MACHINERY | PROCESS CONTROL
predict quality in real-time is a great use case for plastics compounding that can drastically reduce waste in both scrap and opportunity costs. Another issue compounders face is the need to handle variability, Oden says. Brittle supply chains and cost pressures continue to put a strain on production, forcing producers to look at materials in different and creative ways. However, it is known that adding in variability, whether that is from suppliers or from different grades of recycled materials, increases the likelihood of something going wrong. Manufacturers need to be able to handle a higher
degree of variability on the input side, but still produce with a high degree of efficiency and high degree of commonality in the output. They need to be able to make informed decisions and trade-offs to be able to maintain that balance successfully. Oden says advanced analytics tools within Industry 4.0 systems can enable front-line teams to handle variability more effectively, in real-time. Hiring key staff also remains a problem. Oden
cites a recent US survey carried out by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), which showed that 74% of manufacturers say their inability to attract and retain employees is their top primary
challenge. As an operator dependent segment of manufacturing, that number may be even higher for compounding operations. The company says that a tight recruitment
environment is a catalyst for improving efficiency through solutions that make it possible to get the work done with fewer people (without overworking or increasing safety risks) or to make processes more simple so it is easier to attract and retain staff. Both are impactful to the bottom line of a business. Over the past decade or so, Oden says technology and automation changes have contributed to staff productivity by making inexperienced staff as successful as experienced staff and reducing waste in the production process. “Although the compounding and masterbatch industries will continue to be operator dependent for the foreseeable future, there are processes throughout the business that are ripe for automa- tion,” says Sundblad. “IT/OT convergence will drive the effective use of data. Plastics compounding and masterbatch manufacturers have been collecting data for the sake of collecting data for years through MES, OPC and other systems, but have had difficulty turning that data into actionable insights. We are
SAVE
Thermoplastic Concentrates
January 29-31, 2024 | Tampa, FL, USA *Discounts cannot be used in conjunction with other offers. BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY
20%* when you book before September 8, 2023
Discovering new trends for the thermoplastic concentrates industry
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62
