Challenge
Olive oil production relies on robust storage systems. Storage systems that have inadequate controls against light, heat, and oxygen exposure can compromise the freshness of olive oil products and result in considerable production loss for olive oil manufacturers. To combat this, olive oil companies commonly use temperature controlled and light-protected stainless steel tanks to safely store the olive oil until it’s ready to be bottled. Any mismatch in storage capacity to olive oil production presents a manufacturing bottleneck and loss of profits. For one of the largest olive oil producers in California, the ability to scale their business relied on a robust storage system to expand their olive oil processing capabilities. Industry partner Barnum Mechanical Inc. teamed up with E Tech Group to support the company’s storage system needs.
Solution
With the desire to expand their olive oil production, the customer needed a new storage tank farm with greater capacity. The project team assessed existing equipment, current system requirements, and collaborated with various stakeholders to best plan the storage tank system, keeping safety, maintenance processes, and future expansion capabilities top-of-mind. The team interfaced Rockwell Automation ControlLogix PLCs with Wonderware software to support a high-performance control platform with intuitive process visualization. An ifm Actuator Sensor Interface (AS-i) networking solution was designed and integrated in the PLC to simplify wiring efforts with various storage system sensors and save significant time during the installation process, notably as an alternative to conventional point-to-point wiring. Additionally, at the time of this project, it was believed that the team created the largest AS-i network in North America given the extensive networking applications needed for the customer’s large industrial environment.
The team also integrated a Clean-In Place (CIP) system in the controls engineering design to better support production uptime, product quality, employee safety, and cost-effective maintenance. The CIP system provided an automated method to clean interior surfaces of the process equipment without having to disassemble the system for future cleanings. The CIP system was integrated with all storage tanks and transfers to each tank from the olive oil extraction process.
Result
The project and process were a complete success. The customer was able to sufficiently store their increased production of olive oil and then some. The project team was thrilled to have the opportunity to support the new storage tank system and optimize their process environment with a CIP system. With the greater storage capacity, the customer was able expand their product into new geographies and gain greater market share.
Challenge
Distilled spirits have complex processing needs. To stay competitive, spirit producers often turn to batch processing and blending solutions to improve their operational agility; however, this can be compromised as their systems become outdated. This was the case for a global leader in the spirits industry who needed to update their existing blending system to better support recipe management, faster quality verification, and adaptive ingredient delivery. The global spirits leader engaged E Tech Group and their industry partner Barnum Mechanical Inc. to provide a turnkey solution given their collective process design and control system integration expertise.
Solution
The first step was to understand the customer’s recipes and batch execution methods. This included their ingredient applications, equipment processes, and final product expectations. The project team introduced the customer to ISA-88 batch process management; a set of standards published by the International Society of Automation (ISA) for managing batch control systems. It divides a batch process into a hierarchy of subdivisions to better optimize the utilization of assets and operational performance.
Using the ISA-88 standard, the project team divided the production environment into logical blocks to separately analyze units, equipment, and control modules. With these separated, the sequencing of the process could be well-outlined and then proven for accuracy and reliability. The project team utilized Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk Batch and View Site Edition networked software to provide seamless integration across all aspects of the system. The team also integrated electrical design and automated reporting solutions for classified areas to help safeguard assets, equipment, and people. Once completed and thoroughly tested, the project team stayed onboard to train operations staff on how to quickly adapt to the updated system and take advantage of its enhanced features.
Results
The complex project lasted eighteen months to design, develop, commission, and decommission the existing system. E Tech Group and Barnum Mechanical Inc. enjoyed the opportunity to collaboratively leverage their process knowledge to design the batching and CIP systems, as well as support PLC and HMI programming. For the global spirits leader, the updated system supported increased productivity with greater system reliability in addition to improved quality with more precise control strategies using ISA-88 standards.
Challenge
With breakfast considered to be the most important meal of the day, restaurants must offer a well-rounded breakfast menu to stay competitive. For a global fast-food giant, launching budget-friendly breakfast smoothies as a new product line was essential to compete against other café chains that offered similar products but at a higher price point. The fast-food giant enlisted a leading developer of fruit-based products to help deliver the new product offering but the project required the creation of several new manufacturing lines with a focus on process control. The fruit solutions developer engaged E Tech Group for their reputable flexibility and process control expertise to complete the complex project within a tight timeline.
Solution
Time was limited to execute the new smoothie product line for the fast-food giant. The project involved the establishment of three new manufacturing lines across different states within a 90-day turnaround timeframe. Process control optimization was essential for effective line management as well as adhering to strict requirements related to sterilization, temperature-control, and product packaging specifications.
The E Tech Group team worked around the clock to design and build the control system which included Allen Bradley PLCs and Wonderware for HMI visualization software. The team also integrated advanced machinery to support the multi-gallon product packaging and box formation requirements. Furthermore, the E Tech Group team swiftly integrated valves, pipes, heaters, bag fillers, sterilization equipment, and other production components to enable the best process control applications and industrial process automation across the multiple manufacturing lines.
Results
The E Tech Group team executed the project within the tight timeline and the smoothie manufacturing process was seamless. With process control top-of-mind, E Tech Group was able to support the stability and efficiency of the new smoothie offering in addition to the expansion of the fast-food giant’s customer base with a new product line. Since the launch, smoothie products have become a staple in the fast-food giant’s breakfast menu and customers no longer need to travel to a second drive-through when they can find competitive offerings at their favorite fast-food giant.
Challenge
Communication is an essential tool for operational efficiency. Poor communication across manufacturing departments and their control technology can result in production downtime, inferior product quality, unhappy customers, and ultimately the loss of focus as an industry leader. After all, a company’s expertise is their product and generally not control system communications. When one of the world’s largest almond processing companies became unsatisfied with their legacy SCADA system and its limited report capacity, E Tech Group was called to action to support the conversion to a new SCADA system.
Solution
The almond processing company determined Ignition, an industrial application platform from Inductive Automation, was the best platform to standardize their supervisory control and data acquisition across multiple locations. As a Premier Ignition System Integrator, E Tech Group applied their expertise in Ignition implementation to streamline the conversion process and support post-conversion operations. “Complex system upgrades call for advanced expertise. Partnering with a system integrator well-versed in Ignition is essential to drive successful results and a well-executed project”, says Xavier Tristan, Controls Engineer at E Tech Group.
While migrating to the new system, the E Tech Group team resolved network-related challenges and prioritized a user-friendly software design. The team developed screens on the new Ignition platform to closely resemble the company’s legacy system for operator ease and comfort. The goal was to reduce the learning-curve for their client’s workforce as they adopt to the new SCADA system. This enabled the company to enhance their workforce efficiency post-conversion with greater data communications and minimal training costs.
Results
Within a four-month timeframe, the E Tech Group team successfully converted the almond processing company’s legacy SCADA system to Ignition. The new platform equipped the company with enhanced visualization and reporting capabilities to make the right decisions at the right time. This means improved cross-functional efficiency, greater quality assurance, and reduced downtime —all with a more reliable, easier to manage system.