Enhancing Quality Assurance at a Pasteuriser Plant: Tailor-Made Monitoring Solutions
For a leading client, Augos engineered a tailor-made monitoring system focused on Quality Assurance (QA), not just maintenance, for their pasteuriser plant. The custom solution utilizes a Motor Health Indicator (via temperature/current) and precise cold store monitoring to maintain pasteurised egg white quality. This innovation demonstrates Augos' ability to solve unique industry challenges and ensure the highest standard of product integrity in South Africa.
Custom Solution: From Maintenance to Quality Assurance
At Augos, our dedication to innovation is proven by our partnership with an industry-leading client to address a unique monitoring challenge: ensuring the consistent quality of pasteurised egg whites.
The client initially sought a solution for pump preventative maintenance. However, through deep consultation, we realized the primary goal was Quality Assurance (QA). By monitoring pump speed and efficiency (a general pump health indicator), the client could confirm that the pasteurisation duration was precise enough to deliver the highest standard of product quality, linking operational stability directly to the final product's integrity.
For food production facilities in South Africa, rigorous auditable QA records are essential for both local health compliance and international export standards. The Augos system was designed to record every minute of data for the cold stores and motor health, providing a tamper-proof digital log that satisfies stringent food safety inspections. This verifiable data output reduces the client's exposure to recalls or regulatory fines related to product quality failure.
Sensor Technology for Precision QA
To meet the client's unique requirements and bypass the high cost of traditional vibration measurement, we developed an innovative, custom-designed solution:
Custom Monitoring: A Custom Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and software were created with inputs for motor temperature, motor current, and vibration. This combination provides a highly effective, cost-efficient Motor Health Indicator to assess pump performance.
Comprehensive Cold Chain Deployment: A network of wireless, battery-operated sensors was deployed to measure temperature and humidity in cold stores, integrated with door open/closed sensors to prevent energy waste and secure precise temperature control. All data is recorded every minute and transmitted to the Augos Cloud-based platform for immediate insight.
Data-Driven Insights and System Scalability
The Augos platform delivers real-time monitoring and actionable insights:
Real-Time Monitoring: The system empowers the client to monitor pump performance, motor health, and door status instantly.
Integrated Alerts: Integrated alarms and alerts, delivered via SMS, email, or WhatsApp, provide immediate notification if any issue arises that could compromise product quality.
Promising Path Ahead: The radio network infrastructure enables easy system expansion, allowing the client to seamlessly add monitoring points, such as flow meters, to precisely determine the pasteurisation duration in the future.
Auditable QA Records for South African Compliance
For food production facilities in South Africa, our system provides tamper-proof digital logs that satisfy stringent food safety inspections, reducing exposure to recalls or regulatory fines related to product quality failure.
Key Takeaways
Custom PCB design provided cost-effective motor health monitoring without expensive vibration sensors
Real-time monitoring with minute-by-minute data recording ensures precise Quality Assurance
Auditable digital logs satisfy South African food safety compliance and international export standards
Scalable radio network infrastructure enables easy future expansion for additional monitoring points