Automation | Danish Agro

Upgrade of feed production control ensures delivery security

Init was in charge of replacing the entire production control at Danish Agro's feed factory in Vrå. The comprehensive upgrade has given Danish Agro more flexibility, increased delivery security and a control system that is tailored to feed production.

 

Danish Agro is a cooperative owned by 8,300 Danish farmers. The company’s mission is to provide Danish and international farmers with services and quality products on competitive terms – among other things, the company has a large feed production.

 

At Init, we are proud of our long-standing collaboration with Danish Agro. And in one of our latest projects, we helped Danish Ago replace the entire factory control at one of its feed factories.

Danish Agro_feed factory control system

9

Number of PLCs

180,000

Tons/year

Challenge

Outdated production control threatens security of supply

The production control at Danish Agro’s feed factory in Vrå was built by Init back in 1976. Init updated the software part in 2000, but the hardware is the original.

 

The aging control setup presented the feed company with a number of challenges:

 

  • Lack of spare parts for old PLCs
  • Increased risk of production breakdowns
  • Lack of flexibility in relation to new legal requirements and IT policies
  • Increased maintenance costs

 

Accordingly, it was clear that a thorough upgrade of the feed factory’s control was needed to solve the challenges and ensure future security of supply. The upgrade included replacing all hardware and updating the software.

 

The Vrå factory has two production lines, one of which produces special feed that cannot be produced at any of Danish Agro’s other factories. Hence, it was not possible to move production temporarily while the new control was implemented.

 

Consequently, it was absolutely crucial that we carried out the implementation with as little downtime as possible.

Solution

New modern control system tailored for feed production

Init built the original control system at the factory. And it is also Init that has provided production control for many of Danish Agro’s other factories. Therefore, it made good sense for Kim Sørensen, Operations Manager at Danish Agro, to let Init lead the comprehensive upgrade.

 

Firstly, Init’s programmers have in-depth knowledge of the control and production processes in the factory. Secondly, they are familiar faces to both me and the operators – and they also know the local electricians. It provided a sense of security, which is hugely important in a crucial project like this.

 

Kim Sørensen

IndustrialEngineering-1931×1275

Init helped with everything from building new panels to modernising the factory control, cold testing and commissioning. We also built a new switchboard room to improve safety for the factory’s employees.

 

The new control system itself is based on Init’s Agro Flex 3000 platform. It is a tailor-made control system specially designed for feed factories. The control system combines modern SCADA/PLC technology with decades of experience and knowledge of feed production processes. Several of Danish Agro’s other factories are also equipped with Agro Flex 3000 from Init.

 

 

Good planning ensures minimal downtime

 

It requires thorough planning to replace an entire factory control system in an ongoing production. Accordingly, Init began the upgrade with a preliminary project in which we analysed the factory and identified necessary requirements. In this way, we could ensure that there were no surprises in the implementation process.

 

Furthermore, to minimise downtime we shut down one production line at a time. This gave Danish Agro the opportunity to continue production on one line, while Init’s engineers implemented the new control system on the other. In the end, the upgrade was completed with 14 days of partial downtime and only two days when both production lines were shut down at the same time.

Result

Tailor-made factory control futureproofs feed production

The upgrade means that Kim Sørensen and his team no longer have to worry about a production breakdown:

 

First and foremost, the project gave us security. We avoid breakdowns that require the factory to stand still. As a bonus, we have achieved a more modern control system, which we can easily update with new features.

Kim Sørensen.

 

All in all, the replacement of the control and control system resulted in:

 

  • Better reliability
  • Increased traceability
  • Reduced power consumption
  • Increase in production
  • Increased operator safety
  • Uniform management across factories
  • Flexibility to add new features and functions

Fact box

About Agro Flex 3000

Init’s Agro Flex 3000 solution is a tracking and control system designed specifically for feed production. With Agro Flex 3000 you achieve:

 

  • Accurate and fast dosing and weighing with high repeatability
  • Increased traceability
  • Sophisticated batch handling
  • Long-term data logging in reliable SQL state-of-the-art database
  • Easy documentation

 

The control system can be connected to existing hardware and is therefore a cost-effective way to replace worn-out control systems. So far, Init has installed Agro Flex 3000 at more than 70 feed factories in the Nordic region.

Init’s deliveries:

 

  • Upgrade of Agro3000Flex SCADA and control software
  • New MCC panels to replace existing MCC panels
  • New hardware for installation in existing PLC panels that are recycled
  • Cold test
  • Factory acceptance test (FAT)
  • Onboarding and training of operators
  • On-call service for 3 months after completion of the run-in

Reach out

for more information

Bent Strøm

Sales Manager

+45 20 24 75 32

[email protected]

Init Odense, Denmark

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