Digitalisation


The key to higher machine availability is the targeted evaluation of digital machine data


Many confectionery brands today rely on professional services and solutions that help them efficiently resume production and ensure reliable processes after adapting the equipment to changing product requirements – for example for sugar-free recipes.”


Laura believes that digital adoption is speeding up across the confectionery industry. Production lines are featuring ever more digital options, and machine suppliers are enhancing their portfolio and services. To tap into the full potential of digital services – including preventive maintenance and production monitoring – new machines need to be Internet of Things (IoT) ready and should feature appropriate connectivity tools, while existing machines need to be retrofitted with additional data-gathering sensors. Systems equipped with interfaces to add connectivity can offer a variety of solutions throughout the entire machine lifecycle that help optimise production processes and sustainably increase the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).


Packaging advantages


The availability of packaging machines is said to be one of the most influential factors behind efficient production. Today, the key to higher machine availability is the targeted evaluation of digital machine data to effect improvements in process and performance. For confectionery manufacturers this can lead to less unplanned downtime, less waste, less resource consumption and therefore more sustainable production. According to Uwe Galm, Head of Customer Services at Schubert, increased awareness of sustainability issues has triggered one of the strongest trends shifts in the packaging industry. But it isn’t just the selection and layout of packaging materials that is important. The more efficient and streamlined a packaging process is, the more sustainably a manufacturer can produce. “Where there are hiccups in processes, or performance is lower than expected, may not always be visible at first glance. With a structured analysis of machine data, however, weak points in the process can be quickly detected, errors can be eliminated


38 Kennedy’s Confection May 2022


retroactively, or overall performance optimisation can be carried out via OEE analysis,” says Uwe. A further advantage of data evaluation is that, in addition to information about the packaging machine itself, the influences of upstream and downstream equipment or processes can also be identified – for example, the quantity of products in the infeed. “Data evaluation also allows a look into the future: With comprehensive monitoring, the operating hours of the packaging line and its individual system components can be read precisely, wear can be detected early, and irregularities can be assessed based on limit values and parameters,” continues Uwe. “This basic data can be used to create a plan for the preventive maintenance of machine components (predictive maintenance) – reducing unplanned downtime to a minimum.”


Supply chain benefits Ever


increasing


regulations


and


standards


affecting


the confectionery industry simply add to the case for digitalisation of the entire food supply chain, argues Ian Scott-Mance, Technology Manager at Mettler-Toledo ProdX. “There are benefits to be had for all through a realisation of


this transformation,” he says, despite many being hesitant. “A move from manual track and trace to digital is coming and it could be good for business! Indeed, with legislators and retailers starting to insist on digital transparency in the food supply chain, it is not an exaggeration to say it will be critical to the continued existence of confectioners.” The first step, of course, is data collection. This data must then be shared throughout the supply chain. However, the latter cannot happen if the data does not exist in an accessible form.


The concept of information sharing is critical to the success of digital track and trace – enabling the identification of the whereabouts of specific batches at any given time in the past or present, in a matter of seconds. However, digital food chain transparency has already been shown by early adopters to benefit manufacturers.


KennedysConfection.com


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