„Quality is when the customer comes back, not the product.“

In the area of quality assurance, the following points are worth mentioning.







Seal of Quality

After EU directive 178/2002 (traceability) took effect, seals of quality such as the IKA (integrated controlled cultivation) or the signs of quality of the state of Baden-Württemberg, "Assured Quality with a Statement of Origin", became meaningful. Strict conditions with regard to seed use and fertilizing and strict guidelines for cultivation as well as additional controls provide for the quality of the cultivation even in the fields. The creation of "registration officials" who will perform a separate controlled analysis with respect to heavy metals, pesticide residue, Mycotoxin and PCB pollution brings forth a separate level of safety. Further information is available at
www.was-liegt-naeher.de.








EU Directive 178/2002 (Download Directive as a PDF file)

As of 1 January 2005, all European foodstuffs and fodder must be traceable. This has resulted in increased requests at all levels of the grain cultivation industry for brewing.
Against the background of scandals arising in the fodder industry (BSE, fodder from animals, the presence of forbidden nitrate residue in wheat used for fodder), it was only logical that a general call was made for more openness in the foodstuff and fodder production chain.
The European basic foodstuff order (EG num. 178/2002) obliges all affected businesses to initiate tracking systems within their areas of responsibility.
In the tracking of the bulk product, grain exhibits characteristics that are to be taken into consideration in the implementation of such systems. In particular, the behavior of the flow of the grain should be taken into account. Different types of flow can be formed depending on the geometric shape of the silo, as the illustration below shows.

In mass flow, the entire contents of the silo are in motion as the silo empties. Mass flow is accompanied by an extensive and regular rate of flow over a cross section of the silo. Mass flow takes place only if the conical walls are sufficiently smooth and steep.
If these conditions are not met the result is core flow. In core flow, the product flows only in a more or less triangular flow pattern that extends from the discharge outlet upwards. The product that lies in the non-flowing zones of the silo, the so-called "dead zones", exit the silo only in the event of a total emptying of the silo.







The Kampffmeyer Silo Model provides impressive information about the circulation of product taking place as the silo empties.

Flow behavior of grain simulated under core (at left) and mass (right) flow conditions in the Kampffmeyer Silo Model. Core flow conditions are in direct contrast to mass flow conditions, which assure an ideal and suitable mixture of the various sections of grain,
Photo: Kampffmeyer






The graphic below shows a similar representation with respect to mixture.

Mixing behavior for various principles of emptying by Jochem, K., Schwedes, J. and Vidal, J.L..:

Entmischung binärer Schüttgutmischungen in einem Versuchssilo [Demixing of binary bulk material mixtures in a test silo], Schüttgut journal 4 (1998), p. 31-36





While with mass flow silos assignment of emptied quantities into separate layers of grain is conceivable (even though quite inexact), this is completely impossible under core flow conditions. In the emptying of the silos a thorough homogenization of the quantities and qualities discharged takes place.
Against the background of the knowledge that the predominant number of silo cylinders in the grain industry show core flow behavior, any trackability system has to take this into account.
In this connection, KLING-MALZ has proved the transposition from continuous to intermittent operation of silos to be advantageous. KLING-MALZ often and thoroughly empties the silo cylinders and records their condition when empty. It is only through these definite "editings" that the obviousness of the inner working conditions of the product flow becomes greater.
A multitude of smaller silo cylinders, which is also meaningful in view of the separation of recorded quantities by provenance and quality, also produces positive results in selectivity.
It is now possible, automatically and in real time and with the help of PCs, to record the flow of data attendant on all sorts of movement, from transfer and emptying to storage and removal from storage.

It is only in this way that a rapid and true tracking is possible. KLING-MALZ can now have a rapid overview of all phases of movement of the product.









For the purpose of eventual clarification in any question of liability, KLING-MALZ draws off and vacuum seals specimens from all the steps of the process.










Malt To Order
In order to improve our ability to fulfill our customers’ requirements, we employ the best, most precise and up-to-date procedures that ensure, without fail, the best possible selection of quality malt to satisfy each request.

The large number of cylinders in the silos makes it possible to store types of malt to satisfy specific customer desires.
The great multitude of customer desires on the one hand and a naturally limited variety of quality malts on the other, make the use of mathematically optimizing software desirable in fulfilling our customers’ requests better, faster and more precisely.