mixing optimization - rockwell...

Mixing Optimization

Scalable, Information Enabled Solutions for Improved Productivity, Process Yield, and Quality

Overview

Mixing optimization represents an opportunity for CPG manufacturers

to realize cost savings and increase revenue. As a crucial step in the

manufacturing process, the mixing stage is of vital importance to

productivity, process yield and ultimately to product quality, consistency

and fi nal product taste. Mixing optimization enables CPG manufacturers

to maximize throughput, enact rapid changeover, optimize maintenance

procedures, and provide complete reporting capabilities, which are all

critical to operational success.

Manufacturers are faced with a variety of challenges in their mixing

operations. Because most of the raw materials used in the production

are natural ingredients, they can exhibit substantial variability due to

geography, climate and storage conditions. The chemistry of natural

products can also be particularly complex and variable. Consistent

quality is vital in CPG manufacturing and the variability of ingredients

must be accounted for during production to minimize any impacts on

the consistency of the fi nished product. This means that their automation

solution must provide easy access to all process parameters in order to

make appropriate adjustments.

Challenges:

Manage Risk

Product consistency is a non-negotiable

consumer demand. If a product fails to meet

consumer standards, they will quickly fi nd

an alternative. To maintain quality, taste

results, and consistency, a manufacturer’s

automation system must be able to

compensate for process changes and/or

ingredient variability that can impact the

fi nished product.

Drive Speed and Innovation

Consumer preferences continually change

and meeting their demands requires

that companies have the capability

to manufacture multiple products on

existing production lines. Rapid product

line changeovers and system conversions

are critical to maintaining a competitive

edge. Rockwell Automation off ers mixing

optimization solutions designed to reduce

cycle times and make product switch over

rapid and easy.

Improve Asset Utilization

In the consumer packaged goods (CPG)

industries, manufacturers face the dilemma

of ensuring customer satisfaction while

meeting the company goals for reducing

costs and improving effi ciencies. To achieve

this goal, they are installing automation and

information systems in the mixing area to

improve production effi ciencies, minimize

inventories and maximize asset utilization.

In addition, consumer demand creates the need for new

product and packaging, driving frequent changes that

manufacturers must quickly respond to. As production

equipment is limited, the selections of what to produce,

at what quantity, in what package and on which

production line, become particularly important issues.

Since most manufacturers cannot dedicate equipment

for one product, each piece of equipment must be

able to prepare any product and do so with minimum

changeover time. Increased product changeovers furthers

the need for cleaning and sanitation between production

runs. Integration of clean in place (CIP) procedures

into the automation solution is a critical element of

minimizing downtime.

Consumers have come to expect consistent quality,

freshness, taste and appearance in their favored brands,

as well as a continual stream of product diversity and mix.

For manufacturers, this means a focus on quality, agility,

and fl exibility in their mixing operations.

Scalable Solutions

Rockwell Automation mixing optimization solutions

enable manufacturers to operate and address a wide

range of plant complexity from simple skid mounted

units up to large processes with complex requirements.

Rockwell Automation combines world-class products

and industry expertise to deliver eff ective solutions

comprised of hardware, software and services that match

your plants complexity requirements while assuring

quick deployment, maintainability, and unsurpassed

repeatability and reliability.


address several manufacturing challenges, including

fl exible control management, lower cost production,

maximized product throughput, production reporting

and lower total cost of ownership geared to the size and

complexity of your operation. The end result is a system

that maximizes equipment utilization, reduces complexity,

increases quality, but has room to grow and migrate to a

more comprehensive solution as your plants requirements

change in the future.

Rockwell Automation mixing optimization solutions are designed for ease and effi ciency of recipe management and creation.

Sm

all

System

Larg

e

SimpleRequirements

Complex

Custom Coded Batch and Sequencing

Capability provided through standard controller program functions – SFC and PhaseManager™

• Repeatable single unit recipe batch process

Confi gured – Basic Batch and Sequencing

Capability provided through PlantPAx® core system functions controller and HMI

• Confi gurable equipment model

• Flexible recipe management and control

• Repeatable multi-recipe batch process

Comprehensive Batch and Sequencing

Capability provided through PlantPAx modular software

• Batch reporting

• Batch analysis and optimization

• Security and diagnostics

• Extremely fl exible; multi-unit coordination

Manage Risk Protecting Brand Quality with Batch/

Sequence Management & Control

Batch management and control solutions off er the fl exibility to respond to external pressures such as regulatory compliance, yield optimization and production agility.

Regardless of the implementation solution selected all

Rockwell Automation solutions are based on a common

architectural framework that takes advantage of the

fl exibility and proven reliability of:

• Confi gurable equipment model

• Flexible recipe management (i.e. formula,

procedure, equipment)

• Procedural control following ISA-88.01 state model

(running, holding, stopping, etc.)

• Common communications methods

• Common libraries


are designed for ease and effi ciency of recipe

management and creation, and are founded on the

Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture® system.

They leverage the ISA-88.01 standard to reduce the

complexity and cost of recipe management. Recipe data

is stored in industry standard databases and managed

through the operator interface. Equipment can be

automatically selected for any recipe, reducing material

transfer time and freeing operators to focus on optimizing

the process. Process management provides repeatable

execution thereby reducing commissioning times and

helping to ensure consistency.


utilize a modular object library. The modular object library

includes predefi ned logic blocks and HMI objects for

commonly used elements in the mixing process such as

motor, valve, transmitter and PID, with rich functionalities

to cater all the control and monitoring needs on the

manufacturing fl oor, such as alarm, trend, interlock,

manual/auto, parameter tuning. By leveraging the

modular object library, users achieve consistent modes

of operation to help avoid operator confusion, reduce

maintenance and help minimize eff ort with standardized

structure and reusable objects.

The modular structure provides ease of product

changeover and introduction of new products. This is

not only true for recipes but also equipment defi nition.

Adding new equipment is as simple as copy and paste.

In fact, adding additional equipment of the existing

type requires no recipe modifi cation. Since production

reporting is automatic, any changes made to the process

result in information being automatically captured, with

no custom code updating required.

Information Enabled


address the growing demand for real-time information

management throughout the manufacturing fl oor

and better supply chain coordination. They transform

production data into actionable information that drives

continuous improvement initiatives, provides supply

chain visibility, and enables eff ective collaboration.

These scalable information solutions leverage existing

investments in automation and data collection to deliver

a system to track production operations, provide visibility

into the production process, and control operations

through the implementation of business rules.

Publication FOOD-AP002B-EN-P – November 2013 Copyright © 2013 Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in USA.

Allen-Bradley, Integrated Architecture, LISTEN. THINK. SOLVE., PhaseManager, PlantPAx and Rockwell Software are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc. Trademarks not belonging to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies.

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Remanufacturing Centers

Manufacturing Operations

Parts / Exchange Hubs / Repair Centers

Drive CentersRegional Headquarters (Hong Kong / Diegem, Belgium / Miami, FL USA)

World Headquarters (Milwaukee, WI USA)

Support & Sales Offices

Bringing a World of Experience Through Solutions & Services

When you work with Rockwell Automation, you engage a

supplier focused on listening to you – and learning about

your issues and objectives. Then, we apply our domain

expertise, global execution ability and certified project

management methodology to help you create and

execute innovative solutions that meet or exceed your

business goals.

Our solutions are built on an information-enabled

architecture and focus on the business issues

facing the food and beverage industry, addressing

each phase of your manufacturing operations – from

raw material through fi nal shipment to distribution

network optimization and management. With

Rockwell Automation, we can help you meet your

cost, quality, fl exibility, and regulatory challenges.

mixing optimization - rockwell...

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