The packaging line is at the end of the process chain. If it comes to an unexpected breakdown forced by a machine failure, there is a high risk that the upstream equipment such as extruders have to be stopped as well. Every hour of such a shutdown can cost a company hundreds of thousands of euros – in one day, that can run into the millions. In the petrochemical industry, robust and reliable operation of the machines is becoming increasingly important. This is why Beumer has revised the design of the packaging equipment and made it modular.
Beumer supplies robust and reliable packaging lines for the petrochemical industry. First the fillpac FFS system forms bags from a prefabricated PE tubular film and fills them reliably and gently. After filling, the bags are sealed. The machine is designed for a speed up to 2,800 bags per hour in this way. After closing, the bags are stacked on a pallet for transportation. The Beumer paletpac is ideal for this process. The system can also be individually adapted to the different requirements of the chemical industry. It achieves a throughput of up to 3,200 bags per hour. The system provider’s product range includes the stretch hood high-performance packaging system for end-of-line packaging. The stretch film adapts to any stack. It is very stretchable and fixes the material on the pallet using horizontal and vertical contracting forces – so this process offers high load stability.
Modular design for more simplicity
With the new modular design, the components and modules installed in the systems have a design as as identical as possible. This reduces the number of spare parts, speeds up delivery times and makes maintenance easier. All the series in the packaging line also have the same look and feel, so an employee can easily operate a paletpac, even though he had only worked with the stretch hood, for instance. This also helps get to know the different machines more quickly. The modular design also creates even more advantages. If the user demands more performance, it can be increased on the machines at a later date.
Interconnected and intelligent
If desired, all the machines and components can be conncted with a higher-level control system – the BG Software Suite. The BG Fusion visualisation also provides the operator with a web-enabled user interface for configuration, monitoring and reporting. With this module and the dashboards, all the information that the system provider collects using data analytics in the machine can be clearly and understandably displayed. Machine data, error messages and information on operation and maintenance are prepared so that each user finds it a simple matter to start using the data – for predictive maintenance, for instance.
Know when the machine fails
The big question: How can maintenance be planned so we can rule out a sudden shutdown? For example, the customer wants a maintenance shift once a month. In other words, he deliberately shuts down the machines but also wants to ensure that they’ll operate perfectly afterward. If an unplanned failure occurs, he won’t always have the necessary tools or personnel on hand to get the system up and running again. Data analysis can be used to extend the service life of the components.
If it is possible to monitor engines, sensors and cylinders in operation, for example, and to detect weak points electronically, a replacement can be scheduled for the most suitable time. One example: If the engine becomes unusually hot, the service technicians can deduce its condition from this. This information avoids a sudden failure because the software gives an alarm in time.
Networked from silo to warehouse
The system provider’s scope of supply starts at the customer’s site below the silo. The product falls into the bag, which is palletised, and the entire stack is covered with a stretch film hood. The Beumer Group’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) can also be connected via the software. This can assign the goods for storage, via barcode, for example, or via an RFID or QR code. Forklifts equipped with readers “know” where to take the pallets and feed that information back to the system. Beumer software can network the entire system from the silo to the warehouse. The goal is to minimise interfaces and offer the customer everything from a single source.
Service with smart glasses
However – what if a malfunction occurs or the machine fails? Beumer sends its localised technicians to customers worldwide to support operators and prevent longer downtimes. The Customer Support also offers a hotline available around the clock every day of the year. However, a complex problem cannot always be described quickly and clearly on the phone. This is why the company developed the Beumer Smart Glasses. The customer can use the Smart Glasses to quickly send a picture to the expert, who can also send a picture back. This digital solution reduces time-consuming travel and high additional costs. The next level of remote diagnostics used to be the telephone, but now it’s voice and picture.
Author: Rafael Imberg, Head of Petrochemicals Sales, the Beumer Group
