Engineering Design Automation improving food safety and sustainability for the food industry

Engineering automation can provide numerous benefits to the food industry, including improvements in food safety and sustainability. By automating the engineering process, the industry can better control contamination during food and ingredient processing. This involves adhering to safety and hygiene regulations during the design or redesign of machines, taking into account the specific requirements of each location, size, and product.

Additionally, EDA (Engineering Design Automation) aid companies to match regulatory compliance as well and ensures that production processes are documented.

Another important aspect to consider is the safety of workers who operate the equipment. Just as parameters are established for food safety, rules are also created to maintain the safety of those who operate the machines. During the design of automation systems, new safety features such as doors, alarms, and lockers can be installed to monitor key parameters such as temperature and pressure in real-time. This ensures that food is processed under controlled conditions while also protecting the safety of workers.

High-quality food products can be achieved not only through safety measures but also by ensuring accurate measurement and control of ingredients. A well-configured equipment or system can achieve this, resulting in consistent and superior food products. This consistency is particularly valuable for companies that have established themselves in the market or are striving to do so. With a consistent product, clients receive the same high-quality food repeatedly, or even an improved version of it. Additionally, the configuration of these systems can monitor and control the entire production process, ensuring that each step meets the necessary specifications.

Sustainability is another crucial topic that has become a global trend and necessity. Automated systems can play a key role in reducing waste by optimizing the utilization of resources like energy and water, as well as reducing spoilage and waste during the production process. These systems can also help minimize food waste by ensuring that products are packaged and transported in a manner that reduces spoilage and waste. Investing in automation is an excellent way to drive innovation and growth in the food industry while also promoting sustainability.

The main countries where engineering automation is a focus are US as a leader, Germany that is known for its advanced manufacturing industry, Japan has a long history of automation as well as the Netherlands that is a leader in agricultural technology and automation and some others as Australia, Canada and China.

The Scandinavian Digital Team has experience in the food industry, with one of the most skillful teams in configuration and automation in the world, we can affirm that one of our clients saved at least 20.000 men hours last year and achieved consistency and a higher quality in at least 17 equipment.

Watch our industrial filter being configured, this is one of our products for the food industry to dry powder.

Read More

Engineering Automation is key for Innovation

To attain long-term success and stay ahead of the competition in today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business environment, organizations must prioritize innovation. According to a study by McKinsey & Company, companies that prioritize innovation generate 2.6 times more revenue growth than companies that do not. When we talk about engineering companies, automation is one of the key points to drive innovation. 
 
In the manufacturing industry, automation has the potential to increase productivity by up to 30%, according to a report by the World Economic Forum. Not only the productivity can be boosted, it is also possible to increase revenue, improve efficiency, reduce costs, gain a competitive advantage, upgrade customer experience, and consequently enhance the company´s reputation. 
 
Automation plays a vital role in driving innovation by enabling organizations to streamline their operations, reduce errors, and free up time for more innovative work. In order to make the most of skilled and costly employees, it is important for companies to leverage automation, allowing these people to play a significant role in the organization’s innovation journey. 
 
When engineers prove their ability to adapt to this changing market conditions and meet the evolving needs of the company. This can build a strong team that will be ready to deliver much more, stay ahead of the curve and succeed attracting new customers and keeping existing ones.

As the importance of focusing on innovation to maximize the potential of a skilled workforce has already been stated, cost saving becomes a crucial aspect to be highlighted, particularly in the manufacturing industry. The role of innovation in engineering companies is to identify cost-saving opportunities by developing new technologies or processes that can reduce costs. As an example, the development of energy-efficient products can assist in reducing energy costs and escalate a company’s profitability. 
 
Automation in manufacturing processes is not only determining for reducing errors and improving production speed but also drives innovation, resulting in faster time-to-market for products and product quality. Additionally, fostering a culture of creativity within companies and building a stronger brand can help organizations to adapt to the rapidly changing marketplace.

Read More

Design Automation for Embedded Systems

The Scandinavian Digital team has expertise in both product configuration and full system layout design, including plants for plastic recycling, chocolate production, embedded systems for cement manufacturing, and many others. This comprehensive approach to design automation can bring significant benefits to manufacturers, both in terms of operational performance and overall management. 
 
A system layout in machinery denotes an arrangement of different elements and systems within a manufacturing facility or production line. It includes the right placement and arrangement of machines, tools, workstations, and other components to enhance the use of space and ensure efficient and effective operations. 

Recycling Plant – Scandinavian Digital Embedded System

The system layout can have a relevant impact on the complete productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing processes. Circumstances like the placement of machines, the flow of materials and products, and the ease of access to equipment affects the speed and quality of production. 

An effective system layout will take into consideration factors such as the size and capacity of machines, the materials and products being produced, and the flow of workers and materials through the facility. The goal of a system layout in machinery is to optimize the use of space and resources, increase efficiency and productivity, and ensure the quality and consistency of the final product.

One of the main benefits of configure a full system layout is scalability, automating systems can help to control large and complex projects more effectively, making it viable for organizations to scale up their operations as projected or as needed. Another point to be highlighted is the possibility of a better cost control, after all it will reduce the time and resources required for manual processes, assisting to control costs and improve profitability. 
 
And to conclude, configure a full system will reduce time to market of products, owing to the fact that a suitable configuration will speed up the design and engineering processes and consequently allow products to be brought to market much faster. 

 

Watch how we configured the Full Plant on Soliworks with Tacton Design Automation Studio: Full System DEMO – Autodesk Inventor – YouTube

Read More