The Indian packaging industry is always a step ahead in adapting to market requirements. These changes are being influenced by many factors like digital transformation, new regulations in the packaging process, non-availability of skilled laborers, etc. The industry has learned to transfer these challenges into opportunities. Indian machine manufacturers are increasingly relying on advanced technology solutions such as smart edge computing, digital remote access, human-robot collaboration, intelligent transport systems which are influencing the packaging industry and are expected to shape its future.
Market demands and keeping pace with competition are the key factors for bringing about any change in conventional manufacturing practices. In addition, an organization primarily looks at engaging in long-term partnerships not only with their customers but also with their vendors. Technology is changing rapidly and strong partnerships act as a foundation for long-term continued success. The use of advanced automation improves productivity, quality, and safety. Technology has become a crucial investment for packaging facilities. Advanced automation and digital technologies are driving the need for innovations and fueling the need for smart manufacturing. Automation and robotic technologies are not only helping the industry to respond to rising customer demands but also are enhancing the position of the Indian packaging industry on the global map. However Indian machine builders ask a common question, “Where do we start from?” Here are some key considerations while choosing the right automation partner for packaging applications.
Table of Contents
Embracing advanced automation
The concept of using automated systems is not new for the packaging industry. The industry is already reaping the benefits of automation in terms of flexibility, higher production, regulatory compliance, reduced cost, eliminate human error and make up for labor shortages. Digitalization is further fueling a move towards enhancing system availability with 24 x 7 monitoring, optimized facilities, and secure data capture for optimized decisions and analytics. Advanced automation concepts address all these requirements creating opportunities for eliminating errors, resulting in quick decision making, reducing losses, and becoming more efficient and profitable.
Connected facilities are expected to generate and process enormous volumes of data further boosting performance. Machine-to-machine and machine-to-IT connectivity are essential elements of a connected facility and achieving smart operations. Connectivity is the lifeblood of advanced manufacturing, with open source, vendor-independent communication being a way forward for satisfying these needs without placing any dependencies on any automation vendors. Also, factories would have the necessary data from individual machines enabling them to calculate overall equipment effectiveness, monitoring energy consumption and line condition for improving availability and productivity.
Reducing unplanned downtime
To gain benefits of modern manufacturing, facilities should always be up and running, because even a minute of unplanned downtime results in losses, incurs an extra cost, and reduces product quality. So far, most companies have taken reactive or preventive approaches towards maintenance. However, these strategies fail to provide a real solution for the maintenance dilemma. Eliminating unplanned downtime to avoid risking product quality is not an option but a must-have in the packaging industry. With intelligent sensors, condition-based predictive maintenance helps facilities to extend maintenance intervals and schedule required work for when it is most convenient or required. By utilizing information about the condition of production equipment, condition-based maintenance solutions help to optimize the scheduling of maintenance work, which results in achieving maximum production quality and minimized maintenance cost.
Over the past decade, during breakdowns, facilities have relied on manual machine and plant floor monitoring which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Collected data is shared with service technicians for analysis and problem resolution. This takes more time and is prone to human errors. Today with advanced automation, remote monitoring and data logging have evolved significantly. With connected facilities, service engineers can monitor and analyze the real-time status of each machine. Remote maintenance solution makes machines and systems securely accessible to service technicians from anywhere across the globe. This solution makes it easy to respond to unforeseen problems as well as accelerates commissioning.
Inspection with automation
Vision inspection plays an increasingly important role in the packaging industry with the rise of regulations and standards. Any discrepancy in product packaging be it a defect or incorrect labeling if it goes unnoticed, can damage any product’s image. Inspecting every process during manufacturing helps in the earlier detection of errors and rejections. Until today, inspection systems were conventional and independent of the installed automation systems. Also, installing inspection systems was high on investments with machine builders needing to have an independent automation system and an independent PC-based vision system. These systems were required to communicate with each other over a bus or I/Os for exchanging variables and data. Usually, such system architectures were not only expensive but also relatively very slow.
B&R has successfully brought the worlds of vision and automation together. Unlike conventional vision sensors, B&R’s smart solution is not restricted to a single function. How the sensor will be used – whether as a code reader or measurement device – is a question to be answered later in the application, not at the time of purchase. In addition, streamlining logistics brings welcome agility to meet changing requirements.
Depending on the complexity of the tasks involved, it is even possible to create industry-specific solutions. A smart camera offers the same flexibility, which can process a sensor’s entire image processing functions sequentially. If the functional requirements of the sensor change, the system makes it easy to upgrade the platform without adding unnecessary new development work.
Human-track collaboration
B&R has developed its mechatronic systems specifically for 24/7 industrial operation. They are designed for high availability under demanding conditions. The innovative mechatronic systems, ACOPOStrak, SuperTrak, and ACOPOS 6D, transport workpieces through a machine individually and without being bound to rigid timing. The result is unprecedented productivity. B&R’s human-track collaboration opens up new dimensions in safe productivity at collaborative workstations. Intelligent safety technology keeps these workstations reliably risk-free without the need for safety barriers. B&R’s mechatronic systems can be fully integrated into any machine. This not only reduces the overall footprint of the line but also improves processing precision. Overall, manufacturing processes can be accelerated by up to 50% with mechatronic systems from B&R delivering a substantial boost in productivity.
Ensuring data integrity
The advantages of connected machines and facilities are immense, however, are accompanied by heightened susceptibility to data sabotage and tampering. Data security and integrity are critically important aspects of the packaging industry. Open source, vendor-independent OPC UA meets all these requirements. OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), a vendor-independent communication protocol for industrial automation applications being based on the client-server principle and allows seamless machine-to-machine and machine-to-IT communication. The protocol is platform-independent and features built-in security mechanisms. Since OPC UA is flexible and completely independent, it is regarded as the ideal communication protocol for the implementation of Industry 4.0 concepts. OPC UA bridges the gap between the IP-based world of IT and the production floor.
Advancing in the future
Whether the machine or process is large or small, there are options to automate. From adding sensors that provide information to machine operators, to adding robotic processes to existing machinery, automation cannot be overlooked in packaging. Automation concepts have a huge potential to change the day-to-day activities in any pharma facility. The only concern is how quickly these technologies become a reality.
B&R Industrial Automation partners with various pharma machine builders and facilities to cost-effectively implement these technologies and remain competitive. B&R offers complete hardware and software solutions, comprehensive service, and expertise in automation and digitalization of machinery and facilities. Cutting-edge technology together with open source communication standards such as OPC UA, Ethernet POWERLINK, and openSAFETY as well as the powerful Automation Studio software development environment, B&R serves as a perfect partner to the packaging industry, helping them expand their footprint across the globe.