Pan Candy Manufacturing Systems
IPACT has provided Level 1 control systems for numerous pan candy lines owned by a snack food manufacturer. These were complete turn-key projects, from engineering and functional specifications through startup. The systems execute line schedules, control the flow of component products, control temperature, and monitor line operations for alarm conditions. A highly functional human-machine interface was developed in conjunction with line operators, and has gained great acceptance in day-to-day operation. These systems have resulted in greater product uniformity (due to more accurate product metering and stricter adherence to standard schedules) and decreased waste (due to abnormal conditions being detected before the product is ruined).Subsequent to the success of the above systems, IPACT was chosen by the same manufacturer to provide the entire automation package to control a new generation of pan candy production facilities. This automation spanned functional areas from syrup making/distribution and the control of infeeding and distribution of product centers on the upstream side of the pans through the control of outfeeding and distribution of finished product on the downstream side of the pans. IPACT provided the functional specifications, implementation, simulation, testing, and commissioning services for the sixteen (16) Level 1 processors and nineteen (19) HMI/SCADA terminals that control this facility. These new systems provide precision control over the amount of product centers and additives, air flow, air temperature, product temperature, and moisture, and have vastly improved product quality while simultaneously reducing batch processing time by nearly 20%.
Integrated Process Automation & Control Technologies