The Challenge
Huhtamaki required a multi-lingual, paperless shopfloor MES to automatically inform operators, shop floor management and internal transport personnel on tasks, status, background and general production information to enable them to do their job efficiently. The system also required the shop floor personnel to report back, inform and alarm peers, shop floor management and other (non-production) staff in an easy, efficient and reliable way.
The overall goal was to eliminate paper as an information carrier and generate an agile and flexible basis for running the Moulded Fiber production plants.
Our Approach
NeoDyne delivered a Multi-lingual Paperless Shop floor MES consisting of a Data Processing Engine, Microsoft SQL Enterprise Database, Integration Services application and .NET Front end.
We adopted an agile approach involving the agile design, development, build and test of individual modules. These modules included:
- Job Management/Scheduling
- Finished Goods Recording
- Product Labelling
- Multi-lingual
- PLC Settings
- Logsheets
- Quality
- Consumables Tracking
- OEE
- Equipment Downtime
- Schedule Adherence
- Document Management System
- Preventative Maintenance
- Near Miss Reporting
About Huhtamaki
Huhtamaki Fiber Packaging is a global producer and supplier of fiber and pulp-based packaging for fresh food and beverages. The fibre packaging division of the Huhtamaki group is active in 10 operating countries with 11 plants across the globe.
In 2016, NeoDyne assisted Huhtamaki Netherlands with the replacement of an existing ‘bespoke’ MES platform, built on a Delphi platform, with a modern supportable platform built on latest Microsoft.Net technologies.
The solution leveraged a Wonderware System Platform interface engine and Kepware IO Servers to communicate with Shopfloor machines, robots and other systems.
The project was part of a much larger rollout of a new Epicor ERP system across the enterprise, with our solution forming an integration gateway between ERP, automation systems, third-party warehouse management systems, and existing plant performance monitoring systems.
Customer Requirements
- Seamless integration of several Clean Utilities and Process Control systems
- Control and monitoring functions for all inputs and outputs, including alarms, logs, trends, status and data reports
- Industrial grade hardware and software
- Engineering services to deliver the system from customer requirements to project handover as per the SDLC in a GMP environment
Challenges
- Delivering a complex control system in a brownfield site
- Integrating a central control system with multiple platforms and external vendors
- Maintaining change control and traceability in a dynamic environment with multiple parallel activities
- Ensuring business as usual for the Brinny plant while modifying IT systems and shared utilities
Outcome
- Fully qualified system as per customer requirements
- 21CFR11 compliance throughout
- Introduced new technologies with system capabilities maximised
- Delivered on schedule with zero safety incidents
- Forged new relationships and enhanced existing ones with MSD Brinny and main contractor
Other Case Studies
See other System Integration projects below to see our solutions in action
MSD Brinny
Design supply and commission of a new Clean Utilities and Process Control System for a brownfield contract manufacturing plant <
Lakeland Dairies
Automation control system and associated MES modules for a new Lactose extraction and drying plant
