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Software helps Hershey slay downtime

Powerful software allows Hershey to automatically gather packaging efficiency data. Local and remote line control and monitoring are added bonuses.

The SCADA software picks up real-time production data from flow wrappers (inset) and other equipment, displaying results in a gr
The SCADA software picks up real-time production data from flow wrappers (inset) and other equipment, displaying results in a gr

With most new packaging lines it installs in any of its 27 far-flung plants, Hershey Chocolate North America relies on powerful software to monitor packaging line efficiency. The software reaches down into the guts of each packaging machine (or more precisely, each machine's PLC) and collects a myriad of statistics that can be used to troubleshoot efficiency problems.

The software, Fix DMCS from Intellution (Norwood, MA), runs on PCs that are tied into a packaging line's PLC network. This software, and the PCs it runs on, is referred to as a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. As the name implies, the software does two things: It permits line monitoring and control, and facilitates the collection of machine efficiency data.

Not all of Hershey's lines run the supervisory control and data collection software, but it is typically specified for new packaging lines.

Tracking downtime

One of Hershey's top priorities is tracking downtime. Not only does software automatically track downtime for each machine, but it also tracks the cause of the downtime automatically, without relying on line operators to jot notes on clipboards.

How? In a word, sensors. Using Hershey's packaging machine network, the SCADA software collects information from sensors through the PLCs on each machine. For example, in the SIG Pack (Raleigh, NC) flow wrapper shown in the photo (above right), the machine's PLC continuously monitors each of its SICK Optic (Eden Prairie, MN) sensors. When a given sensor is tripped-indicating that a certain part of a machine is malfunctioning-that condition is relayed to the PLC and documented by the SCADA software.

It's not always possible to track the reason why a specific jam occurred, but it is possible to identify parts of a machine that are experiencing problems.

Wade Latz, manager of packaging systems engineering, says the software tracks both planned and unplanned downtime. It sorts these faults by how often they occur and lists the duration of each occurrence.

Another crucial statistic is the operating efficiency of a machine, expressed as a percentage of theoretical uptime. "This allows you to see if performance has changed from shift to shift," says Keith Campbell, director of automation and integration at Hershey.

Other stats include running hours, standby time, the time a machine was available but not operated (indicating unused capacity), the percentage of operating time and the percentage of time it produced useable product. Of course, complete packaged product counts are provided, too. For example, on a flow wrapper, one can view the total number of candy bars wrapped, the number of package sizes and configurations produced on the machine and the number of rejects, both wrapped and unwrapped.

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