How to achieve the integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry

The integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry helps plant management make timely and reliable decisions about the performance of all elements of the production process.

This integration is part of the tasks that the IT manager performs or evaluates on an ongoing basis. Likewise, he links information and KPIs across information systems and is responsible for ensuring a modern IT and OT infrastructure capable of operating at maximum performance (above 95.1% uptime), with the highest reliability—that is, with minimal downtime (MTBF, Mean Time Between Failures)—and with the flexibility to adapt to production needs in a sustainable manner.

He is also responsible for managing IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) infrastructure at the production plant, as well as promoting, implementing, and leading projects for the adoption of new technologies.

Along with the IT manager, another executive who can greatly benefit from the integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry is the project engineer. Their plant responsibilities include scheduling maintenance, improving machine performance, analyzing data for new enhancements, automating machines, migrations, staying updated on technology changes, and so on.

When should these key performance indicators be integrated into the plant?

Certainly, this is a question frequently asked by those in charge of company productivity. The answer: Right now. Logically, everything will depend on the particular needs of the plant and how far along it is on the path to becoming Industry 4.0.

But, if you're still wondering if it's a good time to implement key performance indicator integration in the food and beverage industry, pay attention if you hear phrases and comments like these on the plant floor:

• “This machine doesn't work well and distorts our production targets.
• “Today we will have to extend our working hours to be able to prepare all the orders.
• “This morning's shift couldn't fulfill all the orders. due to multiple production stoppages”.
• “There is a long waiting time between process 1 and 2, which delays delivery.
• “Every time we need information, we have to access an application that crashes, and on top of that, it gives us the data in an Excel file that has to be converted into graphs.
• “Technicians waste a lot of time during the day just collecting data from all the lines.”.
• “The quality manager has to take readings to get the information they need and never delivers on time.
• “The certification requires us to have this information by a certain date, and that's impossible with current technology.

If you are currently trying to solve problems like these, reconsider moving forward with the Industrial automation with the integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry, you will be able to solve these others:

• Tools are used that are only partially technological, without cohesion or a defined objective, that only solve a small part of the problem and have a high cost for the benefit they provide.
• Production information control.
• There are significant productivity losses.
• Presence of planning errors.
• Manufacturing processes are poorly automated.
• Existing production management systems and platforms are not integrated.
• There is little capacity for measurement and control of production processes, and therefore, for traceability.
• Large volumes of data cannot be processed in bulk with current production control tools.
• We do not have advanced functions within the production process such as trend analysis and prediction systems.
• There are problems in successfully carrying out continuous improvement actions because the necessary control, rectification, and reengineering tools are lacking.

Logically, the success of this integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry lies, we insist, in adaptation. In this case, in the adaptation that your Technology partner I managed to achieve with the company as a client, starting from what already exists.

The end customer is the plant, who decides what needs to be integrated. From the correct initial analysis, actions are taken to develop a system with a certain language, using its current database, with the “sensorization of machines," applying OEE to the production line, among others. This leads to a successful integration that will report benefits. Let's look at some:

• It will have a better approach to visualizing the operating parameters of the machines and the status of the lines. The easier the necessary metrics are to visualize, the better technicians can react to alerts.

• It can generate statistical reports on production downtime and the number of unexpected events that occur during a process and compromise the continuity of operations. These reports will help improve operations based on the standards and procedures expected from the company's production systems.

• It will be capable of assigning response roles based on machine failure, production line, and issue type, allowing the correct individuals to respond directly, whether it's a plant manager or maintenance personnel, rather than routing the response through administrative staff.

• Real-time monitoring of help desk status: All lines and stations included in the system can be monitored in real-time to detect if everything is working correctly or if support is required from a department such as maintenance, quality, materials, or production.

• You will get accurate KPIs, traceability, and digital production.

Ultimately, with the integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry, your company will be able to improve operational control, achieve the expected reliability, and adapt more quickly and easily to the ever-changing future needs. This includes both those coming from the market and those related to Industry 4.0.

If you would like more information about how the integration of key performance indicators in the food and beverage industry can help you at your plant, we invite you to subscribe to the Specialized Industrial Automation Newsletter, a newsletter with content about Industry 4.0 innovations, investment application trends, and much more.