Dedicated Packing Line Improves Scheduling Across Multiple Production Lines
A food and beverage client was continuously struggling with scheduling production lines. E Tech Group implemented a new control system, providing the client with a dedicated packing line for their sterilizers.
The Project: Optimize Operations with a Dedicated Packing Line
A food and beverage manufacturing client required a dedicated packing line for their sterilizers that were added in 2019. They had previously been using their existing packaging lines which, due to the physical layout, were inefficient and placed continuous strain on scheduling for other production lines.
E Tech Group’s familiarity with the client’s facility, vast skillset and expertise in the design and implementation of these types of manufacturing automation solutions in the food and beverage industry made it an easy decision for the client to contract our team.
The Challenge: Aging Assets Prevent Upcycling Existing Equipment
Before developing the required solution, the onsite team first had to address the challenge of determining the hardware/control system panel layouts, as well as a networking plan for what it would take to integrate the new automation system before further assessment and design could take place.
Because budgetary restrictions played a role in this project, the client’s plan was to repurpose old packaging equipment from one of their other plants and tie it all together with a new conveyor system. This involved integrating the existing equipment, which included older PLCs, with a new line control PLC and remote racks.
The most difficult part in implementing the project was commissioning the recycled equipment. E Tech Group determined that due to age and previous use, several parts were reaching end of life both mechanically and electrically, requiring the installation of replacement parts before the equipment would function as it should.
The advanced troubleshooting required to find these aging assets took the most amount of time. However, during this time the automation team was able to further investigate the client’s operation, allowing them to provide the most comprehensive solution for the client.
The Solution: Leverage Allen Bradley Automation Products for Improved Production
Once all equipment concerns were addressed, updated and operational, the new line control system could be installed and commissioned.
This system utilized a new Allen Bradley L8x series ControlLogix PLC along with recycled Allen Bradley SLC and PLC5 plcs on the repurposed OEM equipment.
As originally planned, the main networking system was ethernet/IP. However, the team did have to install a DH+ network to integrate some of the older PLCs into the new system.
The main visualization software was the Wonderware System Platform, and the individual equipment used various forms of Allen Bradley Panelviews. This created a control system that fully-integrated the new production line with transparent, user-friendly controls.
The Result: An Effective System Upgrade on Time with Post-Project Support
From start to finish, the project took just a few months to complete, keeping within the client’s defined time parameters and minimizing production disruption. When our team was through, the client had a dedicated packing line for their sterilizers and were no longer dependent on inefficient equipment that would interfere with the scheduling and operation of other lines.
E Tech Group’s project team also provided an extended period of 24-hour startup support once the lines were running product, making sure everything stayed operational and maintained optimal functionality and performance. Once implemented, the new automated packing line added value for the client by removing the previous physical and technological complications that prevented them from making the most of their new sterilizers.
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PLC Upgrade Improves Reporting, Visualization & Connectivity for Cheese Producer
A cheese producer contacted E Tech Group as they were facing a bottleneck preventing expansions. The project team installed a new panel to house the ControlLogix PLC and associated communications modules to reduce downtime.
The Project: Design a Flexible Control System that Allows the Client to Scale
A cheese production facility had three PLC5s critical to daily operations at full capacity, creating a bottleneck for an expansion of ongoing reporting projects. Acknowledging there was an immediate need to remove the existing PLC5s for a ControlLogix replacement, they contacted E Tech Group to facilitate the control system upgrade. Having worked with the customer on a CIP automation project, and their intimate familiarity with the three PLC5s, our team was already up to speed and could act quickly.
The Challenge: Upgrade, Integrate & Implement on a Tight Timeline
The project team had to determine physical and communication connections. The challenge was the existence of multiple DeviceNet networks to existing MCCs with legacy VFDs. Additionally, IO was dispersed over many areas, in multiple panels requiring process knowledge of the core of the facility.
Working with the exact opposite of a fully-integrated automation system inside of a 12-hour timeline to completion would require a creative approach to converting and integrating the new controls.
The Solution: Work With & Around Existing Automation Infrastructure
To minimize the downtime necessary to implement the new control system, all PLC5 IO racks were retained in place and a custom control system panel was designed and installed to house the new Controllogix PLC and associated communications modules.
During onsite support, the project team was able to convert a PanelView Plus that had previously been overlooked to the updated application communications. Our automation team had 12 hours to complete the conversion, which involved taking over existing IO, doing point-to-point checks and validating the HMI. This timeline would allow the client to begin their CIP process before production the next day, with the new ControlLogix installed.
IO Lists were developed to help with commissions, and detailed DeviceNet networks were documented. The team also solved challenges from non-default DeviceNet Node configurations and transitioning RIO communications to remote racks.
The Results: Scalability, More Data, Enhanced Visualization
The existing Wonderware Applications used for SCADA were updated by E Tech Group’s engineering team and communicated on the first attempt. The project team was able to meet and exceed the tight conversion schedule, with the customer beginning CIP sequences within 10 hours. Following these updates, the project team provided 48-hour continuous onsite support, available to assist with any immediate issues. With this project completed, the customer was able to benefit from the improved reporting, visualization and connectivity with the upgraded PLC system.
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PLC & SCADA Upgrade Improves Red Fermentation Process for Winery
A California winery faced challenges due to outdated controls, which caused downtime, expensive hardware replacement, and lack of maintenance knowledge. They hired E Tech Group to create a PLC and SCADA upgrade solution.
The Project: Provide a Legacy Winery with an Updated Control System Solution
Outdated controls can pose many operational challenges. Companies that operate with outdated controls often experience frequent downtime, expensive or obsolete hardware replacement parts, or few personnel with the knowledge to perform maintenance on legacy systems. These challenges were faced by a long-running California winery that needed to modernize the controls for their red fermentation process. The winery needed to address how a control system upgrade would impact their operations and contracted E Tech Group to create a PLC and SCADA upgrade solution.
The Solution:
The first step was to create a well-documented project plan. E Tech Group analyzed the existing system design and detailed existing hardware components, software configurations and network connections. This step was crucial to have an accurate picture of their current control environment to mitigate production impacts during the implementation phase.
The project team upgraded hardware and reconfigured the customer’s existing Ignition SCADA automation software for seamless post-upgrade operations. The original red fermentation process was conformed with three areas: pump over area, continuous press area, and decanters area.
Previously, each area had their own PLC. The upgraded control system connected an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PLC as the main controller, and remote IO was added to control the three areas into one. The system was programmed with ladder logic to the customer’s existing Ignition SCADA software, and seven new PanelView Plus HMIs were also programmed with FactoryTalk View ME as the client’s choice of visualization software.
The Results: Instant ROI with Improved Fermentation Uptime
The project team leveraged their PLC programming, Ignition SCADA software, and controls engineering expertise to resolve software compatibility issues, bugs in the programming code, and electrical connection challenges. E Tech Group’s automation team supported the project to resolve these challenges and performed extensive testing. With the PLC and SCADA upgrade complete, the client was able to improve the uptime of its red fermentation process and eliminate the key challenges of legacy system maintenance.
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Designing a Flexible, Scalable Automated Processing System for The Better Meat Co.
The Better Meat Co. collaborated with E Tech Group and Barnum Mechanical Inc. to design, build and automate a full-scale processing system that has been successful in producing on-demand production and is scalable for future growth.
The Project: Turnkey Factory Automation for Mycoprotein Production
Food and beverage automation is changing, because so is the way we’re looking at industrial food production. The Better Meat Co. is a leader in the alternative protein movement. They produce a plant-based mycoprotein made by fermenting staple agricultural ingredients and minimally processing them into a dense protein that can be used in tandem with or instead of true meat. Their brand of alternative meat production touts:
- Whole food with natural texture of animal meat
- Complete amino acid profile
- Sustainable production, ethical alternative
- Cheaper than beef
- Much smaller carbon footprint than raising traditional meat
The Better Meat Co. faced a quick turnaround to full-scale production once they cleared the necessary regulatory barriers. Knowing they would need a robust, foolproof automation system to achieve their goals, they partnered with E Tech Group and Barnum Mechanical Inc. to design, build, and automate a full-scale processing system at their new mycoprotein fermentation facility in Sacramento, California.
The Process: Build & Integrate a Custom Automated Fermentation System
The Better Meat Co. partnered with Barnum and E Tech Group to build a full-scale processing system from scratch. The project team assessed existing equipment and current system requirements, and collaborated with various stakeholders to best design the full-scale processing system, keeping alternative meat processing standards and scalable performance capabilities top-of-mind.
E Tech Group’s team leveraged their expertise in automated control systems and process design to create a custom solution. The project team accomplished a software redundant control system that was capable of developer remote access support, redundant databases, recipe controls, historic data logs, and interactive reports.
The system that Barnum and E Tech Group helped to build allows The Better Meat Co. to experiment simultaneously with different types of feedstocks so that they can sterilize different media to run different types of fermentations.
The Result: A Better Way to Process Proteins
The Better Meat Co. implemented an automated system, developed with the help of E Tech Group and Barnum Mechanical, which has been successful in producing its products on demand. The CEO of The Better Meat Co. endorsed the value of automation. The system has been reliable since its deployment and is scalable for future growth.