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ACO Automation Components - Moisture Measurement in Horheim, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year On 23 March 2001, Johannes Mergl founded ACO – Automation Components – Moisture Measurement in Horheim. What began as a small venture back then is now an established supplier of industrial moisture measurement solutions with customers worldwide. Since then, ACO has stood for: * reliable measurement technology for bulk materials * practical solutions rather than theory * close cooperation with our customers * development and manufacturing in Germany Thank you to Johannes Mergl for 25 years of entrepreneurial spirit, technical passion and the courage to forge his own path. And thank you to all our customers, partners and companions who are part of this story. Here’s to the next 25 years.

The water content of road salt affects its shelf life, flowability, and reliability in use. Moisture measurement helps to prevent problems at an early stage. Moisture determines winter service operations In winter service operations, every minute counts. When road salt no longer flows freely, problems occur at the worst possible time, during active deployment. In many cases, the cause is not the spreading technology itself but the material. The water content of road salt is a critical quality factor that is often underestimated in practice. Even small amounts of moisture can impair entire systems and lead to avoidable operational failures. Why road salt is particularly sensitive to moisture Road salt is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the surrounding air. Critical conditions include fluctuating temperatures, high moisture and extended storage periods. Even salt that appears free-flowing on the surface can already have an elevated water content inside. This directly affects storage stability, flow behaviour and dosing accuracy and usually remains undetected without measurement. Typical consequences of excessive

Robust capacitive moisture measurement through the underside of the conveyor belt for demanding bulk material processes. Classification of the measurement method In many bulk material processes, online moisture measurement is typically performed from above on the conveyor belt. However, not every plant provides suitable conditions for this approach. Problems occur in particular when the material height is low, the particle size distribution varies significantly between coarse and fine fractions, or when the operation involves heavy contamination and mechanical stress. Under these conditions, stable and reproducible measurements from above are often not achievable. In such cases, an alternative installation point has proven effective. Moisture measurement is performed from underneath, through the conveyor belt. Design and operating principle The sensor is mounted in a sled made of hardened tool steel directly beneath the belt. The sled and the ceramic measuring surface remain in mechanical contact with the underside of the conveyor belt. The robust design is engineered to operate reliably

ACO measures coffee bean moisture directly in the process – precise, reproducible, and loss-free for consistent quality and full flavor. After roasting, the decisive phase begins for coffee roasters: the residual moisture in the bean determines whether the aroma, taste and shelf life can develop optimally. It also influences the filling weight, flow behaviour and storability of the coffee – the key quality characteristics in further processing and packaging. Why residual moisture is so crucial While green coffee beans still have a moisture content of between 10% and 13%, this is deliberately reduced during roasting. The heat of around 200–230 °C causes water to evaporate, cell structures to change and the typical roasted aroma to develop. However, if the bean is too moist, it can ferment further, lose aroma and become unstable. If it is too dry, the coffee tastes flat and loses intensity. This is why precise control of the residual moisture immediately after the roasting process plays a key role – both for consistent taste and for economic process reliability in production. Inline moisture

Precise moisture measurement in bulk material processes: Discover how moisture measuring sensors measurably improve quality, efficiency, and process reliability. Accurate moisture determination is essential for stable and efficient bulk material processing. ACO moisture measuring sensors enable reliable inline, online, and atline measurement directly within the process line. They can be flexibly integrated into silos, on or under conveyor belts, inside screw conveyors, as well as in chutes, mixers, or hoppers. The process diagram illustrates typical installation points within automated process chains. With customized installation kits and optimized sensor technology, almost any bulk material – from powders to granulates and mixtures – can be monitored precisely and continuously. Flexible Integration into Existing Systems The sensors can be easily connected to existing control systems. Via PLC and PC interfaces, real-time data can be collected, analyzed, and used for process control. This enables consistent product quality, shorter drying times, and improved energy efficiency across the entire production process. Technical

23. – 25. September 2025 - Hall 10.0 / Booth Number 10-634 In September 2025, the doors of the PowTech-TechnoPharm in Nuremberg will open once again. ACO is looking forward to welcoming you at this year’s PowTech. We are excited to present the latest developments in moisture measurement and provide customer-oriented, tailor-made solutions for (almost) every moisture measurement challenge. Discover our current and future innovations – and test our equipment live at our booth. Best regards from the Black Forest ACO – Automation Components Team (Hall 10 – Booth 634)