Operationalization of the digital strategy with control retrofits for weighing systems in the milling industries

[caption id="attachment_3885" align="aligncenter" width="1014"] Picture: Heinz Brand[/caption]

Whitepaper # Swisca #Innovation # FlourMilling # FoodProcessing

1. Introduction The organization of the digital strategy and transformation is individual for each company in the mill industry. The prerequisite for successful implementation of the digital strategy is detailed planning of the road-map and the necessary activities. Any digital strategy without operationalization is ineffective.

In the operational processes of a mill, digitization enables an increase in efficiency and thus an improvement in its profitability. Information is increasingly being stored digitally and made available for electronic data processing. [caption id="attachment_3886" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Figure 1: Short technology lifetimes of control generations for weighing systems have a decisive influence on the operational implementation of digitization in the mill industry.[/caption]

2. Control Retrofits for Weighing Systems The internal process control by means of precise weight measurements has gained in importance. Production processes and the expected product quality define the required accuracy and measurement parameters for process monitoring and quality assurance. The data generated in digital form with IoT-compatible weighing systems are also suitable for optimizing quality and processes online. Control retrofits enable connectivity and extend machine lifetime.

[caption id="attachment_3887" align="aligncenter" width="358"] Figure 2: Appropriate maintenance, scale service and control retrofits enable IoT connectivity in a sustainable and economic manner and extend the lifetime of scales in the milling industry.[/caption] Outdated control generations lack connectivity to a field-bus or the ability to connect to the Internet to take advantage of remote maintenance and cloud solutions. For appropriate digitization, data must be accessible and freely usable. Cloud solutions and remote maintenance enable optimal data access and use for internal process control and product trace-ability. Modern scale controls are equipped with a web server module and touch screen, robust and reliable. [caption id="attachment_3888" align="aligncenter" width="420"] Figure 3: State of the art weighing systems with servo drives are also saving energy costs because no compressed air is required.[/caption]

3. Summary The operationalization of the digital strategy in the milling industry requires suitable connectivity for IoT, cloud solutions and remote maintenance. Control retrofits for weighing systems extend machine lifetime economically and enable digital data to be freely accessible for electronic data processing.

-By Dipl. Ing. Heinz Brand - Appenzell / Schweiz