Industry
- Food & Beverage
Technology Focus
- Ignition
- Ignition OPC UA Module
- Rest API
Project Overview
Before initiating this project, workers manually stacked product cases on pallets and once the pallets were fully loaded, transported them to a separate labeling station. The pallets were then shrink-wrapped at the labeling station and labels manually applied. This manual process was riddled with inefficiencies, including delays in transport, inconsistent stacking and labeling accuracy, higher labor costs, and increased potential for errors or injuries. The lack of real-time tracking and data integration also made maintaining precise inventory control and productivity difficult. Other challenges included:
- Inconsistent/inaccurate data on manually created labels
- Inaccurate/missing pallet data in the ERP/WMS</
- Pallets created in ERP/MES which did not physically exist in the warehouse
With the manufacturer installing 6 new lines with 2 palletizers each having 3 lines feeding into it with potentially different product/work orders, this was a prime opportunity to automate the palletizing and labeling procedures. As part of the upgrade, the company sought a solution to streamline the process of getting customer-specific product data from their ERP system formatted directly onto labels.
Solution
The manufacturer was utilizing a Mariani palletizer system, but it lacked the ability to communicate with its existing ERP system and the Videojet label printers for loading labels/print jobs, creating a gap in operational efficiency. To resolve this, the manufacturer partnered with NeoMatrix to integrate the palletizer system with its ERP. NeoMatrix leveraged the Mariani system’s OPC UA server to establish a connection using Ignition software. Since the company already had Ignition in place, this integration became a seamless extension of its existing capabilities.
Through Ignition, the manufacturer was able to automate label printing and streamline data flow between devices and systems. Ignition enabled communication with label printers, printer jets, barcode scanners, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and the ERP. This allowed product and customer-specific data to be pulled directly from the ERP for real-time label generation. Ignition can further integrate with sensors, conveyors, and other packaging equipment, ensuring smooth coordination throughout the palletizing and labeling process, reducing manual intervention, and boosting overall efficiency.
Results
Each pallet is now automatically labeled with data pulled directly from the ERP system, resulting in a substantial reduction in errors and labor costs while effectively accommodating increased production demands.
The streamlined production process has enabled faster pallet creation and reporting. The palletizing takes around 7 minutes per pallet now (stacking 75-120 cases) and the pallet label generation, application, and reporting process is done in under a minute per pallet.
Every pallet produced is now reported back to the Warehouse Management System (WMS) and ERP, allowing for efficient management of pallet inventory within the warehouse. This automation has transformed their inventory management, enhancing visibility and operational control.
About Mariani
Mariani Srl is an Italian company leader in design, development and implementation of innovative solutions in the automated secondary packaging and end-of-line packaging processes. Thanks to the experience gained with the supply of an extensive range of plants since 1970, with over 6000 machines installed in more than 45 countries, Mariani Srl can offer a production program which covers all secondary and palletizing operations. The Company specializes in the manufacturing & upgrading of Dairy, liquid-food and beverages product handling and secondary packaging lines of different production rates from 500 – 40,000 products per hour.
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