Smart Factory Solutions for Tobacco Industries: Bridging the Manufacturing Generation Gap and Improving Operational Efficiency
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
- Networks & Connectivity - Ethernet
Applicable Industries
- Equipment & Machinery
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Factory Operations Visibility & Intelligence
- Manufacturing System Automation
Services
- Hardware Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Customer
British American Tobacco
About The Customer
British American Tobacco (BAT) is a British multinational company that manufactures and sells cigarettes, tobacco, and other nicotine products. BAT was seeking a solution to automate their product control processes and support the continuous use of legacy equipment to sustain high production levels. The company also needed to meet changing regulatory guidelines, particularly in terms of labeling requirements. BAT's production targets were impossible to meet without improved and precise quality measures at every stage of production.
The Challenge
The tobacco industry, represented in this case by British American Tobacco (BAT), is facing a decline in cigarette volumes worldwide. This decline has led to an increased emphasis on efficient supply chains and optimized production processes. The industry is also grappling with the need for agile production facilities and the integration of Industry 4.0 to accommodate diverse production requirements. BAT, in particular, was seeking a factory solution to automate their product control processes, from the transportation of tobacco and cigarette paper to the placement on cigarette machines and the packing conveyor. The company also needed to support the continuous use of legacy equipment, such as relay-controlled cigarette machines dating back to the 90s and AMK servo drive systems, to sustain production levels at speeds of 8000 to 16000 pieces per minute. Furthermore, changing regulatory guidelines necessitated flexibility in labeling requirements.
The Solution
BAT partnered with Advantech to develop a customized solution for their unique case. The solution combined the ARK-1124U and ADAM-6251 into a single system for data collection and analytics processing through a standard Ethernet interface. On the manufacturing floor, the networking framework was resolved using the EKI-5526I-AE industrial switch to unify communication between the various subscribers on the production line. These devices were designed to function in an industrial environment, operating without failure through vibration and high-temperature conditions, and could be easily mounted on DIN rails. The solution also incorporated the TPC-1551WP, a thin client terminal specifically designed for a variety of applications. This terminal provided the barcoding aspect necessary for the final requirement step, allowing BAT to meet changing regulatory guidelines.
Operational Impact
Case Study missing?
Start adding your own!
Register with your work email and create a new case study profile for your business.
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Smart Water Filtration Systems
Before working with Ayla Networks, Ozner was already using cloud connectivity to identify and solve water-filtration system malfunctions as well as to monitor filter cartridges for replacements.But, in June 2015, Ozner executives talked with Ayla about how the company might further improve its water systems with IoT technology. They liked what they heard from Ayla, but the executives needed to be sure that Ayla’s Agile IoT Platform provided the security and reliability Ozner required.
Case Study
IoT enabled Fleet Management with MindSphere
In view of growing competition, Gämmerler had a strong need to remain competitive via process optimization, reliability and gentle handling of printed products, even at highest press speeds. In addition, a digitalization initiative also included developing a key differentiation via data-driven services offers.
Case Study
Predictive Maintenance for Industrial Chillers
For global leaders in the industrial chiller manufacturing, reliability of the entire production process is of the utmost importance. Chillers are refrigeration systems that produce ice water to provide cooling for a process or industrial application. One of those leaders sought a way to respond to asset performance issues, even before they occur. The intelligence to guarantee maximum reliability of cooling devices is embedded (pre-alarming). A pre-alarming phase means that the cooling device still works, but symptoms may appear, telling manufacturers that a failure is likely to occur in the near future. Chillers who are not internet connected at that moment, provide little insight in this pre-alarming phase.
Case Study
Premium Appliance Producer Innovates with Internet of Everything
Sub-Zero faced the largest product launch in the company’s history:It wanted to launch 60 new products as scheduled while simultaneously opening a new “greenfield” production facility, yet still adhering to stringent quality requirements and manage issues from new supply-chain partners. A the same time, it wanted to increase staff productivity time and collaboration while reducing travel and costs.
Case Study
Integration of PLC with IoT for Bosch Rexroth
The application arises from the need to monitor and anticipate the problems of one or more machines managed by a PLC. These problems, often resulting from the accumulation over time of small discrepancies, require, when they occur, ex post technical operations maintenance.
Case Study
Data Gathering Solution for Joy Global
Joy Global's existing business processes required customers to work through an unstable legacy system to collect mass volumes of data. With inadequate processes and tools, field level analytics were not sufficient to properly inform business decisions.
