Cold Link Africa Jul/Aug 2016 Vol 1 No 6 | Page 13

NEWS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN

Fully automated carton freezers

designed locally

J

ohannesburg-based Dale Automation

at the programmed level/position. All this is

recently designed and engineered

controlled via the Dale programmable logic

two types of carton freezers/chillers

controller (PLC) which control servo motors

for the industry: the single retention time
freezer (SRT) two pass and the variable

and hydraulic rams together.
The SRT freezer can be designed and

retention time freezer (VRT) multiple pass;

supplied to throughput products ranging

the latter capable of freezing or chilling

from 1 000kg to 14 000kg an hour while

different sized products at different

providing precise temperature control

retention times. These systems will integrate

for product quality. Conversely, the VRT

into any inline process to support a wide

freezer can be supplied to throughput

range of freezing and chilling applications.

products ranging between 4 000kg

Each system is robust in design and have

and 40 000kg an hour. Customising the

been simplified in operation to provide

retention times of different products is

customers with the highest reliability and

available on the VRT system, while by

ease of maintenance. Systems can be

providing precise temperature control to

designed and manufactured in a variety

optimise product quality, full stock control is

of orientations to suit the customer’s

also displayed at all levels.

factory layout. Airflows have been

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The success of Dale Automation has

extensively simulated to optimise freezing

gone from strength to strength in a very

times, reduce fan power consumption

difficult business climate. They are one

and provide longer cycle times between

of only a few companies that can boast

defrosting. Sequential evaporator

a healthy order book for 2016 and the

defrosting is available to allow the system

year after, which is attributed to a huge

to operate for longer production times.

reinvestment in the bakery sector and export

Intelligent loading conveys space boxed

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deals for the UK and Australia. “Although

products entering the chiller or freezer to

our resources are stretched in our design

ensure air circulates around all sides of the

department, our engineers are always

cartons when loaded. Simple pusher loaders

striving to provide our customers with new

and unloaders have been designed on the

products which are locally manufactured

SRT system, while a simple cradle pusher

and supported by our after-sales team,”

design is used on the VRT system, which

says Christopher Dale, managing director of

1. The single retention time freezer.

travels up to any level and offloads the shelf

Dale Automation.

2. The variable retention time freezer.

CLA

COLD LINK AFRICA • July | August 2016

www.coldlinkafrica.co.za

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