MechChem Africa November-December 2020

⎪ Automation, process control, instrumentation and CAE ⎪

and tools that ensure abar code is correct and readable.Solutionscanbeadaptedsotheycan also check pack design aspects and package integrity and completeness. Alberto Giordani from Omron Solutions PartnerAlfacodexplains:Innovativesolutions can be used to track food quality and when it is beginning to decrease, before it’s too late. Preventive maintenance actions can then be planned to avoid potentially costly errors. In the food industry, it is useful to check labels while they are printed with an integrated barcode verifier. Customers, especially large distribution companies, want to receive all products with the correct information, label- ling andbarcodes. If this information iswrong or incomplete, they may return the goods or levy a fine on the supplier. Information taken from the packaging in the form of bar codes is also becoming increasingly useful for consumers at the point of purchase. When reading the code at a self-scanning system at a retailer, informa- tion about allergens or other specific ingre - dients such as gluten can be made available. Consumers are, to a greater extend, taking an interest in information such as country of origin. Manufacturers want to engage with consumers via the information provided on the item. There is a close link between automation and traceability, ultimately protecting the brand reputation of the producer and reduc- ing costs. Another simple example is a verification solution using vision systems or RFID, which, if linked into the production management software, canhelp to reduce issues connected with false codes or labels. Whereas in other industries, ‘Batch Size 1’ is a trending topic and goal for manufacturers, the food andbeverage industries are still very closely connected to volumes. It remians a priority tobemoreflexibleandagile, however, to fulfil growing customer demandand chang - ing regulations. Many solutions still rely on inflexible con - veyor systems, whereas mobile robots pro- vide the manufacturer with the flexibility to move stock and consumables to the required locations at the right time. Cobots are very easy to train, easy to deploy, and transport- Flexibility in future food manufacturing

There is an increasing need for reliable systems and tools that ensure a bar code is correct and readable. Solutions such as Omron’s MicroHAWK barcode reader can be adapted so they can also check pack design aspects and package integrity and completeness.

able, making them a useful companion in achieving more flexibility. DanielaMoles describes an LCS customer producing coffee pods: “This customer re- ceives requests for several different pod products and combinations: normal plastic or reusable, eco-friendly, different colours and different sizes. Afleet of Omron’s mobile robots helpsmanage fluctuating demand and combinations of different requests, assisting the customer to achieve a more flexible envi - ronmentwithin theplant. This ability to adapt and evolve will become evenmore important in the future.” Omron Mobile robots can change routes quickly, dynamically avoiding obstacles or working on different priorities. They can be customised with special add-ons and acces- sories that allow for even more flexibility. The latest solution from Omron combines cobot andmobile technology tooffer amobile manipulator or MoMa solution. Sustainable food manufacturing According to Price, Waterhouse and Cooper, three quarters of supermarket customers want to buy products with as little packaging as possible. Packaging also protects the item and informs the customer, so it is a balance between differing drivers. It will come as no surprise that flexible plastic or flexible pack - aging is still expected to grow in the future. Forthisreason,companiesintheF&Bindustry must increasingly think about the materials they use for packaging their products. Automation is closely connected with sustainability. Automation can control tem-

perature and pressures, ensuring a product is correctly packaged, reducing waste and scrap, for example. Producers must consider multiple vari- ables, however, such as packaging thickness, ambient temperature and packaging film speeds. This approach requires a system to capture data in real-time, analyse it andmake decisions. If we are able to process and read through this data, all the information needed to work better and implement a sustainable future is accessible. An innovative example isOmron’s Sysmac AI Controller, a smart Artificial Intelligence solution that collects, analyses and utilises data on ‘Edge’ devices within a controller to prolong equipment longevity and detect abnormalities. It combines control functions ofmanufacturing lines andequipmentwithAI processing atmanufacturing sites in real time. Real-time insights driving the future food factory In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, com- panies in the food industry are now called upon to look at systems and technologies that reduce the workload on employees, increase the quality of their processes and products, and act more flexibly and sustainably. They need to look out for smart and con- nected systems, combining robotics, cobots, vision and sensor technology aswell as strong data collection and analytical capabilities, hu- manmachine interaction and full traceability to provide them with real-time insights for a successful and customer-focused future. www.industrial.omron.co.za

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