Packaging value chain and Big Data
This Partner request search is propaedeutics to participate in the call Towards European Strategic Cluster Partnerships for smart specialisation investments - Call for the expression of interest, theme Industrial Modernisation.
The packaging sector is one of the most important in Europe, for revenue, number of employees and export.
The producers of packaging machinery world leaders, for food, beverage, tobacco, drugs, cosmetic, tissue, are located mainly in Emilia-Romagna (IT), Lombardy (IT), Baden Württemberg (DE), Hessen (DE), and Bavaria (DE) regions; important European suppliers of process control are located in Upper Austria (AT) and Vorarlberg (AT) regions, while packaging machine users are spread in all Europe.
The need to maintain the leadership in the global market sets important challenges for the packaging sector whereas the following list is just a first, simplified summary:
- improve adaptivity, reconfigurability and flexibility, even for small batches
- reduce operating and maintenance costs by monitoring technologies, diagnostic, prognostic, also remotely, and e-maintenance
- increase the quality of production and the reduction of waste
- optimize the use of energy resources and take into account the complete product life cycle and the possible industrial symbiosis
Big data coming from the large I/O interface of the Automation Control governing the packaging systems and from IOT devices located in the plan are therefore an important source of information ,still to be utilised to face & solve the above mentioned challenges.
Big data analytics can offer excellent opportunities to create a real breakthrough in the automation plans with particular reference to packaging machinery value chain, increasing customization, flexibility and offering new tools for sustainability. Among other, Big Data will allow proactive monitoring of product quality and predictive maintenance, enabling decisions in real time allowing also manufacturers to bridge the gaps left at the design phase of the product. An opportunity that packaging sector have still to catch.