightweight, 64-ounce, hot-fill PET bottle. The Powerblock 3.0 boasts sustainability advantages through its 38-mm lightweight finish, which uses less material than the standard 43-mm finish for typical 64-ounce PET bottles, and it uses 13.2 percent less material overall than typical PET bottles, the company says.  The stock container for juices and teas also features a conical base pushup with special diameter and height ratios and relationships as well as a round or rectangular base with strap-like features that are added to create a footed-style base. Together, these features work synergistically to unlock material normally trapped in the base area, allowing for better material distribution in the container body and a lighter container overall, it says. In addition, the design optimizes angles, ratios and other bottle geometry to obtain a balanced response to vacuum, pressure and top-load forces, it adds. For easier handling in the beverage plant, Powerblock 3.0 also offers multiple fill contact points and flat sides for added stability. The package also is designed with three intuitive areas that allow for single-hand pouring by the consumer, Amcor says.

• Amcor Rigid Plastics, 935 Technology Drive, Suite 100, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48108; 734/428 9741;  amcor.com.

Commercial blender

Blendtec, a division of K-Tec Inc., released its Stealth quiet commercial blender for full-scale distribution. This versatile blender offers new opportunities for eateries, cafés, coffee shops and commercial kitchens by allowing them to expand their menus with blended drinks without disrupting the customer’s experience, the company says. In addition to quiet operation, the blender also is equipped with an illuminated control surface with a capacitive touch interface and a manual slider for precise speed adjustments, it says. In addition, operators can connect with the blender through the Blend Wizard Web app to create unique blend cycles for specific recipes, which can be loaded onto one or multiple blenders using a USB drive, it adds.

• Blendtec, 1206 South 1680 W., Orem, Utah 84058; 801/222-0888; blendtec.com.

ESD flooring

SelecTech Inc. released its new and improved StaticStop interlocking electrostatic discharge (ESD) flooring. This flooring has no disclaimers for high-moisture, irregular or problem subfloors and serves as static control flooring that is “conducive, connected and grounded,” the company says. The interlocking flooring solution is easy to install and does not require adhesives, copper foil underlayments or padding, it says. StaticStop
ESD flooring is manufactured with a minimum of 20 percent recycled materials, which can contribute to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) points, it notes. Additionally, a visual such as a company logo or a general pattern from SelecTech’s stock image collection can be printed on the flooring, it adds.

• SelecTech Inc., 33 Wales Ave., Suite F, Avon, Mass. 02322; 508/583-3200; selectechinc.com.

Safety, mobility and efficiency

To help companies reduce fuel costs while increasing productivity and driver safety, Telogis Inc. released Fleet 10, a fleet management application within Telogis’ cloud-based location intelligence platform. Fleet 10 offers the Telogis Driver Scorecard option, which provides comprehensive metrics to help companies identify trends in driver behavior over time, including hard braking, hard acceleration, speeding, seatbelt use, and after-hours vehicle use, to positively impact safety, the company says. The feature also gives drivers in-cab alerts to encourage safe driving habits, it says. Also included with Fleet 10 is the Telogis Supervisor app for smartphones and tablets that allows field supervisors to access information about their teams in the field and make quicker decisions during the day based on vehicle location, traffic details, weather and general vehicle information as plans evolve, it says. The platform also can help companies monitor and reduce fuel spending by providing information that allows managers to identify potential fuel-shrinkage by using match reports and mpg data, it says. In addition, the updated platform component is designed to create, store and share extensive histories and custom reports for improved management across the company, it says.

• Telogis Inc., 20 Enterprise, Suite 100, Aliso Viejo, Calif. 92656; 866/835-6447; telogis.com.

Updating the fleet

Noregon Systems updated its JPro Commercial Fleet Diagnostics software through the release of JPro Commercial Fleet Diagnostics 2013 v1, the JPro Next Step service information module, and JPro Tablet Fleet Service Kits (FSKs). The latest version of the fleet diagnostics software offers expanded coverage for the Haldex anti-lock braking system, enhanced graphical gauges displaying the units and information sources on the key data points and data monitor screens, a new wizard for easy software setup, and links to Noregon support and sales within the application, the company says. The new JPro Next Step service, which is an added feature to the 2013 fleet diagnostics software, automatically ties diagnostic trouble codes to repair information, helping operators to troubleshoot problems with most heavy-duty diesel engines, including Cat, Cummins, Detroit Diesel, International, Volvo/Mack and Mercedes brands, as well as Eaton Fuller, Meritor Wabco, Bendix and Haldex transmissions, it says. Customers who purchase JPro software are offered three months of JPro Next Step at no charge along with three months of JPro support, it adds. For added mobility, Noregon now offers JPro Tablet FSKs in Samsung Series 7 Slate tablet and Panasonic Toughbook H2 models. Both models are equipped with JPro Commercial Fleet Diagnostics – Heavy Duty software and the JPro DLA+ Wireless Adapter Kit. By using the FSKs, operators can capture vehicle diagnostic information and transfer the detailed reports to a service center for expedited repair, the company says.     

• Noregon Systems Inc., 100 North Main St., Suite 2200, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101; 336/768-4337; noregon.com.