TRADITIONALLY, SALMON SLAUGHTER LINES ARE OPERATED MANUALLY OR HALF AUTOMATED, WHICH SLOWS THE PROCESSING TIME IN PRODUCTION. AT NOR-FISHING 2018, AU2MATE IS LAUNCHING A DIGITAL PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM UNITING DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING FROM MULTIPLE FACILITIES INTO ONE SYSTEM. THE NEW SOLUTION ENSURES PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY AND STANDARDISATION.
”The solution has recently been installed at a new salmon slaughterhouse, where it integrates more than 70 different systems into one process control system with data collection and reporting. At the same time, the digital system combines three different smolt plants along with a packaging system,” says Jacob C. Jensen, Divisional Sales Director at Au2mate.
“This way, operators have an overview of the entire production including the fire alarms and ventilation systems within the building,” he adds.
Increase production efficiency
The digital system from Au2mate includes overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), which measures the effectiveness of the different parts of the processing line.
“When you collect all data into one system, it is easier to locate the ineffective equipment quickly and thereby, improve and standardise the entire production,” Jacob C. Jensen emphasises.
“For example, in a packaging system, operators can measure if the system is packing 20,000 fillets an hour, or if it slows down the process at any time. Also, it is possible to monitor how much of a specific product have been produced and ensure reliability of delivery,” he says.
Automation from order to execution
In addition to equipment effectiveness, the digital system includes MES (Manufacturing executions system) functionality for controlling and monitoring of the production.
“MES lets operators know when a customer orders for example tonnes of fish or fillets, and when it is time to execute the order into the process. And later the system reports the order has been produced and is being stored for delivery,” explains Jacob C. Jensen. He continues:
“This means that the entire process is automated from the receipt of order to execution with the right factors in play.”