CDL Technology Center now 100% automated
The beginning of 2024 marked the realization of a large-scale project at CDL, a project the company had been dreaming of for several years: the creation of a 100% automated boiling room. With the recent introduction of Master-E evaporators and heRO concentrators, CDL was closer than ever to achieving this vision, this goal.
For nearly a decade, CDL has had a defined vision for the 4.0 project in maple production. It was not only about automating each step of the maple syrup production process but also ensuring that each of these steps was interconnected, creating perfect synergy throughout the entire process. The vision for this 100% automated boiling room project was to bring together some of CDL’s most advanced equipment in a single location to represent a self-sufficient maple grove of 40,000 taps, all within the most compact environment possible. The ultimate goal: to produce maple syrup, from tree to barrel, without any human intervention!
The project began in the fall of 2023. After agreeing on a common goal, it was time to put this project on paper, to create process diagrams, and to identify the equipment that would become the centerpiece of the maple grove. Once the room plan was established, work began with the demolition of existing infrastructure, pouring concrete bases for the silos, relocating drains, and so on. The equipment was installed, and electrical and plumbing work commenced to connect each piece of equipment. At this point, the project took shape, and the crucial programming stage could begin.
The CDL Technology Center is equipped with five distinct silos, three outdoors and two indoors, for storing maple water, concentrate, filtrate, and ultrafiltered water. An ultrafiltration unit is included in the line, just before the automated heRO concentrator and its five-membrane cart. The 30 Brix concentrate obtained is stored in a refrigerated tank before being transferred to the Master-E evaporator. The syrup is then stored in a heating tank. The process concludes with a 15-inch syrup press and barrels.
The equipment is physically placed so that each successive step follows one another. The idea was to create a continuous flow, allowing water to travel a shorter distance and equipment to occupy as little space as possible in the room. Plumbing runs along the walls and enters the equipment side without impeding operations. The production line is balanced, floor space is maximized, storage is optimized, and the flow is continuous!
One of the main motivations behind this project is to train CDL employees on the technologies we offer to the maple industry. The Technology Center will also serve as a testing center to put equipment and prototypes to the test in real conditions, allowing for equipment improvements, aiding in the development of new products, and sparking new ideas! It will enable sales and customer service to understand and better serve maple syrup producers. It will also allow the production team to operate this equipment to experience the importance of superior quality manufacturing. In addition to its educational purposes, the Technology Center is a sales tool and an exceptional proof of concept to introduce the 4.0 concept to the maple industry. Finally, it will serve as a testing ground for Maple Nectar production.
The design and construction of the Technology Center have been, and will be, beneficial in many ways for the CDL team, even before its completion. Indeed, the departments involved have developed various expertise during the implementation of this project, whether in maple syrup production or equipment use, CDL Intelligence system or equipment automation, heRO concentrators or Master-E evaporators, or the maple industry in general. The CDL Technology Center is a place for knowledge transfer and sharing that promotes innovation, practice improvement, and growth for both the CDL team and the entire maple industry.
