INDUSTRy 4.0 / SMART fACTORIeS
A ‘SweeT’ SOLUTION fOR DeTeCTION IN PACkAgINg
volume production, manufacturers pack sealed bags of candy in cardboard cartons, which are in turn stacked for shrink- wrapping and palletisation. Preformed cartons arrive at the packing station in a
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continuous stream. Once the leading carton reaches its designated position, the conveyor halts and the packing sequence commences. A pick-and-place robot lifts successive layers of bags and lowers them into the carton. Once the predetermined number of bags has been packed, the carton is conveyed to a sealing station. If a carton stops in the wrong position, or if no carton is
consume the most energy to manufacture. Operational cost modelling is becoming a popular measure for operational success, which would allow a milk manufacturer, for example, to see a cost per 1,000 litres of milk as well as the productive time versus non-productive time of the bottling machines. Having a record of this data across
one dashboard also links up stakeholders from different parts of the business, from finance, maintenance management and operations, through to sales and senior management. This means decisions around areas like sales strategy or operational delivery can be made more effectively with everyone’s view being considered from the outset.
CreATIng more whILe ConSUmIng LeSS Data analytics tools can be used for material productivity as well as workforce productivity. In fact, manufacturers are increasingly turning to technology to understand how they can create the same volume of product with less resources. In doing so, they are also able to see how driving more sustainable manufacturing methods can also shore up the bottom line. In fact, one such dairy manufacturer in Asia was able to create a multi-million dollar saving by implementing an interactive dashboard which helped it reach its stretch output targets and meant it did not need to build a new factory to scale up. In this way, factories are using data to measure capacity utilisation rates and make changes to lines that are not working to full capacity. This not only raises operational performance, but
also helps save on resources like energy and water, allowing manufacturers to meet both business and sustainability metrics.
hArneSSIng dATA To PredICT And PrevenT mALfUnCTIon finally, analytical dashboards are also helping food and drink manufacturers overcome challenges, such as bottlenecks in production. By highlighting errors or unusual patterns in a process and proactively flagging things like maintenance updates, data tools can pre- empt problems before they turn into real issues. This results in reduced unplanned downtime of machinery - which according to a recent survey, comes at a cost of $2 million in lost production and productivity. Added to that, production bottlenecks can also dramatically impact the quality of output, which is of particular concern to food and drink manufacturers, for whom an impacted product assembly line is often irreparable and results in huge wastage. Smart, connected factories are nothing
new and technology has been supporting manufacturers for years to improve output efficiency and productivity. But with sustainability so high on everyone’s agenda, now firms are starting to realise that using data is a double-edged sword, making operations both more sustainable and profitable. Digital skills and tools are becoming an increasingly prominent part of the future factory. Those that invest in these resources now will be able to harness the vast quantities of data at their disposal, putting them in pole position to outperform their competitors whilst also meeting UN sustainability targets.
Tetra Pak International
www.tetrapak.com
present, the packing sequence must be inhibited to prevent damage occurring. A non-contact sensor system is needed to detect the position of the leading carton as it arrives at the packing station, halting the conveyor and initiating the packing sequence once. It must be reliable and require minimal maintenance.
n the confectionery manufacturing industry, secondary packaging is usually required when preparing multiple product packs for wholesale distribution. In high-
Miniature retro-reflex photoelectric sensors from the Contrinex C23 range are ideal for this application. Used in conjunction with a 41mm-diameter reflector, these sensors have an operating range of up to 4,500mm – more than adequate for the task. A single sensor is mounted beside the carton conveyor, immediately before the packing station, with the reflector positioned on the opposite side. As the leading carton breaks the light beam, the sensor detects its presence and halts the conveyor in the correct position for packing. Mounted in 20mm x 30mm x 10mm miniature plastic
housings, C23 photoelectric sensors are available with industry-standard PNP or NPN 3-wire or 4-wire output. Connection to the customer’s control system is via a PVC- sheathed cable with the choice of an integral M12 connector or a hermetically sealed entry. A second output provides a stability alarm in the event of reduced sensitivity, flagging the need for preventative maintenance before any performance degradation occurs. A custom-designed range of multi-position mounting
brackets allows systems engineers to locate sensors optimally in almost any situation. The C23 range detects slow- or fast-moving targets reliably. Remote selection of switching frequency is possible via IO-Link, a standardised point-to-point serial connection protocol, available as standard at no extra cost for PNP versions.
www.PLUSAx.co.uk
fACTORy&HANDLINgSOLUTIONS | MAy 2021 19
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