Automation within the food and beverage industry is quickly becoming a standard, increasing the levels of productivity and efficiency. An automation Engineering consultant can help integrate advanced industrial machinery and processes into processing, inspection, and packing products. Here are nine advantages that food processing plants can gain by automating their operations.

1. Increased Production Capacity

Automated machines can work at a constant rate, 24 hours a day, with little or no human intervention. Robotics streamline processes, with the factory having the potential to produce more. Machine programming for new product lines can be done offline without affecting on-going operations.

2. Improved Factory Productivity

An automation engineering consultant can help automate different sectors of the business model, from the production floor to billing and inventory tracking. The automated cells may offer more factory uptime, with efficiency figures hitting over 90%. Some machines may provide flexible multi-operational capability.

3. Compliance Threshold

Strict adherence to quality in the food industry is an absolute necessity. Automation allows machines to perform tasks with less variability and interference from human errors.

It allows the business to benefit from consistency in product quality as well as reduced fraction defect ratios. Consistent product quality enables firms to comply with the set standards.

4. Safe Working Environment

Old machines had large moving parts that required an enclosure to protect workers from injury. Automating your processes can remove human labor from dangerous tasks, thus safeguarding them against risks and hazards during the production process. It also keeps factories compliant with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).

5. Increased Revenue and Profit Margins

Increased output, reduced lead times, lower operational costs help boost the business’s bottom line. The streamlined operations allow for quicker introduction of new product lines. Improved factory productivity can also help drive up the profit margins for the company.

6. Increased Competitiveness

An automation engineering consultant can help design robotics that reduces product cycle-time and improve the quality of products. The lowered cost-per-piece may help the firm stay ahead of the park through the competitive pricing of its products.

7. Data-driven Decision Making

Automation of the production machines opens an opportunity for data-driven decision making through tracking of key metrics. Automated product lines operated on defined workflows and timelines that provide a better analysis point for your business operations.

8. Maximize on Labor

The consistency of automated factory lines reduces the need for a large number of workers to operate the machines, saving on labor costs. A recent study shows that in three decades, more than 76 million baby boomers will be up for retirement, with only 46 million millennials available to replace them. You can leverage automation to cater for a future deficit in the availability of labor.

9. System Versatility

The system flexibility in robotics allows the machines to be easily retooled and programmed for new production lines. Through efficient coding, the robots can ‘learn’ instantaneously, reducing the change over time. The mixed flow production model allows the food processing plant to adjust to demand fluctuations common within the industry.

Automation within the food and dairy industry is a key strategic decision that allows companies to stand out. An automation engineering consultant can help design a model for your company that transforms your production line. The Project Group Consulting team can help increase your productivity, safety, and profitability.