HMI/SCADA software trial offers boosted efficiency

For many food and beverage manufacturers and CPG companies, most of the workforce is on the plant floor, working at individual pieces of equipment or on production lines. Establishing real time visibility into equipment and processes with iFIX can empower operators to quickly identify problems and decrease unplanned downtime.

GE Digital’s iFIX HMI pulls together key operational and performance data from connected systems and equipment into a simple user interface with visualisations of data. The streamlined interface makes it easier for engineers to respond to abnormal operating behaviours and manage system alarms.

“The food and beverage industry is by far the largest manufacturing sector in the UK,” explained George Walker, Managing Director of Novotek UK and Ireland. “As such, there is a substantial potential for increased efficiency and output.

“In plants that adopt iFIX, we’ve already seen 50% decreases in cycle down time, 25% reduction in plant downtime and 150% increases in output capability. iFIX can also help plant operators meet emissions and sustainability guidelines, reducing furnace emissions by up to 80%.”

Further results from iFIX in food and beverage plants include $5m annual quality improvement savings, f5% increased production, 25% defect reduction, 70% data quality increase and five per cent reduced raw material waste.

The free trial consists of the standard iFIX software, including sample systems and templates for CPG, food and beverage manufacturers. These templates are based on industry standards, allowing them to be deployed right out of the box to reduce setup time in fast-moving businesses.