Methodology for evaluating foreign matter in the factory
Gomez Duque, MA; Mendez Quintero, DM; Estrada Bedon, A. | SEP 2024 | ISBN 978-958-8449-41-8
This guide has been developed so that the personnel responsible for the analysis of the contents of foreign matter entering the factory and its management, are aware of the activities developed during the standardization plan of the methodology for evaluating foreign matter in the factory, carried out in the sugar cane agro-industrial sector in Colombia.
Industrial Chemist graduated from the Technological University of Pereira (2010), with a master's degree in Engineering with an emphasis on Quality and Productivity from the Tecnológico de Monterrey (2018). With extensive professional experience in the administration of quality areas and process improvement in the agro-industrial and mass consumption sectors. Since 2020, she has been linked as a researcher in the Factory Processes Program of the Sugarcane Research Center of Colombia, leading the Cane Quality project, which seeks to standardize methodologies for the evaluation of the raw material that enters the factory, the quantification of sucrose losses between cutting and grinding, and reduction strategies. Since 2023, she has been coordinating the service laboratories: Cane Analysis Laboratory, Chromatography Laboratory, and Soil and Leaf Tissue Laboratory.
Diana Milena Méndez Quintero, Chemistry.
Chemist graduated in 2021 from the National University of Colombia, Bogotá campus. Since 2022, she has been linked to the Colombian Sugarcane Research Center, Cenicaña, in the Sugarcane Quality research project of the Factory Processes Program. The main areas of work include ensuring the quality and reliability of the information obtained through the standardization of methodologies in the sector, such as the evaluation of foreign matter and the direct analysis of sugarcane. She participates in the planning and execution of interlaboratory studies of physicochemical analysis of finished products in the sector and in activities related to the quantification of sucrose losses in the field.
Alejandro Estrada Bedón, Agricultural Engineer, M.Eng.
Agroindustrial Engineer with a Master’s degree in Engineering with an emphasis on Industrial Engineering. Graduated in 2004 from the National University of Colombia, Palmira campus, and in 2009 from the University of Valle, Cali campus. Since 2008 he has been involved as a research engineer in the project Cutting, harvesting, transportation and delivery of sugarcane to the factory – CATE Project, Cenicaña, where he works on studies and characterization of times and movements in the cutting, harvesting, transportation and delivery of sugarcane system, supporting the development processes of new equipment for harvesting and transportation, optimization of the sugarcane supply chain in the mills and economic estimation of the different activities of the sugarcane harvesting and transportation system.
Gómez, A, et al (2012, September 12-14). Effects of increased levels of agricultural residues in mechanized harvested sugarcane on raw material quality and factory performance. [Presentation]. VIII Congress of the Sugar Association of Latin America and the Caribbean and IX Congress of the Colombian Association of Sugarcane Technicians. Cali, Colombia. pp. 345-356
Larrahondo, JE (1995). Sugarcane quality. In: Sugarcane Research Center of Colombia. Cenicaña. Sugarcane cultivation in the sugarcane region of Colombia (pp. 337-354)
Larrahondo, JE (2005). Components of foreign matter in harvested sugarcane. Carta Trimestral, 27, (3–4), pp. 12-15
Lucuara, J., Orduz, S., Daza, Z., Gil, N. & Imbachí, S. (2015, September 12-14). Impact of increased foreign matter on material quality and process efficiency. [Paper]. X Congress of the Colombian Association of Sugarcane Technicians. Cali, Colombia. p. 47.
Oviedo, M. & Chaves, M. (2003, September 3-5). Determination of the quantity and quality of foreign matter present in commercial deliveries of sugar cane (Saccharum spp) in the La Argentina sugar mill, Grecia, Costa Rica. [Presentation]. ATACORI Congress, Carrillo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. pp. 183-189
Gómez Duque, M.A., Méndez Quintero, D.M. & Estrada Bedón, A. (2024). Methodology for the evaluation of foreign matter in the factory. Standardization manual and illustrated guide. Cenicaña
Resources for training and knowledge transfer.
Due to the importance of transferring the knowledge and experience acquired during this standardization work plan, as well as the methodology for the analysis of foreign matter in the factory, it is advisable to carry out training for new and old staff to help them develop and strengthen the key skills to carry out this operation in a simple and efficient manner. The teaching resources consist of the following materials:
● Sector diagnosis.
Results of the survey on the methodologies used for the analysis of foreign matter in 12 mills, March-April 2021.
● Tour of the strange matter stations of the sugar mills.
The city of San Carlos is located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
● Statistical analysis of data 2020.
Sampling representativeness, distribution of foreign matter in manual and mechanized harvesting, components, behavior by quarter, relationships between foreign matter, sucrose and yield, effects on sugarcane quality.
● How to use the sampling configuration simulator.
Core sampler and nail instruction for use, Database, criteria, simulation.
● Sampling configuration simulator.
Select: confidence level, error limit, percentage of trains to sample (per day or by chance) and average number of wagons per train, wagons to sample per train, depths and lengths to simulate.
Display: Sampling configurations that meet the defined confidence level and error limit.
● Components of foreign matter in harvested sugarcane. Jesús E. Larrahondo (2005).
What is foreign matter, what effects does it have, what does it comprise, what are the evaluation methods.
● Procedure for evaluating foreign matter according to the sampling method: core sampler and fingernail.
Demonstrations of evaluation, sampling, component identification, separation, classification, weighing tasks.
● Foreign matter assessment methodology.
Standardization process, industry agreements, definitions, guidelines for component identification and separation.
● Methodology for assessing foreign matter in the factory. Standardisation manual and illustrated guide.
Standardization process, stops and agreements, evaluation methodology, illustrated guide for the separation and classification of foreign matter.
● Separation and classification of foreign matter in the factory. Illustrated guide.
Scope, initial questions, definitions, separation and classification guidelines, final self-assessment.
● Description of processes with Core Sampler and Uñada.
Evaluation of foreign matter in the factory
● Final self-assessment.
Review of concepts.
