Sometimes, resolving a design or logistics dilemma is simply a matter of adapting a well-proven solution to meet a special need.

Sometimes, however, the situation requires a totally new vision and Optimar engineers are experts at transforming innovative ideas into realistic solutions.

We have acquired our reputation for creative thinking by developing customized solutions that meet the exacting standards of the ever-changing food processing industry. Over 40 years ago, for example, we helped transform a branch of the industry, fish processing. We did this by designing and delivering the world’s first factory to process fish when they are freshest – on board a ship at sea.

Optimar continues to take the risks that innovative results often require at the beginning. The priorities that gave us the security to venture into totally new territory in the past, remain the same today:

• flexibility
• customer loyalty
• balancing requirements, wishes and budgets
• careful assessment of new technologies
• curiosity

OptiControl NetCenter

Similarly, Optimar’s processing line systems may be based on common-sense logic but, when they repeatedly generate significant improvements in production and profitability, it is clear that ProLine programs support intelligent, carefully coordinated, and extremely efficient processing strategies.

With this kind of in-depth power and information at the minute-by-minute operating levels, it is easy understand the magnitude and value of the information available to you when they are all connected. OptiControl NetCenter is Optimar’s unified network of the control systems for the processing lines and their primary components.

NetCenter is a web-based PMC system. This means all the information you need to monitor, manage and maximize production is available at any time from any location via any device as long as you have access to the Internet. Smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) put the power of OptiControl NetCenter in the palm of your hand.

The alarm and performance data reported and retained by OptiControl NetCenter gives you a valuable tool for examining peaks and valleys in performance and taking corrective action accordingly. In other words, OptiControl NetCenter not only improves your processing overview, it helps you improve the entire production process by:

• optimizing the use of equipment
• minimizing the use of labor
• avoiding unnecessary stops and downtime
• balancing the workflow
• increasing capacities
• anticipating maintenance needs
• establishing a performance database

NetCenter’s connections with each ProLine and EasyTouch system are web-based. New connections, new functions, program updates and system upgrades can be made directly online.

OptiControl ProLine

An OptiControl ProLine system is a production assistant that works constantly, literally every second, to optimize and adjust the workflow in order to optimize production, product quality and your profit margin.

ProLine systems may be out of sight but the advantages are very visible:

• smooth, uninterrupted product flow.
• stable workflow and capacity levels.
• consistency in portion size.
• elimination of bottlenecks, overflows, blockages.
• near elimination of damaged, spoiled, wasted product.

OptiControl ProLine systems are logical programs (PLCs) developed by Optimar’s automation team specifically for the type of process being controlled – sorting, cutting/filleting, freezing, packing, boxing, palletizing, etc.

The goal, however, is always the same: to ensure the product is evenly distributed among the components of the processing line to facilitate effective, profitable processing.

A ProLine system is controlled from a centrally located touch-screen panel with the same features of access and durability as the OptiControl EasyTouch panel. ProLine monitors and manages each operation in the line to ensure each action is carefully synchronized and in accordance with the parameters defined relative to volume, speed, diversion settings, etc.

ProLine works towards a predefined processing capacity and coordinates the processing to ensure the goal is achieved. It adapts automatically to the batch size and the frequency with which it should be sent to each station in the line. The speed with which a station is filled is constantly adjusted to match the total capacity of the line.

Like EasyTouch, OptiControl ProLine tracks performance and alarm data and may be connected to OptiControl NetCenter to examine comprehensive summaries of real-time and past performance, monitor capacity levels and distribution, and so forth.

Optimar’s fully-automatic Palletizer eases each block or box onto its horizontal side and positions it on a special plate with other blocks in the pattern of the pallet layer. When the layer is complete, the plate gently glides the blocks onto the pallet then retracts to receive the blocks in the next layer. The pallet is lowered as it is fi lled layer-by-layer, eliminating the risk of dropping or bruising the block.

Wrapping stations are fully integrated into Optimar’s palletizing process but can be any type (turntable, rotary arm, etc.) from any manufacturer.

The fully-automatic, heavy-duty Palletizer handles any type of block, box or product. The palletizer shown here handles frozen vertical blocks weighing 25 kg (half blocks) or 50 kg (whole blocks).

Even at this pace it is so effictient it still:

• conserves space
• conserves energy
• conserves labor

For example, Blast has proven it can:

• reduce the area required for freezing by as much as 50%.
• eliminate manual labor and forklifts.
• reduce energy consumption and costs.
• reduce packaging costs.
• has flexible freezing times.
• improve health and safety in the work environment.
• contribute to improving the global environment.
• ensure product safety and hygiene.
• guarantee product quality.

What is surprising, however, is the gentle, special care with which each product is handled as it moves through this big, fully-automatic system. This is Optimar’s way of helping you ensure that the consumer receives the same undamaged, high-quality product you processed.

Effective use of space

Uses 100% of available height

The fact that only one plate at a time is open can increase the cost-effective use of space by as much as 50%.

H1 and H2 freezers devote the full height of the space available to freezing. Unlike traditional systems, no extra space needs to be reserved for those times in the process when all stations must be fully open at the same time.

In addition, since the H1 and H2 are fully automatic, there are no loading or unloading height restrictions. The sky is really the limit.

Efficient freezing

Hydraulic equalizers maintain constant surface pressures, increasing freezing capacity up to 20%. Pressure on the content of a frame remains constant, regardless of the position of the station (lowest, highest or in between).

When a station is loaded and the plates closed, freezing is immediate, thorough and uniform. As a station is unloaded from one side it is reloaded from the other, saving time and conserving energy.

Energy efficient

Working strategically and automatically one station at a time maintains a continuous load level on the refrigeration equipment. This eliminates the energy-consuming spikes and temperature fluctuations caused by loading or unloading all stations of an entire freezer at the same time.

V1

Fully automatic side-ejection system. Requires compatible vertical plate freezers.

V2

Semi-automatic side ejection system. Requires compatible vertical plate freezers.

V3

Fully-automatic unloading system using one robotic arm to off-load blocks (two halves or one whole) from two freezer lines. The robotic arm can move along the lines in either direction and can be used with any standard vertical plate freezers.

Again...

In 2003, Optimar developed the first fully automatic vertical unloading system for use on board a ship. One automated unloader can service an entire line of freezers placed in a row of any length.

36 OptiFreeze-compatible freezers
NOK 14.4 million

4 unloading units (one per line)
NOK 2.6 million

Total cost: NOK 17.0 million

And again...

In 2005, Optimar developed a semi-automatic version of the fully automatic vertical unloading system. The modified system still eliminates manual handling of heavy loads and services the same number of freezers in the same alignment but substantially reduces the price.

36 OptiFreeze-compatible freezers
NOK 9.9 million

4 unloading units (one per line)
NOK 2.6 million

Total cost: NOK 12.5 million

And again...

In 2008, Optimar released a fully automatic robotic system to unload vertical freezers. One robotic arm services two lines and can be used with any standard freezer. This makes it the perfect solution for upgrading an existing processing facility, on board or on shore. For example, two robotic arms can service four lines of freezers, in theory up to any number in length.

36 standard freezers in an existing plant
NOK 0.0 million

2 unloading robotic-arm units
NOK 3.0 million

Total cost: NOK 3.0 million

Safe, healthy work environment

OptiFreeze solutions eliminate:

• prolonged, repeated exposure to cold, humid air.
• manual lifting of heavy, hard-to-handle frozen blocks.
• repetitive, difficult movement in limited spaces.

Site hygiene and satisfied consumers

OptiFreeze stainless steel, non-corrosive frames, hoses and plates ensure:

• easy cleaning, sanitizing and maintenance.
• steady, uniform temperatures throughout the processing cycle.
• gentle handling to prevent product damage (bruising, staining, breaking, defrosting, etc.).

Increased productivity and profitability

OptiFreeze solutions are cost-effective from the start:

• high-performance units independent of new or existing refrigeration systems.
• durable and reliable even in the toughest conditions at sea or on shore.
• back-up plans are always in place to ensure a steady workflow.
• interface with all types of coolants, including those safest for the global environment.
• easier to recruit and retain labor.

All OptiFreeze systems may be monitored and managed using OptiControl NetCenter:

• provide real-time data regarding capacity, input, output, etc.
• exchange up-to-the-minute information via the Internet.
• provide real-time data regarding capacity, input, output, etc.
• exchange up-to-the-minute information via the Internet.

The robot may be powerful, fast and hard working – it is definitely each of these – but its impressive actions depend on the control programs that carefully manage the conveyor and sensor systems, define the timing and direct the packaging decisions the robot executes.

The result of these intricately coordinated efforts is a fully automated palletizing center unsurpassed in design, capacity, power and efficiency.

The Optimar Circular Palletizing center:

• sorts and loads up to 40 pallets according to product type, quality, quantity, weight, special order, etc.
• handles up to 30 boxes per minute.
• loads box-by-box or layer-by-layer.
• uses common-sense to position pallets.
• significantly reduces space required for loading, handling, off-loading.
• easy to operate.

Traditional robotic palletizing

• requires complex distribution logistics
• services at most 8 active palletizing stations per robot
• requires one inactive position to store empty pallets
• handles only one box at a time
• handles at most 8 to 10 boxes per minute
• wastes robot’s capacity in order to handle empty pallets

Optimar’s Circular Palletizing Center

• robot dedicated to only one task – palletizing
• handles up to 40 pallets of different products
• loads box-by-box or layer-by-layer
• handles up to 30 boxes per minute
• conserves space and energy
• robust and reliable
• easy logistics to and from palletizer

In addition to its standard single - and double- push shelf-ejection systems, Optimar offers a unique triple-push ejection option – the only available system of its type with a track record of reliability proven by years of daily use.

A touch-screen control panel makes it quick and easy to adjust the Palletizer to handle racks of different heights or to change the height of the pallet stack (10, 12 or 14 layers for example). Depending on the number of shelves in a rack, the number of shelves ejected at one time, and the number of layers in a pallet, the Optimar Rack Palletizer is capable of handling up to 60 tons per hour.

To ensure heavy-duty durability and dependability in extreme environments, the Palletizer uses hydraulic actuators. Although designed as a complete system, including conveyors and a plastic wrapping machine, the units of the Rack Palletizer are modular and can be adapted to fi t most existing processing facilities. The Palletizer can potentially reduce the labor force by 10 to 12 people.

These are facts-of-life in the processing industry and Optimar takes them as seriously as you do.

These are the reasons why OptiService is a well-defined Optimar product and, like all our products, one we stand behind long before and even longer after your purchase is complete.

Our service technicians have hands-on, real-life, real-time experience with everything we supply; from conveyors, freezers and palletizers to the nuts, bolts and gaskets that hold them together to the software that controls them.

Optimar’s designers, system engineers and sales representatives not only recognize the value of this practical experience, they depend on it. They work just as closely with our service staff as they do with you to determine the best ways to meet your needs and requirements.