Product category:
Telemetry, data acquisition + loggers
News Release from: Stevens Group | Subject: Data collection and traceability system
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 01 July 2005
Successful traceability in Golden
Wonderland
A comprehensive factory data collection and traceability system installed by the Stevens Group at Golden Wonder in Corby and Scunthorpe is getting a face-lift after a decade of sterling service
A comprehensive factory data collection and traceability system installed by the Stevens Group at Golden Wonder in Corby and Scunthorpe is getting a face-lift after more than a decade of sterling service The system uses approximately 30 terminals at both sites where they are situated at Critical Control Points in the manufacturing process to collect essential quality and traceability data
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 9 Feb 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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It provides comprehensive details on key performance indicators (KPIs) for the operation and maintains a full traceability continuum.
The existing system is DOS based and Golden Wonder are now looking to upgrade to Windows.
However they are not getting rid of the original hardware just yet.
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As a result the new Windows based system will operate on the existing terminals, but is being designed to be compatible with Stevens new Vantage terminals when the existing ones are pensioned off.
Until now the systems have been independent of each other, but in the future they will work 'as one', allowing joint data entry of set-up parameters.
The concept of the original system was the brainchild of Golden Wonder Technical Manager John Godden.
It is rumoured that what John doesn't know about crisp manufacture is not worth knowing and what started initially as an enquiry for weighing equipment rapidly expanded into the full data collection system.
As he explains: "I realised that to remain competitive in the fast moving snacks industry companies need to know what is going on throughout their plant at all times.
Paper data collection is inaccurate, too laborious and does not provide real-time information.
It only takes 12 minutes for a crisp to go through our process so collecting data as things happen is vital.
I had a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve and Stevens had the practical knowledge and expertise to put it all together.
Their experience in weighing was an advantage but, more importantly, their ability to listen and transpose my ideas into a working, practical system was evident from the outset".
In the UK we eat over 10 billion bags of crisps a year, which is more than the rest of Europe put together.
For almost sixty years, Golden Wonder has produced mouth-watering snacks of the highest quality.
Over that time, through innovation, evolution and a dogged determination to be different from the competition and capture the imagination of the British public, the company claims to have moved the humble crisp on more than a 'nibble or two'.
It is clear that the quality of the finished crisps is highly dependent on the quality of the raw potatoes and the collection of data starts as soon as the potatoes arrive.
At potato intake the terminal prompts the operator through the range of test results and the data is input into the computer.
The thickness of the potato slice is a key factor in producing a 'crispy' crisp, and the blades are changed hourly to ensure that they are always as sharp as possible.
Once sliced, the optimally sized potato pieces are washed free of starch ready for cooking.
The potato slices are cooked as they move through a fryer containing pure vegetable oil.
The precise temperature of the oil and cooking time are vital to the texture and appearance of the cooked crisp.
As the golden blanket of crisps emerges from the fryer the product is subjected to several quality checks.
One of which is the Optisort, an automatic sorting machine that uses a camera to check individual crisps as they come out of the fryer, rejecting any that are not up to Golden Wonder high standards.
By now data has been collected and processed on parameters including slice thickness, oil temperature, cooking time and free fatty acids levels within the frying oil.
The freshly cooked crisps are then sprinkled with either salt or powdered seasonings in a rotating drum where they are mixed thoroughly to ensure an even distribution.
Flavouring is a key area of expertise for Golden Wonder who introduced the first flavoured crisp (cheese and onion) back in the early 60s.
The pre-prepared seasonings are positively released from QA to the seasoning areas using the traceability system, which verifies the material description and batch number against the finished product being made.
The coated crisps are now conveyed to the filling lines where the multihead weighers deliver the required portion weight through a metal detector and into the bag, which is stamped with a 'best before' date.
As sealed bags leave the bag-makers and pass over leak detectors and in-line checkweighers, they are sampled for detailed QA analysis.
Here checks are done to check conformance to Average Weight requirements, bag seal integrity, 'best before date' accuracy, residual oxygen levels and correct match of seasoning to finished product.
All the data is entered into the terminals and the operators carrying this out are required to log on to the terminals using their personal swipe card, thereby maintaining full traceability.
John Godden is in no doubt that the Stevens system continues to play a major part in the Golden Wonder success and as he concludes: " By having real time data available from every part of the factory we can adjust and fine tune our process on an hourly basis.
We feel we are in control of our process, not the other way round.
The effectiveness of the system regularly comes under the scrutiny of audits from major food retailers and, encouragingly, we always have positive feedback.
Stevens have given us excellent back-up support over the years and any servicing or modifications have been carried out in a professional and timely manner.
The upgrade will give us further enhancements to meet the growing demands from the market place and increasing legislation." Stevens UK Sales Manager Stuart Hunt is clear about his company strengths and as he confirms: "This installation clearly demonstrates our capabilities in factory wide data collection.
Unlike many traditional software companies, we have extensive experience in measuring, collecting and processing data in industrial environments.
Although we specialise in weighing and traceability systems, in this application less than one third of the terminals are connected to weighing equipment.
Since this system was installed, we have made further significant developments in system integration, recipe formulation and traceability especially in the food industry.
Our new Vantage system provides cost effective and comprehensive hardware and software modules that can be implemented individually or as complete systems.".
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