"Automation investment is a key competitive strategy," began Francisco Kellerhoff, corporate automation manager for Venezuela's Polar Brewery, in summarizing his company's RSBatch implementation of ISA's S88 batch management standard to "facilitate and homogenize control of our batch processes." Kellerhoff's address kicked off the Food and Beverage Industry Forum today at Automation Fair 2006.
Systematically abstracting recipe development from process-equipment specifics has proved no less than "revolutionary," Kellerhoff said. "The brew master can now create all products demanded by the market." Formerly, extensive engineering time was required for any recipe change. And with rapidly changing consumer demands spurring an increased diversity of products, "the ability to anticipate and market changes is critical," Kellerhoff said.
Other unanticipated benefits of S88 implementation cited by Kellerhoff include improved throughput (from 20 to 22 batches per day) as well as better product quality as measured by dramatic improvements in turbidity.
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