A global beverage maker, with a concentrate facility in Europe, faced outdated production systems that could no longer meet the rising product demands driven by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The outdated facilities took up more space and had lower production efficiency compared to the new, more streamlined facility design. The company needed to expand its European footprint while preparing for future growth.
The Challenge
The project required connecting and simultaneously distributing 24 individual HMIs to a centralized server, with control permissions that varied based on user roles and locations. Each terminal could be logged into by different users at the same time, making it necessary to control access permissions and lock out certain screens depending on location. Additionally, the customer needed secure remote access from the U.S. to monitor operations without risking accidental control over the factory’s machinery. This required careful management of who could access the system both within the European plant and remotely across the customer’s network, presenting significant challenges for access control and operational security. The team implemented strict security protocols to prevent unauthorized access and ensure safe operations across all locations.
The Solution
The project team installed an Ignition® server to house the SCADA software, running the HMI program that connected to 24 physical HMI terminals for real-time plant monitoring and control. The HMI terminals sent commands to three connected PLCs, executing them to control the plant’s machinery. The server was synced with a tag historian database and linked to an ERP system for accurate data and reporting. The team also synced the entire system with the Ignition Sepasoft module to manage recipes in real time, connecting back to the corporate offices in the U.S. for oversight. Designed and tested in the U.S., the entire solution was remotely deployed to the European facility during the pandemic.
The Impact
The system operated as intended from the first deployment, achieving a 97% recipe tolerance with the second test batch, an industry-leading result. This marked a significant improvement in operational efficiency and production accuracy.
