Partner in industrial automation 'hits the sweet spot' at manufacturer of chocolate machines

SMC's industry-leading service and broad product offering help a leading machine builder maintain and expand its prominent position in a highly competitive global market. HACOS designs, manufactures and installs high-quality chocolate production machines that drive the development and growth of chocolatiers of all sizes, from artisan to large industrial producers. The company builds small to very large machines covering all chocolate production processes, necessitating the use of a high caliber technology partner with a proven track record in industrial control and automation.

HACOS has its factory in Malle, Belgium, a country known worldwide for its excellence in chocolate. Although there are more than 320 chocolatiers in Belgium, HACOS' reach extends far beyond its own borders. Today, the company exports to more than 70 countries. As one of the top five chocolate manufacturers in the world, HACOS produces systems for processes such as molding, depositing, enrobing, spinning, melting and tempering and decorating - essentially everything needed to go from raw chocolate block to refined finished product. "That's why we are commonly known as the chocolate factory," says Jan Selderslaghs, Operations Manager at HACOS. "We only produce machines that match 65 years of experience and a reputation for Belgian quality. To ensure we live up to our reputation, we use SMC's expertise and products to perform a wide range of motion and control tasks in our machines."

A 'fitting' start

The partnership began with the supply of SMC KQ2 general purpose fittings for standard pneumatic applications. A discussion about price led to support from SMC and the establishment of a simple but highly efficient fittings inventory system that SMC replenished twice a week, reducing HACOS' need to manage its inventory. The success of this system provided a foundation of trust, and HACOS soon asked SMC for advice on technical issues with the established pneumatic solutions provider.

SMC prides itself on global support. Customer service is a cornerstone of the company, based largely on direct response, expert technical advice and working closely with customers to fully understand application requirements. All motion control and automation products required by HACOS are available from SMC: pneumatic fittings, FRL units, cylinders, valves and connectors. A good application example is the use of SMC's KKA fitting, which serves a double-walled container in which chocolate is kept to be heated or cooled prior to molding. SMC's KKA-X33 fitting, made of 304 stainless steel, has a special seal to protect against the extremely sticky coolant. In addition, this unique fitting is very easy to clean, which is important because the container often needs to be cleaned twice a day.

Going with the flow

Another product that HACOS benefits from is the SMC VXZ multifunction process valve. The VXZ series controls the cooling water circulating in the system. This valve has a coil that cannot be removed by personnel, giving customers a longer service life. The options HACOS previously used had a coil that could be disconnected, which was problematic because heat and condensation entered the valve and caused short circuits. "About 95% of the machines we produce are custom-made," says Selderslaghs. "That's why we demand high flexibility from suppliers like SMC. Very often we don't know in advance what the exact requirements are for the machine's valves, so we constantly need help with specifications."

One of the products that HACOS says provides the required degree of flexibility is the NEW SY series, an extremely versatile 5-port valve. Many machine builders get overwhelmed when deciding on the best composition of fixed valve solutions for their application. With the new SY, however, there are no more headaches when designing manifolds. This multi-purpose valve offers the flexibility to handle all standard applications, improving productivity, optimizing air consumption and simplifying machine operation.

In the heat of the moment

Successful chocolate production, of course, is all about heating and cooling, and that is where SMC's Thermo-Chillers offer remarkable advantages. The heating and cooling process must be very precise and usually fluctuates within a 0.5°C range, from 31 to 31.5°C. Both SMC's Peltier- and rack-type thermo-chillers can handle this process perfectly, with SMC's added benefits of compact size and global support at the local level.

In particular, SMC's HRR rack-type compact Thermo-Chillers are widely used in many of the small chocolate production machines produced by HACOS, with a temperature stability of ± 0.1°C. "SMC offers quality products. The brand is known all over the world and symbolizes quality, so our end users are happy to have SMC components in their machines," says Selderslaghs. One of the technical challenges is that in almost all cases, these components must be very compact. SMC is known for providing solutions with small dimensions, allowing machine builders to make their systems smaller and minimize energy consumption. For example, SMC recently supported HACOS in developing a robot with very small valves and cylinders, as every gram of mass had to be taken into account.

"Besides high quality products, it's really all about the service SMC provides, both locally and globally," concludes Selderslaghs. "SMC is on site twice a week, not only to replenish stock, but also to support us with any technical challenges or to answer questions. We also benefit from SMC's global presence, which ensures good service and support in any part of the world where our machines are in use."