FEATURE Food & beverage
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
Omron explains exactly what is meant by the term digital enablement, and how food manufacturing factories can overcome the challenges that are blocking adoption
D
igital enablement is a hot topic in the food and beverage manufacturing sector, but what does it mean, and, with so many
steps in the journey from traditional to modern processes, how do you even know where to start?
Digital enablement is using technology
and intelligence of systems, equipment, or processes.
In simple terms, it means making factories smarter and more connected – by transforming traditional equipment into tools that help manufacturers run more and downtime.
In food and drink production, it involves collecting data from machines and sensors, sharing that data with other systems, like cloud platforms or business software, and using those insights to make better performance. Food production lines require a high level of precision, speed, and hygiene to as a slightly misaligned belt or a process temperature being a few degrees out, can halt production or spoil an entire batch. Operators can deploy technology, for before they cause major disruptions, or be impeding productivity. They can use systems that enable end-to-end traceability, to meet consumer and regulatory demands, or spot defective products before they are even shipped out.
How does digital enablement work? The almost limitless potential of smart key technologies.
anything from whether a package is full to if a piece of equipment is working within safe temperature parameters. They are easy
22 November/December 2025 | Automation
to install and are connected to the machine’s control system via an IO-Link. Secondly, a machine network, such the line in real time. It ensures, for instance, that robotic arms, cutters, or sealers move at and accurate motion control, perfect timing for tasks like labelling and sealing. The last piece in the jigsaw is a data connection, which allow machines to talk directly to cloud platforms or company systems. This is important for remote monitoring and updates, being able to review machine performance remotely, and sending data to systems like enterprise problems faster, compare performance across business decisions.
Where do I start with digital enablement?
customers face is bridging the gap between “languages”, and few companies have personnel who fully understand both sides. On top of that, the volume of data generated by today’s production systems can be from background noise. gets where it needs to go: whether that’s Many legacy systems were never designed to work together, and integration is rarely
custom development is required just to on investment, and resistance to change within organisations can slow progress. However, these challenges are far from develop tailored tools, and guide teams through the process, alleviating much of the pressure. a single product or predictive maintenance on one line, provides a manageable proof of concept to build upon. Often, manufacturers can begin with the
hardware they already have, deploying engineering support adds value here too, by ensuring the solutions you implement today are ready to adapt to tomorrow’s needs. technology, and securing buy-in from the encouraging collaboration between IT and success and failure. What do I do next?
Digital enablement doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Starting small can lead to strategy, every factory can take steps toward a smarter, more connected future.
Omron
industrial.omron.co.uk automationmagazine.co.uk
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DIGITAL ENABLEMENT
ABOUT DIGITAL ENABLEMENT
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