Experience example
Stretch Wrapper Performance & Reliability Improvement
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it" - William Arthur Ward
Industry
Manufacturing
Sector
Food & Beverage
Segment
Product Wrapping
Project
The client is an agricultural and food manufacturing business with several facilities across Australia. The client sought to improve the performance and reliability of the wrap stage of their value-added products line including hot chips, hash browns, potato gems .
The focus was to be on data handling, safety, communications, and fault recovery. It was determined that replacing the existing stretch wrapper would improve performance and reliability around these key metrics. This project therefore involved the removal of the existing stretch wrapper followed by the installation and commissioning of a new wrapper.
The client engaged Cromarty to integrate the new wrapper controller and systems with the existing dispatch controller, dispatch safety system and site SCADA. The required safety modifications involved programming, I/O configuration and configuring communications in the safety controller to allow integration with the process controller. The project also required management of third-party electrical labour and resources, assisting third-party integrators with commissioning, and satisfying client acceptance criteria and documentation requirements.
Solution
This project involved integrating and coordinating changes between multiple controllers and process control systems, applying technical best practice and interaction with third-party engineering, electrical and client stakeholders. Works included:
- Configuring new wrapper controller and existing dispatch process controller communications
- Modify dispatch safety controller with new safety changes
- Modify dispatch process controller to integrate into the overall dispatch process
- Modify site SCADA to match control, monitoring, and alarming with client standards
- Installation, download, commissioning, testing and documentation of the changes
- Creation of as-built electrical drawings, client quality and maintenance documents
- On call support during commissioning and training period
Outcome
The new wrapper was successfully installed and seamlessly integrated into the existing dispatch system. The SCADA and dispatch system modifications were successfully developed, implemented, and tested and the modifications to the safety system were also effectively integrated with the process control allowing the infeed and outfeed of pallets in a safe and productive manner. The project achieved it's goals of improved data and communications, safety, and elegant fault recovery.