Safety without SacrificeModernising Equipment
- April 8, 2026
- Posted by: Claire Carty
- Categories: Automation, Instrumentation, Technical Support, Training
Remtron recently partnered with Dollar Sweets and their Maintenance Manager Steve Smith, to deliver a complete machinery safety and control system upgrade, transforming a legacy asset into a safe, compliant, and high-performing production machine.
The Machine Behind the Candy
Dollar Sweets’ high-boil process creates a thin, ribbon-like layer of toffee on a conveyor belt, which is then cracked into large pieces. Those pieces are fed into the sugar crusher, which grinds them into the fine, vivid candy pieces that go on to become inclusions in products from chocolate manufacturers across the country.
It’s a high-throughput process, and any interruption to it has a direct impact on output. That context shaped every decision made on this project.
The starting point: an upgrade long overdue
The machine had been running for years on a mechanical drive system with toothed gearing, with no guarding and no safety system. This wasn’t a minor tweak. It was a ground-up rethink of how the machine operated and how operators interacted with it. The scope was clear:
Challenge 1
Replace the mechanical toothed gear drive with a modern motion control solution to eliminate the associated mechanical hazards.
Challenge 2
Implement a fully compliant machinery safety system where none had previously existed.
Challenge 3
Ensure the new system did not impede the productivity of the machine or complicate operator workflows.
Challenge 4
Build in-house capability, equipping Steve and the Dollar Sweets team to understand, operate, and maintain the new system.
"The number one concern raised early in the project was productivity. Machinery safety upgrades can sometimes create friction, harder to clear jams, harder to clean, longer access procedures. The goal here was to make sure none of that happened."
Careful component selection was central to getting things right
There were size and mounting constraints, appropriate sensing and switching technology for both safety integrity and ease of installation, programmable logic capability, and full environmental suitability for regular washdown conditions, a demanding condition that ruled out many standard off-the-shelf options.
Enclosure
Rittal 316 Stainless Steel Enclosure
Washdown-rated housing for all control and safety electronics
Sensing
Sick STR1 Safety Sensors with Mini Actuator
Fitted to all removable guards; compact form factor suited to mounting constraints
Wiring
Sick T-Connectors
Sensors wired in series for simplified installation and system integrity
Safety Logic
Sick Flexisoft Safety Controller
Programmable safety logic platform providing configurable, certified safety functions
E-Stop
Schneider Electric Emergency Stop — Illuminated, IP69K, Antimicrobial
Rated for the harshest washdown environments; antimicrobial surface for food-safe compliance
Switchgear
Schneider Electric Low Voltage Switchgear & Pilot Devices
Control panel components integrated with the safety and motion control systems
The outcome: safer, and just as productive
Zero
Mechanical toothed gearing hazards - fully replaced by motion control
Full
Machinery safety compliance achieved - where no system had previously existed
Remtron’s approach
Our involvement covered the full scope: system specification, control cabinet and electrical design, safety system integration, hands-on programming support, and operator training. From the initial brief through to commissioning, the Remtron team worked alongside the Dollar Sweets team to deliver an end-to-end outcome.
The result is a modern, integrated system that delivers:
✔ Significantly improved operator safety
✔ Full compliance with machinery safety requirements
✔ No reduction in machine productivity or throughput
✔ Improved ease of maintenance and operation
✔ Increased in-house capability through training and support
Importantly, the new system demonstrates that safety and productivity don’t have to be trade-offs, with the right design, both can be achieved.
"Thanks for your help getting everything on time and following the progress of the project."
Steve Smith — Maintenance Manager, Dollar Sweets