INDUSTRY 4.0/SMART FACTORY
on the route. Traceability of all stock levels also reduces downtime. At the same time, trip hazards can be decreased and employees supported.
MINIMISING ERRORS AND STRENGTHENING TRACEABILITY
To avoid production downtimes, line side replenishment (LSR) must take place in good time, with a focus on the loading of raw materials, packaging of containers and the dispensing of finished goods. Palletisers play a central role in increasing this latter topic, enhancing productivity, flexibility and traceability of the production process. Innovative robotic solutions help to improve throughput in these areas. Examples are a SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) solution for loading bottles or other containers, robots that load carton and case erectors and high-speed parallel robot solutions for the orientation and alignment of raw materials and primary/secondary packaged items. Traceability within the process can be ensured via reading and verifying item level and batch level labelling and integrated image processing systems.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SAFE AND RELIABLE SHIPPING
The handling and dispatching of goods is also undergoing numerous changes, as retailers want to reduce costs and personnel related expenses in this area. Food companies face the challenge of picking, placing and sorting incoming products simultaneously. Careful product handling ensures line throughput, reduces waste and prevents damaged goods from entering the downstream process.
Delivering retail-ready solutions and avoiding costly fines and recalls can be complicated. Automation can help to protect the product and improve the OEE of a machine or line, by reducing downtime. At the primary product stage, where fast, accurate, repeatable and efficient handling is required, Delta robots are often the solution. Customised software also enhances flow rates and recipe handling. One controller takes care of all functions (such as motion, vision, safety and robotics).
Product-friendly conveyor control can be achieved by the automatic positioning of the goods on a conveyor. Omron’s Sysmac control platform, for example, features Smart Conveyor Function Blocks (FBs) that control the distances and positioning of products, reducing product damage and improving throughput.
The automated flow of goods and optimised loading and unloading of machines will play a central role in the food factory of the future. Companies that want to speed up processes, reduce costs and ease the burden on employees can do so with the help of innovative technology and robotics – and thus take a big step towards competitive strength and sustainability. Omron
https://industrial.omron.eu/
FOUR TOP TIPS FOR AUTOMATION PROJECTS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
W
hat should manufacturers in the food industry look for when automating the flow of goods? What pitfalls should be avoided? The following four tips will help you to understand what’s important for streamlined machine loading and unloading processes.
1. SET GOALS AND EVALUATE PROCESSES Flexibility, quality, labour related issues and sustainability are just some of the key drivers we recognise from speaking to customers. Whatever the driver, any project must have a goal that determines its success. Automation can be employed to continuously monitor and report on a process, giving a producer real time access to information on topics such as takt time, downtime, quality performance and idling to name a few. It can, if properly deployed, be used to monitor at defined stages of a process, enabling bottlenecks to be identified and incremental changes measured and understood.
2. INVOLVE EMPLOYEES
In the context of the physical flow of goods within a production environment, the protection of the labour force from physical harm is paramount. This same labour force understands the detail of these movements and should be included in discussions about how to improve the process. After all, it’s about automation supporting the workforce.
3. CHOOSE THE RIGHT PARTNER
It’s important to ensure that a technology partner has a broadly diversified automation portfolio, including a comprehensive range of adaptable solutions for individual challenges. It also makes sense to have a network of system integrators, providing expertise and services tailored to the industry, at all levels.
4. CONSIDER RAW MATERIALS, PACKAGING ETC. AS A COMPLETE PACKAGE
A plant, production line or machine is only as good as the services it receives in terms of raw materials, packaging and consumables. Companies shouldn’t therefore differentiate between machine and line – look at improving aspects like replenishing packaging material on the line or minimising WIP to reduce waste, scrap and storage costs. Only by improving the overall process can food and beverage companies optimise labour productivity and significantly increase their line or machine performance.
FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | DECEMBER/JANUARY 2021 39
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