How digital solutions boost production performance and transform operating cost management

The food industry landscape is in a constant state of flux, driven by ever-increasing demands for enhanced performance and more effective cost management.​

In this ever-evolving world, the companies that thrive are those that demonstrate a willingness to embrace the latest technologies and adapt quickly to the evolving realities of the market. Among the crucial keys to achieving these goals, digital solutions stand out as transformative tools, and this article will delve deeper into how they have the potential to revolutionize your industry.

Maintaining consistently high levels of performance is of paramount concern for industrial professionals. Digital tools offer a range of capabilities that enable such sustained excellence, including:

1. Reduction of resource inputs​ Digital solutions can optimize the consumption of critical resources like energy, chemicals, and water. This not only conserves valuable resources but also reduces operational costs. In the food and beverages industry, smart control systems can optimize operations such as pump monitoring to achieve optimal point and lower risks for pressure chokes and mechanical damages, as well as sequence adjustment to favour, recycling of water and reuse of chemicals.

2. Extending consumable lifespans​ By implementing predictive maintenance algorithms, digital tools help increase the longevity of consumable parts and equipment. Combining process quantitative data together with analytical profiles and fractions purity allows to evaluate consumables state and to predict optimal time for replacement. Based upon predictive models and anticipation, this minimizes unplanned downtime and the need for frequent replacements, resulting in significant costs and time savings.

3. Knowledge retention​ Digital solutions aid in capturing and preserving the expertise and knowledge of experienced operators and technicians. This knowledge is then made available to the broader operations team, ensuring that valuable insights are not lost with personnel turnover. It also allows to save time and effort for newly hired operators, helping them feel more comfortable with industrial systems, that can initially be perceived as complex and sensitive to monitor.

Production optimization​

Optimizing production processes is central to ensuring maximum efficiency and digital solutions offer invaluable support in this regard, especially in the field of ingredients purification. One such solution, RUN 4.0 by Applexion provides a permanent and highly accurate remote control of multi-column systems. It assists operators in making informed decisions to pilot units under optimal conditions, thereby preventing production drifts or unplanned stoppages.

RUN 4.0 leverages data collected in a secured cloud and processes it through dedicated algorithms to generate real-time recommendations for operators. In this context, operators keep full control of operating lines since they are guided in making decisions based upon suggested recommendations by digital tools. This not only saves time but also enhances accuracy, ensuring that production runs smoothly and efficiently.

Gain in time and accuracy​

Real-time data collection and analysis are at the core of performance improvement and digital solutions excel in this domain. PERFORM 4.0 serves as a digital guidance solution for optimizing purification process parameters. Accessible through a web platform and powered by unique Applexion learning software, PERFORM 4.0 provides users with optimized data settings whenever new production targets arise.

Operators and production managers can then easily adapt running conditions based upon varying criteria, such as overall productivity, extract purity, recovery yield, and water consumption. This digital tool significantly expedites decision-making processes and enhances accuracy by offering short multi-iterative paths, ultimately leading to optimized production conditions.

Serenity​

In the pursuit of simplifying the purification lifecycle of equipment and consumables, LINK 4.0 is an intuitive and dedicated mobile application. This digital APP serves as a central hub, providing users with quick access to up-to-date documents and required certificates. It not only centralizes all documentation related to equipment and consumables, it also tracks consumables delivery, storage and use. Simple and reliable, this all-in-one tool will support and simplify the daily work of teams.

In conclusion, digital solutions are reshaping the food ingredients sector by driving improvement in performance and reduction in costs. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing these technologies is not merely an option but an imperative for remaining competitive and sustainable.

By harnessing the power of digital solutions, industrial professionals can navigate the challenges of today's food and beverages industry sector while simultaneously seizing new opportunities for growth and innovation. It's a transformative journey that promises to redefine how the industry operates and thrives in a dynamic and demanding market landscape.

To learn more, watch Optimizing Purifications​: a global approach​​ – from design to operation of industrial systems –​ to drastically reduce energy, water and reagents consumptions and ultimately carbon footprint. ​