Digitalisation improves profitability and minimises manual work

The new MES system introduces digitalisation to yellow cheese production, packaging and storage at dairies.

With the ScanPlant NG system, Scanvaegt Systems introduces a total solution for cheese dairies that creates transparency in work with quality assurance, stock status, traceability and profitability.

Small and medium-sized dairies are facing the challenge of digitalising their production and packing facilities. As it stands today, a myriad of data from production, packing and storage is typically entered manually into spreadsheets, and handwritten notes are posted on the shelves where the yellow cheeses ripen.

This is according to Allan Hedevang, Product Sales Manager at Scanvaegt Systems, which is ready with the new ScanPlant NG MES system for dairies with production of yellow cheeses. The system is a customised industry solution, developed specifically for the dairy sector's actual production processes.

"We import the information on e.g. traceability, quality assurance and laboratory data from the dairy's spreadsheets into the ScanPlant system, which now gives the dairy a complete overview of all information. The data is in real-time and can therefore be used as an effective management tool, where the dairy plant can easily extract data and, for example, compare the yield of different batches," says Allan Hedevang.

Improves profitability 

ScanPlant NG MES is a total factory system that monitors production development, stock development and yield, among other things. The system digitises the tasks and creates transparency on a wide range of parameters, ensuring optimised operations and highlighting any deviations and, thus, possible improvements in earnings potential.

Comprehensive management of the cheese store 

 "With the ScanPlant system, which provides all yellow cheeses with barcodes, the dairy gets a good overview of how far the cheeses are in the process in terms of maturation, when they must be turned, when they must be washed, whether ironing cloth or another form of coating has been applied on them, approval processes and what the exact stock status looks like. Cheese cards with unique barcode IDs will also be installed on the shelves, so that the different batches are always kept track of. The system digitises all registrations – it reduces manual typing errors and ensures full traceability," explains Allan Hedevang.

"Whereas dairies only had a sense of level profitability in the packing centre and warehouse in the past, they can now measure earnings in real-time through accurate reporting. In addition, ScanPlant will certainly save a lot of time, as many manual tasks are now unnecessary," he adds.

Saves labour time and prevents errors 

ScanPlant NG can also be operated in the warehouse via handheld terminals and mobile devices and has a built-in input control that prevents mistyping and ensures correct data.

"We have developed an MES system focusing on process control and on a navigation-friendly platform where the operator is guided through the various controls step by step on the screen. There are so many possibilities with digitalisation and data collection in ScanPlant, which can sort and compare data and provide the dairy the complete overview," Allan Hedevang emphasises.