The BVM-L series is a revolutionary PC-controlled set of instruments designed to provide swift and precise measurement of volume. A laser sensor moves in a half circle around the rotating product. The length/height, width and depth are measured and all the information is displayed on a computer screen together with a rotatable diagram of the product. The instrument also exists with a load cell in order to automatically get the weight and to calculate the specific volume of the product.
Many different products can be measured. The size of the products decides the size of the instrument. Smaller objects are best measured in the smaller sized instruments.
How the instrument works
The product is attached to a support shaft to ensure a stable position throughout the measurement. Set the parameters for your product and start the measurement. The laser sensor will move in a half circle around the rotating product. After the measurement a 3-D diagram is displayed on the screen. The results are shown in a table and stored in a database for easy access.
Load cell
Using the instrument with a load cell automatically gives the weight of the product and the specific volume. If choosing an instrument without load cell the specific volume is automatically calculated if the weight is inserted before running a test.
Comparison BVM vs Seed displacement method
For volume analysis the time-honored seed displacement method creates verification problems not only between different production units, but even within the single production unit. Quite simply, the number of uncontrollable variables creates too large a margin of error.
| Averages (ml) | ||||
| BVM-L370 | ||||
| Loaf | Water | 10 sec | 60 sec | Seed |
| A1-A10 | 1319 | 1319 | 1323 | 1173 |
| B1-B5 | 1855 | 1847 | 1856 | 1773 |
| B6-B10 | 1993 | 1984 | 1994 | 1860 |
| C1 | 1745 | 1715 | 1747 | 1650 |
| C2 | 2466 | 2422 | 2465 | 2380 |
For major producers, this means a continuous and costly investment in standardization techniques. For their smaller-scale counterparts, it has often created a large and difficult hurdle to successful growth.
Using this simple-to-use volume measuring instrument ensures an efficient way of volume measurement. Only one measurement is necessary and even very small variations in volume can be measured and documented. Hence, the decision making process can be speeded up and substantial cost savings can be accomplished.
For further reading look at this article from eFood magazine.
Applications
Vital uses
- Research & Development
Find differences of products due to different ingredients or production processes. - Quality assurance and control
Ensure the same quality of the raw material used and the final products. - Process control
Ensure the same performance between different batches, shifts and factories.
With its rapid and accurate measuring the BVM will contribute to cost savings in all the above uses.
Some Viable users
- Food companies
- Millers
- Bakeries
- Food Ingredient Companies
- Food Research Institutes
- Universities
- Baking Product Manufacturers
Why use BVM?
- Permits a fast and simple measurement of volume – 10 – 60 s measuring times – 20-30 s normally used
- Reassures reproducible results
- Comprehensible, but easy-to-use software
- Learn to operate the instrument directly after installation
- Provides a 3-D rotatable diagram of product
- Determines volume, length/height, width, depth, specific volume and weight
- Fast calibration
- Easy verification of instrument
- Verification – same result for different instrument
- Saves data directly in database files for easy access, transfer to spreadsheet programmes, comparison and analysis
- The robustness of the instrument makes it equally suitable to be placed in conjunction with a production line as in a laboratory
- No contact operation allows non-destructive measurement of many types of products including baked products
- Objective – not influenced by individual operators