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.
Utilizing Ignition Platform to Provide Organization-Wide Access to Quality Data
E Tech Group helped Prima Frutta increase productivity by 50% without hiring extra personnel by using the Ignition platform, which allowed remote operation of the production line and real-time data access from any smart device.
The Project: Ignite Increased Productivity with the Right Automation Platform
Manufacturers are facing costly workforce challenges. Between the labor shortage and the costs associated with employee turnover, companies are finding it difficult to increase productivity on their current automation system designs.
Prima Frutta, a cherry packaging facility in Linden, California, was struggling to maintain its production levels, but did not have the scope to add a lot of extra personnel to reach those levels. E Tech Group was called to help overhaul their control system, and under a tight timeline.
The Solution: Divide & Conquer Material Handling Automation
This control system upgrade was divided into three phases:
- Phase One: Project Planning and Documentation
- In the project’s first phase, the E Tech Group and Prima Frutta teams collaborated on planning, budgeting and documentation. They used CSIA methodologies and standards, created a detailed budget, and documented all OEM hardware into schematics that were approved before proceeding to Phase 2. This ensured the project remained on track and within budget.
- Phase Two: Wireless Network Set-Up
- The E Tech Group team successfully established a wireless network, which enabled ten tablets to remotely operate the production line through the Ignition industrial application platform from Inductive Automation. Ignition was chosen because of its flexibility, affordability and fast setup. The applications can be entirely customized quickly and easily, and data can be accessed from any smart device, including tablets, desktops, or any other smart device to allow real-time data access from anywhere the user is located.
In this project, the tablets enabled a change in process flow from anywhere in the plant, providing full SCADA control, unlike a static location. The installation process of Ignition on the tablets was seamless and took less than two hours. The Ignition software also ran on more than 120 screens throughout the plant, providing real-time data and color-coded information to employees for quick and efficient reactions.
- Phase Three: Development, Testing and Implementation
- E Tech Group used Prima Frutta’s existing server to develop modular software and PLC codes, allowing for quick deployment through component, template and user-defined type reuse.
The Result: Reaping the Fruits of a Well-Designed, Fully-Integrated Control System
The project resulted in a 50% increase in production with no additional personnel, helping Prima Frutta become the world’s largest cherry production line. The Ignition platform reduced downtime and enabled the facility to respond to changing conditions.
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Winery Begins Digital Transformation with Automated Brix Monitoring & IFM Integration
A leading California winery was facing manual sampling inefficiencies. E Tech Group implemented an IFM Integration project, achieving fully-automated in-tank brix monitoring with our IO link platform expertise.
The Project: Transition Manual Brix Monitoring to an Automated System
A California winery faced operational inefficiencies with manual wine sampling and turned to E Tech Group for an IFM integration project. The goal was a seamless transition to fully automated brix monitoring. Our proposed solution involved IO Link Masters for Modbus TCP data retrieval and two durable NEMA 4x stainless steel enclosures. The client chose to contract E Tech Group as their integration partner because of our proven expertise in IO Link Platform, and our proven track record of providing reliable process automation solutions.
The Solution: Leverage Expertise & Cooperation for a Custom Automation Solution
The project team partnered with IFM and a research university to verify the precision of a new pressure transmitter for accurate brix measurements. Our team worked with the winery’s maintenance team to secure space for control panels, and collaborated with Tanknet for the system integration. An IO Link Master was set up for communication through Modbus, leading to successful implementation of the automated brix monitoring system.
The Results: Process Automation Optimizes the Sampling Process
We successfully acquired brix measurements within the tanks and integrated Modbus IO Link Masters into the control system, meeting the client’s goals for automated brix monitoring. Our automation team’s expertise and collaboration resulted in a positive outcome, moving this leading winery forward into their digital transformation.
Rockwell Automation Solutions Improve Spice Company’s Production Capabilities
When a major spice producer decided it was time to convert key manual processes to automation in order to improve efficiency, E Tech Group leveraged Rockwell Automation solutions that supported increased throughput and cost reductions.
The Project: Design a Custom Automation System for a Spice Supplier
A supplier of culinary spices needed to automate their receiving and washing areas to improve efficiency and visibility. The existing manual approach caused bottlenecks and hindered production potential, making automation crucial for optimizing processes, streamlining workflows and gaining the ability to scale.
The Solution: Utilize Rockwell Automation Technology for Seamless Transition
E Tech Group used a range of Rockwell Automation hardware and technologies to align with the customer’s objectives, resulting in a more streamlined and responsive control system. They also upgraded the hot wash hardware using a suite of Rockwell Automation components, improving efficiency, reliability, and safety. Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 v33 and Factory Talk View Studio Machine Edition provided a user-friendly control system interface for the spice supplier.
The Results: A Cost-Effective Automation Solution with Real-Time ROI
Our automation and engineering firm provided dedicated support to the project, which resulted in increased throughput and reduced production costs. The expected return on investment will materialize in three years, showcasing the cost-effectiveness of the Rockwell-based automation solution. This transformation optimized operations and paved the way for future improvements, highlighting the effectiveness of our collaboration and Rockwell Automation’s process control solutions.