IN PROFILE
&ROESLEIN ASSOCIATES
LEVERAGING AI TO ENHANCE PRODUCTION
Increasing efficiency should still be the primary goal for all improvements in can manufacturing. Noble pursuits and initiatives to save energy, lower costs, train employees, and other goals become counterproductive if there is a loss of efficiency in operations. It is time (maybe past time) for can manufacturing to embrace and leverage the modern AI and data tools in decision making and initiatives. An exhaustive list of all the modern AI and data tools and how they can be implemented in daily operations of a can plant is not possible in the short article. So, we have decided to discuss the tools Roeslein is actively using and then also the tools Roeslein is developing and plans to bring to market soon.
DIGITAL TWINNING:
NOW: The concept of a digital twin of a machine is very simple. Make a computer model of a machine and its operation. For a can line, this can be difficult since there needs to be both machine simulation and line control simulation. For decades Roeslein has been able to simulate a can line and we have many successful simulation projects from can makers that have improved their operations. Roeslein has taken this foundation can line understanding and married it with modern tools and we now can build a digital twin of a can line that incorporates MTTR and MTBF of equipment, can size information to include center of gravity and coefficients of friction, conveyor mat dimensions and coefficients of friction, and actual
Other News from Roeslein
OPERATIONAL SERVICES: Roeslein continues to prepare itself for the future in can manufacturing. We have recently built a new foundation in operational service support for new can plants and also in supporting existing plant operations. Our new team combines both experienced can makers with new can makers in order to continue servicing both can manufacturing, but also lead in new ideas and methods in operations.
UV LED SYSTEMS: Roeslein continues to lead the industry in the sustainable effort to move away from microwave UV systems. Our current Ultraviolet Bottom Coating System has been improved with a reliable, sustainable, and proven UV LED curing and control system update. We are very pleased to update the industry that there are now three approved UV LED coatings available on the market. We are also pleased to update the industry that the Roeslein UV LED systems has over 100,000 runtime hours, made over 10 Billion cans, and has a double digit install base.
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line control programs. We take all this information, along with our current data management system, and “twin” a simulation. This allows for actual testing of not just conveyance layouts and general can line layouts, but also allows for actual testing of sensor placement, different can sizes and how they will convey different, and much more.
FUTURE: Roeslein is developing the next step to “twinning” a can line. Our next step is to create an active digital twin that stays connected to the plant floor and at first monitors actual operations which includes shift efficiencies, coatings, deco label, and coil stock, along with all the standard data already monitored. As the twin learns the optimal efficiency setup of a can line based on all the data, it will automatically adjust the line control and machine control to optimize efficiencies.
SCRAP ZONES:
NOW: Roeslein’s current data management system monitors scrap at multiple locations on a can line. This is reported for the overall line, between machine groups, and for some production machines as machine spoilage.
FUTURE: As good as Roeslein currently monitors can line scrap, we cannot detail the exact conveyance scrap location. We can monitor how often dumps occur at scrap pickup locations on the plant floor, but where the cans came from that fill up the rolling scrap bins is not known. Roeslein is currently developing scrap bots that will not just pick up cans off the floor, but also detail and report the location of all picked up cans. We refer to this as scrap zones and this data can then be fed into data management system to alert operators of a condition on the can line that is generating scrap.
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