Baked goods specialist reaps major benefits from Promtek process upgrades

WHEN A market-leading baked goods and mixes specialist needed to up its game by improving productivity, it looked to long-term partner Promtek for the optimum solution.

Promtek has been the Midlands-based company’s main process control supplier since 1993. This latest project saw Promtek tasked with improving all aspects of its weighing process; however the real challenge lay in implementing the necessary upgrades with minimum downtime and disruption to production schedules. 

Challenges in precision weighing systems

Weighing systems can be affected by many issues including load cell accuracy, and environmental forces. So, it is important to choose the correct machinery and technology to get the best and most accurate results from your weighing system.

Promtek’s StoraWeigh9000 platform exceeded the customer’s requirements. Its feature-rich process control system can handle any bulk material handling process that runs on all major Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) hardware and allows them to be mixed freely.

Key production line improvements

Additional improvements implemented by Promtek’s engineers to the production line included:

• Downscaling the hand addition from six to three bins - this resulted in reduced pipe works in the factory.
• Blow lines were upgraded and replaced by modern vacuum exhausters controlled by the latest ‘soft start’ motor starters. This greatly improves energy consumption and improves the motor’s lifespan by reducing wear and tear during start/stop cycles.
• A full rewire to separate different parts of the system into more defined control panels.
• The latest high-definition graphics package installed and improved remote access. This was a key pillar of the upgrade, ensuring that the system could be available for technical support and open the opportunity for technicians to work from home. That’s a real boon for companies looking to adopt a more flexible working environment.  

Operational and cost benefits

By implementing lean improvements to the line, the company became more efficient, saved money, improved automation and was more effectively future proofed. The new weighing vessels increased weighing accuracy and the new control panels deliver the raw materials in a vastly more efficient and consistent way.

The reduction in bin numbers decreased manual handling and increased the overall factory floor space, a space saving measure with a real cost saving benefit. The reduced pipe work brings lower maintenance costs - another considerable saving - whilst modern vacuum exhausters help to conserve energy and protect the motors, increasing longevity and reliability. 

Advanced control for optimal production

The software contains highly repeatable and consistent user configurable multi-speed setpoints to define the transfer speed between raw material silos to auto weighers. This feature’s control system runs at variable speed to fine tune production and can take account of all the measurables during manufacturing. Historically, all control was wired through one control panel which was very inefficient and time-consuming - but the upgrade will decrease downtime in the rare case of a breakdown, and further improve efficiency.

For more information: 

promtek.com

Tel: 01782 375600