Background
A medium-sized food manufacturer based in the Midwest, USA, specializes in producing artisanal sauces (e.g., tomato-based sauces, creamy dressings) and small-batch dairy products. Before 2023, the company relied on two fixed emulsifiers installed in separate production halls—one for sauce making and one for dairy processing.
This setup created challenges: when demand for a specific product spiked, workers had to transport raw materials between halls, which increased processing time and risked ingredient contamination. Additionally, the fixed equipment could not be adjusted for small-batch trials, forcing the R&D team to use a separate laboratory mixer that produced inconsistent results compared to full-scale production.
Solution Adoption
In early 2023, the company invested in a single mobile emulsifier (equipped with a 5.5 kW motor, adjustable shear rate, and a 50-liter mixing vessel). The device featured lockable wheels for stability during operation and a compact design that fit through standard factory doorways—key factors for navigating between the sauce and dairy halls.
Outcomes
- Improved Flexibility: The mobile emulsifier eliminated the need to transport raw materials. Workers now move the device to the 原料 (raw material) storage area closest to each production line, reducing average processing time per batch by 25%. For example, creamy dressing production, which previously required 45 minutes (including material transport), now takes 34 minutes.
- Consistent Quality: The R&D team now uses the same mobile emulsifier for small-batch trials (as small as 5 liters) and full-scale production. This alignment has reduced the "scale-up gap"—the difference in texture and stability between lab samples and mass-produced products. Customer complaints about inconsistent dressing thickness dropped by 40% within six months.
- Cost Efficiency: By replacing the need for a dedicated laboratory mixer and reducing material waste from contaminated or inconsistent batches, the company saved approximately $12,000 in operational costs in the first year. The mobile device also required less maintenance than the two fixed emulsifiers, cutting annual service fees by 30%.
Feedback
“The mobile emulsifier didn’t just save us time—it made our production process smarter,” said the company’s production manager. “We no longer have to plan production around which fixed machine is available, and the R&D team can now test new recipes with confidence that they’ll translate to the factory floor. It’s a simple change, but it’s had a big impact on how we work.”
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