Flexible manufacturing - Articles

The Concept Systems’ designed-for-safety evriiRobot

Future-proof Facilities with Incremental Automation Upgrades

While a brand-new greenfield plant may not be realistic, incremental automation upgrades based on existing resources and future needs can provide cost-effective solutions without obsoleting existing processes and equipment.

Wayne Labs

June 6, 2024

How to decide where you need to start is key to unlocking success.

Automation

Modularity brings flexibility in automating production lines

It also affords processors the ability to experiment with changes in batches or creating entirely new products, often with simply re-configuring lines.

Wayne Labs

July 9, 2020

Today, consumers expect to choose from a wide choice of brands and products—not just from the “center” of the store, but fresh and organic products from the periphery of the store. Sometimes new products are short lived and are designed to be that way—because consumers’ choices turn on a dime. Automation can help processors turn products around faster by increasing production.

FE 2020 Annual Plant Construction Survey

2020 Annual Plant Construction Survey: Part 4

Plan a total, plant-wide automation system to improve facility performance and agility

Integrating all the systems on a line is important, but why stop there? Why not include HVAC, refrigeration, boilers, energy management, etc. to get total control?

Wayne Labs

June 3, 2020

While we've looked at the key issues - including COVID-19 - facing food processors and A&E/Cs this year in FE's 2020 Annual Plant Construction Survey, there's a lot more to discuss.

Plant of the Year

Food Plant of the Year 2016: SugarCreek brings home more than the bacon

Though SugarCreek started out as a bacon processor, its newest high-tech plant is poised for growth as consumers demand more sophisticated RTE food products.

Wayne Labs

April 8, 2016

Yes, bacon has lately become a trend or fad, leaping its way out of the breakfast frying pan into food creations where it would have seemed an unlikely ingredient just a few years ago.

Editor's Note

Trade shows hit the nail directly on the head

Joyce Fassl

November 6, 2015

It’s always good to know you’re on the right track at your job or when you’re working on personal projects.

State of Food Manufacturing

The State of Food Manufacturing: It's all about throughput

Concerns rise due to the need to increase throughput as consumers clamor for more and more innovative food selections in a biosphere being pushed to its limits.

Wayne Labs

August 6, 2015

What issue about your current plant/facility keeps you up the most at night?

TECH FLASH

Reduce confusion around flexibility, adaptability and changeover to maximize impact

The best way to prevent any confusion is to ensure all parties work from a common understanding of these terms.

May 26, 2015

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2015 will be a forum for solutions and insights on OEE.

Reducing Packaging Line Bottlenecks

When automation is not enough

Debra Schug

March 6, 2015

While watching a packaging line operating smoothly, the quote attributed to the Greek philosopher Aristotle might come to mind, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”