Most sectors of the economy have been struggling with the task of trying to increase sales while reducing skyrocketing business costs. What makes the food and beverage industry particularly challenging is the endless pressure to comply with the FDA and other governmental regulatory bodies to ensure food product quality and safety. Subsequently, food manufacturing companies are seeking industrial automation solutions now more than ever. In the following article, we’ll address the key benefits of automating your food and beverage manufacturing operational facility in 2022.
Most industrial food production facilities want to increase their level of automation over the coming years for several reasons. The trouble with making this kind of transition is determining how and where to start. If you operate a food and beverage manufacturing facility, one of the first questions that probably comes to mind is, “Where can I find industrial automation companies near me?” Choosing to partner with the right automation expert is critical. We recommend EzSoft for its decades of experience in manufacturing controls. The company works closely with its customers to ensure they find the best industrial automation solutions supplied by the automation industry today.
Enhanced production efficiency
It’s no secret that automation increases an operational facility’s efficiency, sometimes by tenfold. An automated facility can operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with only sporadic outages for maintenance. Efficiency improvements and higher put-through rates are two of the main benefits of automating any food and beverage operational plant.
Apart from efficiency gains, automation guarantees that onsite data is far more readily available in real-time. Companies can aggregate valuable data from the production line. This information can be deployed to head off potentially serious maintenance issues or even isolate an expired food product before it hits the consumer public. Automated technology has aided the food and beverage industry by shifting its focus to preventative maintenance. This not only increases a facility’s output, but it also accounts for substantial savings in the end by reducing unexpected production stoppages and maintenance downtimes.
Improved quality control
Quality control is at the core of the food and beverage industry, and anything less than excellence can result in serious damage to a brand’s reputation. Automating reduces the prospects for human error and assures a product’s consistent mass-reproducibility. As a result, the product outcome remains concise and does not waiver maintaining the same level of quality control throughout the manufacturing process.
Better traceability
The capacity to track products at every stage of production at a food manufacturing facility is crucial. In the event of a product recall which always entails collecting and destroying the recalled material, supply chain managers need to know exactly where that product is. Automation offers transparent, real-time traceability. Any given product can be traced from its original source to the time at which it is finally packaged and displayed for retail consumption.
If a problem arises with a particular batch, the shipment can be easily identified, retrieved, and removed from the distribution chain. As such, automation is one of the surest ways to maintain compliance during a recall. Enhanced traceability provided by automation allows supply chain managers to address a bevy of issues along the supply chain. It has proven to be one of the most effective ways of maintaining high standards of quality and safety while increasing efficiency and profitability.
A sustained positive brand image
In the food and beverage industry, brand reputation is everything. Companies seek to protect their brand at all costs because it forms the core of their connections with the wider public. Consistency is the key to sustaining a healthy brand image. Customers expect the same from the product with each user experience. Automation ensures that food products are always consistent in their flavor, texture, taste, and visual presentation. Moreover, the reduced margins for human error decrease the risk of product recalls which is, perhaps the most effective way to ensure a positive brand image in the food and beverage manufacturing industry.
Increased production site safety
Operator safety plays a considerable role in any plan to automate a food and beverage facility. When employees are no longer exposed to potentially hazardous tasks such as transferring heavy materials or working within a role that requires repetitive motion over a long stretches of time, workplace injury claims are dramatically reduced. When these tasks are completed by robotics and automated machinery, the workplace is safer and human capital can focus on more rewarding job demands that enhance the operational facility’s overall value.
Adaptability
Automated procedures allow food and beverage facilities to adapt more readily to the ever-shifting supply chain, constantly evolving production needs, and regulatory requirements of the industry’s regulatory authorities. Should a new process ever emerge, the change is swiftly accounted for by programming the difference into the automation software.
Who to contact
EzSoft, a preeminent full-service Systems Integrator of Process Control Systems, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and IT/Reporting Services has decades of experience serving clients in the food and beverage manufacturing markets. They’re 100% committed to finding the best, state-of-the industrial automation solutions for and beverage industry professionals seeking to integrate upgraded automated control systems now.
Take a moment to fill out EzSoft’s online inquiry form or call them at (484) 568-5040 to learn more about how their proven software development methodology can provide your food and beverage company with a significant advantage over conventional system development approaches.
