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Blending the Right Reasons with GainSeeker Suite® to make a Sensible Investment
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
- Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Applicable Industries
- Consumer Goods
- Packaging
Applicable Functions
- Quality Assurance
- Process Manufacturing
Use Cases
- Predictive Maintenance
- Process Control & Optimization
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
The quality manager for a consumer goods packaging company faced a critical issue due to recent automation of the ingredient mixing process. While automation increased first pass yield, line efficiency, and throughput, it eliminated the meticulous records previously kept by inspectors. This posed a challenge in ensuring quality data to support federal regulations, especially for long-term stability of the consumer product. The quality team envisioned software that would automatically collect data from the PLCs controlling the flow meters, providing accurate inspection documentation to satisfy federal regulators in the event of a product recall.
About The Customer
Hertzler Systems has been providing seamless, accurate data acquisition solutions for over 30 years. They serve a diverse customer base in service, transactional, and manufacturing environments, including notable companies like Consolidated Biscuit Company, Darden Restaurants, Pactiv Inc., McCormick & Company, and Hormel Foods. Their customers invest in Hertzler's software and services to easily acquire data in any process, analyze it in real-time, and instantly notify process owners of process variations. These capabilities help clients reduce costs, cycle time, errors, and defects, while increasing profitability and customer service. Hertzler Systems' core competencies lie in delivering these data-driven solutions.
The Solution
Hertzler Systems provided the GainSeeker Suite, which turned detailed PLC data into actionable intelligence for each fill cycle. This software automatically collected data from the PLCs controlling the three flow meters that fed ingredients into the mix. The real-time data collection allowed key stakeholders to receive immediate alarms if there were changes in the ingredient mix, giving engineers time to proactively prevent problems. The solution also provided accurate inspection documentation that was easily identifiable and retrievable, satisfying federal regulators in the event of a product recall. This automated system ensured that the quality manager had the necessary data to maintain compliance and improve operational efficiency.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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