Ken’s Foods Automates End-of-Line Production With On-Machine Architecture
Ken's Foods, a manufacturer of dressings, sauces and marinades, is optimizing its production performance by gaining access to a new architecture that supports real-time data to identify issues early and troubleshoot solutions.
The company is working with industrial transformation company Rockwell Automation to modernize its end-of-line operations. According to the tech partner, workflows plagued by legacy equipment, limited visibility and restrictive conveyor layouts have typically created inefficiencies across packaging and palletizing.
By using on-machine architecture, Ken's Foods aims to increase visibility and efficiency and simplify maintenance tasks through isolated updates rather than shutting down large sections of the production line.
Additionally, the shift should reduce Ken's Foods' current cabling footprint, eliminating the need for large control panels and reducing engineering consumption.
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"We estimate an overall cost savings of 17% compared to designing, building centralized panels and wiring directly to local motor disconnects, I/O points and motors," Kyle Richard, vice president of business development for Elm Electrical, an electrical partner of Ken's Foods, said in a statement.
Tony Stolo, project engineer at Ken's Foods, said the approach helps the organization operate more efficiently as demand grows.
"It takes up less space, installs faster and is easier to maintain. It also gives us flexibility to expand or reconfigure as our operations evolve," he added.
