Elly Yates-Roberts |
This article was originally published in the Spring 2019 issue of The Record. Subscribe for FREE here to get the next issue delivered directly to your inbox.
The demand for coffee roasting machines in Indonesia has grown significantly in recent years, thanks to the region’s thriving coffee production industry, teamed with the growing global appetite for coffee.
When Indonesian industrial food machinery producer Berto saw the available opportunities, the firm decided that it needed to modernise its systems to be able to competitively sell its roasting machines.
That’s where Schneider Electric comes in. The energy management and automation solutions provider helped Berto Coffee Roaster modernise its processing systems by implementing Schneider’s EcoStruxure solutions. Powered by the internet of things, the plug-and-play platform delivers enhanced value around safety, reliability, operational efficiency, sustainability and connectivity.
Berto faced three specific challenges regarding its modernisation. It needed to: strengthen its competitive edge in the expanding market; leverage the industrial internet of things (IIoT) to improve machine productivity and reduce downtime and maintenance; and add value to the export market.
In order to tackle these challenges, Berto installed Schneider’s Modicon M221 programmable logic controllers and Magelis HMI (Human-Machine Interface) which help machine operators to consistently roast coffee beans to the desired standards. Schneider’s EcoStruxure Machine SCADA Expert (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) Expert solution was also implemented to monitor machine productivity in real time. Combined with EcoStruxure Machine Advisor, and enabled through Microsoft Azure cloud technology, operators can now remotely monitor their machines to improve efficiency. By using EcoStruxure Augmented Operator Advisor, Berto can immediately detect and address issues as they arise using augmented reality via a tablet or mobile device. Using these solutions Berto has been able to reduce maintenance and downtime of its machine by up to 50%.
Overall, by using Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure smart machine solutions, Berto Coffee Roasters has been able to increase production output, quality and consistency by automating and digitising its roasting machines.
“We trust Schneider Electric as our partner because of its expertise and integrated EcoStruxure solutions that help us leverage the latest IIoT technologies,” said Marcel Patilaya, general manager of Berto Coffee Roaster. “With all these advantages, we are looking forward to the continued growth of the coffee industry and are doing our part to ensure that coffee lovers everywhere enjoy the best quality coffee.”