HomeGreg FarnumContributing EditorHomeA window into lean productionPlant floor and management visibility of OEE data provides European packager with better inventory control and a reduction in raw material use.Controls & automationOEE in packaging: deceptively simpleOverall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is being used with increasing frequency in the packaging industry. The reason for its popularity lies in the fact that the metric is easy to understand and relatively easy to apply. However, it is also easy to misuse. Here’s how to avoid doing so.Primary packagingA new approach to conveyorsDifferent products can be conveyed on a single line and moved in different directions, while an operator has complete control over the speed and direction of movement of the conveyed food products by implementing control commands virtually in real-time.HomeHow safety technology improvements increase productivitySafety on the plant floor is its own justification. Increasingly, however, as automation technologies converge, new approaches to packaging machine safety are also helping facilitate the creation of more efficient—and more profitable—production systems.
