Product category:
Process Control: SCADA, ERP, MES and networks
News Release from: Marco | Subject: TRAC-ITTM E4 software and ProRange
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 26 March 2004
Fourth dimension control helps food
manufacturer
The Marco inspirational TRAC-ITTM E4 software suite and ProRange stainless steel workstations are playing a pivotal role at Samworth Brothers' new Saladworks plant, providing the traceability needed
Marco Weighing Systems inspirational TRAC-ITTM E4 software suite and ProRange stainless steel workstations are playing a pivotal role at Samworth Brothers new Saladworks plant on the outskirts of Leicester Samworth Brothers is a privately owned family business and a leading UK player in the production of quality chilled, savoury and sweet food products
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 1 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Completed in 2003 on a new green-field site, Saladworks is the latest development in the Group's impressive growth program and is a designated facility for supplying fresh sandwiches, trayed snack salads and other high care, cold assembly products.
As with any manufacturing business traceability and control are key factors.
On one hand, suppliers need to control costs, optimise productivity and minimise both wastage and giveaway.
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On the other, customers want to be sure they are receiving value for money and need to be confident that in the event of any problems that their suppliers can provide meaningful traceable data.
Therefore, having the ability to control and track products throughout the process is invaluable to the Saladworks management team for meeting both current schedules and planning future requirements.
Paul Old, the Saladworks project leader, is very upbeat about the Marco solution and points out: 'We had been looking some time for a suitable plant control system, which would integrate directly with our main AS400 computer system and provide us with suitable factory floor traceability.
Unfortunately we found that traditional weighing companies did not have the necessary application expertise while designated software companies did not understand the practicalities of weighing in our environment.
However we were determined to find the right integrated package and when we talked with Marco we realised that their system would provide exactly what we were looking for'.
As Marco's Technical Director, Murray Hilborne explains: "" We find that our clients are used to a more traditional approach to weighing.
Our solutions allow customers to integrate their production with their management system and keep a watchful eye on the trends within the process.
By providing timely data our products are a simple, yet effective, blend of functionality and connectivity.
TRAC-IT E4 is a software suite specifically designed to act as the 'MiddleWare' missing link layer, providing the bridge between ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and MRP (Material Resource Planning) systems and the factory floor.
Monitoring incoming products is relatively straightforward, as is knowing what is packaged and shipped at the other end.
However, effective control in between can be a nightmare and our experience shows time and time again that many companies have little information on what actually happens day to day throughout their process.
This severely limits the usefulness of any mainstream computer system they may operate.
It is acknowledged that weight represents the main parameter for controlling key manufacturing processes and it is from this basis that we developed E4 to monitor and track the ingredients throughout the process, whilst having the ability to produce accurate factory floor information on demand, from any key performance indicator (KPI).
TRAC-IT is designed to reduce manual transaction entries, which are often erroneous and generally time consuming." The key to success of TRAC-IT is that Marco provide the complete, fully integrated system including a comprehensive range of stainless steel self-contained DataMaster workstations, which are the heart of any system.
These user-friendly workstations provide real time, high speed weight and product data, transmitted via secure RF links to the central PC system.
The TRAC-IT system at Saladworks receives weight data from twelve DataMaster workstations, installed at strategic control points between Goods In and the main production area.
Each station has its own PC terminal with programmed levels of security access.
The use of RF technology eliminates the problems caused by troublesome interface cables and makes it much easier to relocate the workstations if required.
The TRAC-IT system is based around unique trace codes, which are assigned and affixed to products in the form of bar coded labels or tags.
A specific code may refer to individual containers or bottles, trays of produce or individual items such as packages of meat.
As soon as product arrives at goods-in, it is scanned.
The initial checks ascertain that it has come from an approved supplier and the use-by- date is then verified.
The system advises where the product should be stored and where there is available storage space.
Every time the product moves to a different location, the label is read via a RF bar code reader and the database updated.
If the product changes through processes such as slicing, dicing, shredding or cooking, a new trace code is assigned to it, which also carries details of the original trace code.
If more than one ingredient is mixed together, the resulting trace code for the mixture carries previous details of the trace codes for all the ingredients.
By always knowing where a product is in the plant and its available shelf life, wastage is virtually eliminated.
For example, as products such as lettuce pass from Low Risk to High Risk preparation they are cleaned up and washed.
The system can check the weight of the processed product in High Risk against that of the waste product being created in Low Risk.
If products such as tins or wrapped meat have to be sanitised before being opened, the system keeps a check that this is being carried out and does not allow product to progress to the next stage without authorisation.
TRAC-IT is automatically updated at each step and this ensures, for instance, that any potential problems with shelf life expiry are automatically flagged up.
By the time product reaches the production line, even though it may have gone through a number of metamorphoses, a full trace history is instantly available.
The Marco system at Saladworks services two distinct functions.
It provides overall traceability for all ingredients and also provides close control on the makeup of the finished products via the LineMaster workstations.
At the heart of Saladworks production area are 40 LineMaster 'takeaway' scales, all connected via RF links to the central TRAC-IT system.
Each scale has a unique identity and the data from each and every weighment are automatically recorded and sent to the central PC.
The units are made entirely from polished stainless steel and are designed to cope with the rigours of stringent wash down routines.
'Takeaway' weighing technology is well established in such manufacturing operations: rather than trying to achieve target weights by adding product to the tray placed on a scale, product is weighed out from larger containers and the loss in weight recorded.
This gives a much faster process and provides greater control on the consistency and final weight.
The supervisor can select the particular product to be produced via the 'Editor' PC, together with the correct tolerances applied to the works order codes, and then transmit these to the individual workstations.
The LineMaster displays give the operators clear information relating to the particular run while high contrast, coloured, multi-section, bar graphs, changing from red through amber to a green acceptance zone, indicate whether the correct amount of product has been achieved.
LineMaster incorporates the latest generation electronics offering unrivalled speed in data capture of the chosen portion weights.
The products can be made up with a mixture of weighed and counted produce components.
The Marco system has a unique way of monitoring the overall pack weights and then automatically adjusting the target weights of the weighed produce within acceptable tolerances to maintain a consistent weight.
It is difficult to describe in words exactly what benefits TRAC-IT brings to companies like SaladWorks.
However, simply by walking around the offices and through the production areas, it's easy to see how the system has become a seamless part of everyday operation.
Although it is very comprehensive, it is not in the least Draconian.
Everyone within Saladworks is fully committed to its implementation and it is seen as a very powerful and user- friendly system.
There has been a phased introduction and in this way it is uniquely growing and developing with the customer.
Modules and modifications have been introduced in stages to minimise any possible disruptions to production.
As Hilborne sums up: "Many companies glibly claim, often without substance, that their equipment or services 'make a difference'.
We know from our close association with the SaladWorks managers and staff that TRAC-IT really does make a difference for them.
Their endorsements are unprompted - TRAC-IT simply makes life easier for them and allows them to operate a successful and profitable organisation.
And the improvement process is still ongoing.
".
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