Chemical and Agricultural Cooperative Improves Efficiency, Flexibility, & Safety

Have you heard the phrase, “All publicity is good publicity”? Try quoting that to any company that’s had to answer for food recalls, job site accidents, chemical spills, or other consequences of using dated, inefficient manufacturing processes. A better phrase for manufacturers to rally behind would likely be, “No news is good news.”  

Interstates, Rockwell Automation, and Van Meter recently partnered to help a Midwest chemical and agricultural cooperative improve its safety, maximize productivity, and reduce operational costs with Rockwell Automation hardware and software solutions. Let’s go “On the Job” and learn more about how this was achieved with FactoryTalk Optix. 

The Challenge: How to Achieve Safety Without Sacrificing Efficiency

When working with tanks that are chalk full of dangerous chemicals, even the tiniest of accidents can be disastrous. This was one of the main reasons why this cooperative needed to reduce the number of manual interactions with those chemicals. Without real-time tank level monitoring, someone had to measure the chemical levels manually, heightening the potential for chemical spills. On top of that, the manual level measurements took extra time, which affected deadlines. Lastly, there was no tote batching flexibility to accommodate orders.  

With those challenges in mind, Van Meter and Interstates had three goals:  

1. Improve safety  
2. Maximize capacity & output  
3. Reduce operational costs 

They focused on two site locations before scaling a solution for the rest of the cooperative’s locations.  

The Solution: Using FactoryTalk Optix to Automate Manual Processes  

These goals were accomplished with a combination of Rockwell Automation hardware and software solutions, including FactoryTalk Optix. This is Rockwell Automation’s platform for data visualization and Human Machine Interface (HMI). Optix can be deployed in the cloud or on-premises, and has built-in change tracking and versioning to make collaboration and scalability easier.  

Why was FactoryTalk Optix the right choice for this cooperative?  

1. Simplicity. Deploying a visualization platform can be complicated… without the right solution. Optix did not need IT expertise to set up and maintain the system, making for a simple deployment with minimal support and no delays. 
2. Lower Cost Infrastructure. A competitive solution would have needed on-site servers, but Optix reduced infrastructure costs since it doesn’t require servers. Optix is a distributed system within FactoryTalk Hub, Rockwell Automation’s cloud-based home for applications. Using a distributed system also allows the cooperative to easily scale to its other locations without investing in additional infrastructure. 
3. Integrated Graphic Terminals. Even though Optix is a software solution, its associated hardware was another advantage. The cooperative used Rockwell Automation’s OptixPanel graphic terminals for machine-level visualization and control. OptixPanel offers a PC-like experience within a sealed HMI appliance, so they’re safe to use on the plant floor. The terminals are integrated with FactoryTalk Optix and Remote Access software, so there’s no programming required and easy remote access to the HMI system. 
4. Increased Batch Flexibility. Along with increased safety and lower costs, the cooperative also wanted to maximize capacity and output. Pairing the FactoryTalk solution with Allen-Bradley PLCs and hardware helped increase production through batch recipe flexibility.
5. Expert Support. Interstates, Van Meter, and Rockwell Automation's support was crucial for the cooperative’s success on this project. Van Meter and Interstates aided the cooperative with specification deployment, project scoping, and walk-down collaboration. While Optix is a simple system for the cooperative to maintain, knowing that ongoing support was available gave the cooperative peace of mind.  

The Result: Safer Conditions, More Flexibility, & More Efficiency

The Rockwell Automation solution provided level indication and product inventory on 250 chemical tanks between the two locations, helping the cooperative reach its three goals.  

1. Improve Safety: The cooperative automated a previously manual inventory tracking and reporting process with a system that provides complete visibility of chemical tank levels and safety mechanisms to prevent chemical spills. This solution also included the capability to automate the tote loading and unloading process with digital transaction tickets. Automating manual interactions with the chemical tanks reduced the risk of chemical exposure to the workers and the surrounding community. Even better, there was a significant reduction in environmental impact and cleanup incidents.  
2. Maximize Capacity & Output: The increased batch flexibility from using Allen-Bradley PLCs allowed the cooperative to provide a more diverse product portfolio.  
3. Reduce Operational Costs: This includes inventory reports and additional reporting capability with historical data for tracking chemical inventory. Thanks to the improved inventory management, the cooperative can plan and purchase more efficiently to complete orders on time.  

Do you struggle with data visibility and inventory monitoring? Are you looking to maximize safety and productivity while minimizing cost and risk? If you answered yes to any of these questions, let’s get in touch and discuss your facility’s needs. Remember, a safe place to work is a successful place to work!  

This article was originally published by Van Meter.