US 12,443,174 B2
Method and an apparatus for increasing efficiency of a food production plant
Mattias Abrahamsson, Annelöv (SE); Sebastian Nygren, Arlöv (SE); and Rickard Moberg, Teckomatorp (SE)
Assigned to Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
Appl. No. 18/000,921
Filed by Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Pully (CH)
PCT Filed May 28, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/064407
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 6, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/249794, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20179798 (EP), filed on Jun. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0221711 A1, Jul. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. G05B 19/418 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/41885 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for increasing efficiency of a food production plant, said method comprising:
extracting plant data from a control system of the food production plant, wherein the control system is communicatively connected to control units placed in food production units in the food production plant,
generating a digital model of the food production plant based on the plant data extracted from the control system, wherein the digital model comprises equipment objects having actions linked thereto, connections between the equipment objects, and series of actions linked to equipment object arrangements,
downloading a plant assistant library comprising a number of assistant objects, each assistant object comprising:
an initial production scenario comprising an initial series of actions linked to an initial equipment object arrangement, and
a recommended production scenario comprising a recommended series of actions linked to a recommended equipment object arrangement, wherein the recommended production scenario provides for an increased efficiency of the food production plant compared to the initial production scenario,
identifying a current equipment object arrangement in the digital model that matches the initial equipment object arrangement of the initial production scenario of a matching assistant object,
replacing the current equipment object arrangement in the digital model with the recommended equipment object arrangement associated with the recommended production scenario of the matching assistant object,
replacing a current series of actions linked to the current equipment object arrangement in the digital model with the recommended series of actions corresponding to the recommend production scenario of the matching assistant object,
transmitting update data corresponding to the recommended equipment object arrangement and the recommended series of actions in the digital model to the control system, and
updating the food production plant based on the update data.