Baking & Snack - December 2019 - 65

BAKE Smarter

OPERATIONS
Line Layout

The Internet of Things brings together an entire production line into one data set.
by Charlotte Atchley

An efficient production line depends on minimal downtime, skilled operators and equipment that is running
properly for consistent product quality. Automated data
collection and analysis can improve all of these variables.
Streamlining this data collection throughout the entire
production line, that's the Internet of Things, or IoT systems, which can take an operation to the next level.
"When an entire production line is interconnected, and
the appropriate sensors, devices and systems are in place,
you have what many people call smart manufacturing,"
said David Watson, process engineering subject matter
expert, baking and snack, The Austin Co. "The production line becomes capable of collecting, measuring, monitoring and analyzing all critical components and KPIs
that would have traditionally been handled by operators."
This level of data collection and analysis speeds up
quality checks and frees up operators to do other tasks.
Data can predict when maintenance needs to be done
before there's a need for an emergency shutdown, and
adjustments can automatically be made to process parameters to keep product within spec without waste.
"The ROI on many of these systems surpasses traditional analytics, controls and algorithms," said Brandon
Davis, vice-president of operations and general manag-

er, The Austin Co. "With the advancement of artificial
intelligence programs, it's only going to become more
and more valuable to have big data. In the future, those
production facilities that collect this data along with the
tools to use it properly should be the most efficient and
effective operations."

Having one data set
that includes the entire
production from ingredient delivery to shipping
will minimize downtime
and improve production
efficiencies.
Peter Christian Valli

Integrating the line
Collecting data on a commercial baking production line
is not a new concept. Individual machines have had sensors doing this job for years now. Consolidating that data
and analyzing it in real time, however, has added value.
"IoT provides the ability for information to be collected through remote sensors and devices and then
transmitted via the internet or cloud to an MES or ERP
system," Mr. Watson said. "By monitoring base data
management, decisions are quickly made and trends
identified, leading to smarter decision-making." This
data can include temperatures, product flow, levels, motor loads, pressure and even utility usage.
Each piece of equipment often already measures these
factors, whether it's dough temperature coming out of
the mixer or the amount of steam in an oven. What sets
IoT systems apart from standard data collection on in-

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