Digital Transformation Starts With Scalable Control Platform

Nutrition Where You Need It

Pets such as dogs and cats have become part of everyday lives in many people. As a result, the pet food industry is rapidly growing. Previously, pet food only focus on providing pets with their favorite pet food, but now much focus is on providing customized nutrition solutions based on scientific knowledge for pet’s healthy lives.

The introduction of smart manufacturing system is essential to improving production efficiency, optimizing process operations and reducing costs, and strict quality control and tight food safety management.

Due to this reason, many pet food manufacturers are adopting smart manufacturing systems, and  systems of Rockwell Automation have been implemented to the new plants of many premium pet food manufacturers in Korea.

Quality Production

To fulfill its brand promise of offering precise nutritional solutions, Global pet food company needed accurate production control. If a problem arises, production must halt and the root cause have to be immediately identified to avoid product waste and contamination.

In all of its facilities, Global pet food company ensures industry-leading premium quality with its unique production processes and  recipes, utilizing cutting-edge technology in each phase, from raw material handling/storage, grinding, mixing through extrusion, drying, coating, cooling and packaging.

This same quality was expected in the new plant, with all field tasks and process operations delivered directly from France.  Global pet food company will manufacture products with the same recipes and processes used all over the world,

Production control begins at order entry. Production requirements are based on expected operating hours and operating efficiency – productivity per hour – and constantly monitored to determine if production is within acceptable parameters. Global pet food company monitors network security 24/7.

For its new facility, Global pet food company complies with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) food safety management and product quality requirements. HACCP certification demonstrates to customers a company’s commitment to producing safe food. This evidence-based approach is particularly beneficial when subject to inspection by regulatory authorities or stakeholders.

In particular, through adherence to this standard, global pet food company is committed to using systems that identify, prevent and control all food safety hazards. For example, rather than rely on conveyors to deliver ingredients from hopper to hopper, which pose the risk of ingredients falling off the conveyor, Global pet food company uses automated blowers, dryers and product silos to avoid cross-contamination and ensure cleanliness. 

Better Control Means Better Food

Global pet food company global headquarters made the decision to use Rockwell Automation as the main automation provider, cascading all architectures from a global standard. For Global pet food company, new facility, the process automation solution, which uses EtherNet/IP™ as standard, is built on a variety of control, safety and visualization products.

Like many food and beverage industry companies, Global pet food company emphasizes machine and operator safety as part of the overall control infrastructure. POINT Guard I/O™ modules are safety-rated I/O modules designed to fit into the standard POINT I/O™ system, offering automation and safety functionality in a maximum density I/O solution. POINT Guard I/O communicates by using the CIP™ safety protocol over EtherNet/IP for GuardLogix® safety controllers.

Allen-Bradley® 1734 POINT I/O™ modules offer digital, analog, and specialty I/O, as well as POINT Guard safety-rated I/O, so global pet food company could mix standard and safety I/O in the same system. Comprehensive diagnostics and configurable features made POINT I/O easy to apply.

The new process control system centers on the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix® 5570 programmable automation controller (PAC). ControlLogix 5570 PACs provide multi-disciplined control leveraging development tools, a network protocol and service oriented architecture, making it a fully integrated, scalable control platform that can be used throughout the new plant.

ControlLogix controllers provide increased performance, capacity, productivity and security to help meet the growing demands of smart machines and equipment for manufacturing. All ControlLogix controllers use the Studio 5000® design environment as the standard framework that optimizes productivity and reduces time to commission. This framework manages Integrated Motion over EtherNet/IP for high-speed motion applications and SIL2/PLd and SIL3/PLe safety solutions.

Integrated on an EtherNet/IP network, the facility used Allen-Bradley® PowerFlex® 525 and PowerFlex 755 drives for flexible motor control and to help communicate device diagnostics to the control system. These drives provide ease of use, application flexibility, and high performance. They include multiple control and hardware options, as well as optional embedded safety features. 

The combination is monitored on a single FactoryTalk® View SE, supervisory-level HMI software for monitoring and controlling distributed-server/multi-user applications. It provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of operations, meeting the demands of multiple stakeholders including engineering, maintenance, operations, and production Information Technology (IT). The Studio 5000® automation design environment combines engineering and design elements into one standard framework that enabled optimized productivity and reduced commissioning time. With the Studio 5000 environment,  Global pet food company could respond quicker to changing market and business needs, while reducing total costs of ownership, including maintenance and training.

A core advantage of this solution is a reliable, standardized hardware platform and software solution that includes the PlantPAx® distributed control system (DCS) and machine safety control via a single EtherNet/IP industrial network. PlantPAx DCS combines the plant-wide control technologies and unlimited scalability of Rockwell Automation® Integrated Architecture® with all the core capabilities expected in a world-class DCS. It supports the adoption of the latest technology for improving productivity and addresses industrial IT security from the individual field device on the plant floor to the enterprise level.

Ready for More Pet Food

Rockwell Automation successfully completed a one-year GreenField project for system design, panel building, E&I installation and support for prototype production at this plant.

With this solution, Global pet food company was able to realize the value of digital transformation, including enhanced network and information security as well as performance improvements. These IoT-enabled technologies help to monitor assets and processes, better protect employees, and secure business systems and information.

The advanced level of factory automation allows Global pet food company to maintain the same or better productivity and stability with fewer people.

Additionally, operators have gained more control over the process. With web browser-based control, operators can easily make and monitor process changes via a web browser interface, without additional personnel. The upgrades keep the food quality high while increasing production speed, with improved consistency in flavor and quality.

The results mentioned above are specific to Global pet food company use of Rockwell Automation products and services in conjunction with other products. Specific results may vary for other customers.

Allen-Bradley, ControlLogix, FactoryTalk View, GuardLogix, Integrated Architecture, PlantPAx, POINT Guard I/O, POINT I/O, PowerFlex, Studio 5000 and Rockwell Automation are trademarks of Rockwell Automation Inc. Trademarks not belonging to Rockwell Automation are property of their respective companies.