Wiring bakery production equipment

One of the leading specialists in this field of technology is AMF Bakery Systems. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia USA, AMF Bakery Systems realises complete solutions for the production of breads, pizzas, buns, cakes and even croissants and pastries for customers around the globe. "Our products cover all processes from mixing and processing the dough, to baking and packaging finished goods," explains Lex van Houten, Regional Marketing Manager EMEA at AMF in the Netherlands, where the company has three locations. "Using conveyor technology, controls, and software, we combine the individual machines into seamlessly interconnected and fully automated production lines, which allow our customers to work with incredible efficiency."

AMF Bakery Systems services customers worldwide from their location in the Netherlands. The machines and plants are part standardised, part individual solutions, all according to the needs of the customer. Electrical connections are an important component for not only supplying power, but also for transmitting data and control signals. AMF has been relying on HELUKABEL for their cable and wire needs for some time. "Before, we procured electrical components, such as distribution boards, from a supplier who also used HELUKABEL products," remembers Edward Tromp, Manager Controls Engineering. "Later, we began producing the boards ourselves, and since we'd never had any problems with the cables, we decided that it didn't make sense to switch. Never change a winning team."

Since AMF machines are used in the food industry, the requirements are accordingly strict. All components, including the cables and wires, must be easy to clean and cannot contain harmful substances that could contaminate the food. At the same time, they must be resistant to aggressive cleaning agents and disinfectants, as well as extreme temperatures. "We examine each individual case closely and then decide which cables are needed," explains Edward Tromp. "We often need, for example, halogen-free cables that are safer for people and machines should fires occur, or screened cables that prevent EMC disruptions between the individual plant parts." Even flexibility and mechanical resilience are important criteria to consider as many moving machine parts carry their cables with them, and the cables must not be damaged in the process.

HELUKABEL supplies AMF with an extensive assortment of products to equip its bakery machines with. These include the versatile JZ-500 and JZ-600 control and connection cable families, screened servo cables belonging to the TOPSERV 112 PVC series, the especially flexible MEGAFLEX 500, and PROFINET cables for industrial communication. "Our average bakery line contains roughly 500 metres of cables and 1.5 kilometres of wires," concedes Edward. "We also have larger projects, which we can pack up to 10 kilometres of cables into."

In order to be prepared for orders with short delivery timeframes, AMF maintains a stock of their most commonly used cables and wires. "We always have several hundred metres of the cables used in our standard products in stock," says Edward. "If we need a specialty cable for a machine, we can order them on a project basis." For AMF, one large advantage of working with HELUKABEL is that both companies are globally active and represented in the Netherlands by their own subsidiaries. "This means that the cables we need are always able to be quickly delivered to wherever we need them," says Arie Rietveld, Lead Electrical Engineer at AMF.

Another bonus is that HELUKABEL products are available with all relevant international standards and approvals. "We export our machines around the globe which means that, in one case, we may need a cable with a European CE certification, and, in another case, we could need one with an American UL approval," explains Arie Rietveld. "HELUKABEL has the right cables for every market and every region." Customers especially appreciate the FIVENORM single cores, which can be used around the world thanks to their certifications according to five international standards: VDE, CSA, EAC, UL, and MTW. "For us as an export-oriented business, this is a very important criterion," stresses Edward Tromp.

When the flour settles, Edward Tromp is wholly satisfied working together with HELUKABEL. "Our companies are both very service oriented, which is why we work so well together," he surmises. "Our goal is to always offer our customers the best possible solutions, and HELUKABEL supports us in this by supplying the best electrical connections for every machine. We are very confident that this successful partnership will continue long into the future."