Advice on online temperature and food safety monitoring
We are intending to install an electronic temperature and safety monitoring system. What are the main issues or problems that you have when it comes to using an online system and could you recommend some of the suppliers of this service.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Nancyvnz,
This is to be used where? For kill step or else where?
-The problem you may encounter is there transmission lost between your sensor and your display device.
-Your display and the graduation of the display, I encounter during some audit before that for example your temp setting is 75C, while the display showed up to 1 decimal point, the "graduation" of the decimal point is every 0.5, thus defeating somehow the purpose.
- The programming behind your electronic system especially if you are installing diversion system or an alarm with your monitoring system. Ensure that you check the program especially the alarm ladder or diversion ladder.
-on some regulation, they require redundancy with the measuring instrument, e.g. decision on where should the monitoring be or the action in case of deviation must be followed.
-If you automate the actuations, in case of power problems or air (for valves) what is the "fail safe configuration"
-Calibration, in this case, calibration must be done in loop I suppose.
-Will it have data logger? how long will the data be kept and how can you scan the data in case you want to verify. The data logger must include as well signal for automation.
It is better that you have URS (user requirement specification) that you can discuss with your provider and ask the provider to show to you compliance to your URS before hand-over of the automation :)
Thank you for your post.
We will monitor our fridges / freezers and a range of temperature control trucks. Just a little worried on how to figure out the important real time monitoring of trucks's temperature, or simply just use a temperature monitoring device which print out data logger function.
Thank you.
Normally it is the 2nd one, if you cannot react during transport and will not react, why the need of real time monitoring? If the truck have its temperature control reacts with the temperature measurement, then data logger review on the reception I think will be sufficient. Maintenance of the reefer van is the key :)
Nancy,
We use real-time monitoring in our trucks and it has saved out bacon more than a few times. Regular maintenance of the reefer is key but in the event of a breakdown we need to keep the temperature down and the tracker lets us know where to send the Thermoking repair company to do the emergency repairs to the unit and get us back up and running. Usually we can get the error codes and let the team know so that they can tell us whether they can do a quick fix or if we need the unit to return to base. The challenge with a data logger is that it will only tell you the problem once it gets to its destination. By then the load may have been refused. Real-time tracking has a big benefit because we can react faster and often don't have any risks for shipment refusal. 012117 has a good point that if you cant react to it is an issue then it might be a waste to invest but we try to maintain the cold-chain and look for safety and quality so getting a program like this and then negotiating a good contract with a reefer service provider should set your on the right path.
Cheers
transmission issues and probably latency?