Real-time plant historians, they collect data from throughout a plant and serve as a centralized data resource for processing, packaging, and material history. Once captured, this data can be accessed in real time by plant intelligence applications from Wonderware, an Invensys company based in Lake Forest, Calif. These applications include InTouch for machine visualization and control, InTrack for detailed product geneology, and DT Analyst for identifying problems in the process and making necessary changes. Each of these rests on Wonderware’s ArchestrA platform.
Arla production manager Eric Veslov likes the track-and-trace potential. “Traceability is mandatory and has been for many years,” says Veslov. “In addition to faster response times, this new level of traceability actually reduces the risk of having to recall a large amount of product. All we need is a package number and we can then create a report and see exactly what was going on at that time and then have a limited recall if necessary.”