Automated control of the supply chain
converted from a traditional relay-based control system to a
state-of-the-art PLC (programmable logic controller) system -
another example of how traceability within the supply chain is
becoming automated.
The control system of a feed production plant in Austria has been converted from a traditional relay-based control system to a state-of-the-art PLC (programmable logic controller) system. The company. Lugitch, believes that this will improve efficiency and cut down expensive downtimes.
The new process control system manages materials, bins, scales, recipes, and production jobs and also records statistics and logs production data. The PLC control system itself, which controls and monitors the process operations, registers production data, suppresses forbidden functions, and automatically executes control commands.
The process visualisation system displays all the process operations controlled and monitored by the PLC system.
The control system allows all the raw materials and additives used to be reliably retraced, including vitamins and trace elements. To include an additive in a product formula, it must be read in by a barcode scanner, ensuring both high product safety and proper documentation.
This is an important consideration. Retailers are demanding greater traceability, and in 2005, processors will be required by EU law to maintain records of their supply chain. There is growing consensus in the food industry that automated systems provide the best means of ensuring compliance.
In addition, the firm has replaced a 25-year-old mixer with a new Speedmix unit. This project was completed in just a few days.
The company believes that the new unit will help to boost productivity. A pneumatic conveying system for minor ingredients has been installed, which ensures that no residues from one feed formula will contaminate the next one.
In addition, the new Speedmix mixer achieves a product homogeneity of 1 to 100,000 within 90 seconds. This means that it is capable of dispersing ten grammes of an additive throughout a material blend of 1000 kilogrammes with absolute homogeneity. All these investments ensure maximum precision of the mill's production processes and accelerate the individual process operations appreciably.
Buhler, which carried out the project, is a global technology group and system partner for plant and equipment. It provides process expertise in industries such as food processing, chemical engineering and die casting.
