MACHINERY | PROCESS CONTROL
potential in real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and intelligent decision-making. Moreover, the increasing demand for customisa- tion, shorter time-to-market, and supply chain resilience is fuelling the development of agile and adaptable production systems in our industry,” Hojer says. Feddem’s goal is to seamlessly integrate
data-driven automation, real-time monitoring and advanced analytics. The challenge, it says, arises in the ability to explore cloud-based platforms and intelligent algorithms to enable remote monitoring and optimised production scheduling. It says it is currently evaluating the potential in advanced analytics and real-time data to identify proactively maintenance needs and prevent unexpected breakdowns. By continuously monitoring equip- ment condition and utilising sophisticated algorithms, it believes it is possible to optimise maintenance schedules, minimise downtime and maximise equipment lifespan.
“Our vision is to simplify data analysis
further, providing our customers with complete transparency over their entire production process in real time,” says Hojer. “With our partners, we are commit- ted to developing innovative solutions that enable businesses to access and interpret their data effortlessly, empower- ing them to make informed decisions and drive operational excellence.” US-based compounding plant manu-
facturer Farrel Pomini says it sees the opportunity to increase efficiencies and
Above: A ZSE 27 iMAXX extruder
equipped with the latest Leistritz LinXX control system
decrease expenses as significant drivers of Industry 4.0 adoption and process control developments for compounders and masterbatch processors. The company says the fact that many operating expenses are fixed or increasing, such as the cost of energy, means converters are looking to gain an advantage through efficiencies. Process automa- tion can take efficiency to a new level through the use of real time data, predictive analytics and mobility and the company sees these three items as dominant trends for its customers. Farrel Pomini offers an automatic data export
whereby machine process data available within its Synergy Control System platform can be accessed by the customer’s MES or ERP system. This data allows decision makers to understand the current settings of their equipment and to better optimise the production process. It allows use of predictive analytics to identify the likelihood of future out- comes based on historical data, which can enable
52 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2023
better resource planning. The company says it has a number of active process control projects currently in development. The development of Industry 4.0 technology will be driven by customers and their needs for data analysis and process control, according to Sean Doran, Global Market Segment Director at global compounding machinery maker CPM. He says that specific problems, such as prevention of downtime, improving yield and product margins, as well as overall profit impact, are all tied to process control solutions and IoT development. Simply increasing ease of control over manufac-
turing, by increasing efficiency in production, must translate into increased profits for customers, Doran says. It cannot simply be an improved and more costly investment in compounding; it must yield clearly visible profit improvements. Influences driving new developments include critical equip- ment monitoring, such as gearboxes and process section wear items, and their impact on throughput and downtime. Meanwhile, German twin screw extruder maker
Leistritz Extrusionstechnik identifies several interesting areas where Industry 4.0 is an influencing factor in compounding. “Firstly, engineering and machine technology. This because condition monitoring and predictive maintenance will become increasingly important to reduce downtimes. However, it will also influence process technology because processes have become more complex. Industry 4.0 can also help support machine opera- tors, with digital assistance systems being particularly important,” says Daniel Nagl, Managing Director. “Skills shortages, as well as a lack of specialists,
will increase in future. Here, new process control solutions are a strong support. For this reason, Leistritz has developed LinXX, a new control system which makes safe and reliable machine operation much easier. In addition, both rising energy costs and ever-increasing cost reduction pressure will call for new solutions,” Nagl says. LinXX is a new control system that provides an optimised Human Machine Interface providing benefits such as an instant overview on the entire extrusion line and key process parameters. It is said to provide an intuitive operating structure with a clear display and easy icon recognisability. Leistritz adds that LinXX has been developed in close coop- eration with partners in several projects and case studies involving customers, institutes and other industry partners. “As a result, we know what practical require- ments have to be met and what customer pain points have to be addressed,” says Nagl. “In future
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IMAGE: LEISTRITZ
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