Save Time and Money With Fully Integrated Solutions! Part 1: Fully Integrated Plant Solutions

Fully Integrated Plant Solutions

Food processing plants are driven to improve traceability, enhance productivity, manage food safety, automate production, and increase market share. 所有这些都表明，食品加工厂的环境可能非常复杂. 为了简化工厂操作，实现运营效率, plant managers rely on technology solutions, which typically include a variety of software and hardware components. This is where solution integration becomes key. 采用完全集成的拉菲2注册登录和硬件解决方案可以帮助降低成本, reduce complexity and streamline production processes.

为了降低项目成本和总体支出，许多加工厂将自己进行集成，而不是购买完全集成的“即插即用”解决方案. For instance, instead of buying a complete solution to weigh and label product, 有些工厂会单独购买每一种组件，只是为了意识到没有简单的方法让他们的秤与打印机通信. 或者加工商将实施大型ERP系统，以在高水平上控制加工厂, 但这些工厂很难将生产和库存信息从工厂转移到他们的ERP系统中. In the end, 完全集成的解决方案可以节省工厂的时间和金钱，同时还可以提高工厂的效率.

What is a fully integrated solution?

              一个完全集成的解决方案将多个硬件和/或拉菲2注册登录无缝地集成到一个有凝聚力的工作解决方案中. 有很多供应商向加工厂出售单独的设备. 然后，工厂通常会雇佣全职员工或顾问，试图将所有东西连接在一起. 前面把天平和打印机绑在一起的例子是一个简单但很好的例子. One vendor might sell label printers to a processor, 或者，为了省钱，加工商会直接从电子商务网站购买标签打印机. 同一个处理器也可能有一个单独的规模供应商，负责销售和维护工厂的生产规模. 集成是将秤和打印机结合到一起的称重和标签解决方案. 集成的复杂性远远超过简单地将打印机插入磅秤. In order to get a valid production label, the integration in this case requires, scales, printers, label format design, database product file management, labeling software, printer configuration and correct communications. 拥有硬件和拉菲2注册登录知识以及集成这些解决方案部分的丰富经验是成功集成的关键. A lack of solution integration leads to frustration, additional costs, and overall plant floor inefficiencies.

Why are fully integrated solutions important?

Fully integrated solutions are important for several reasons. First, a fully integrated solution can reduce frustration both up in the office and on the plant floor. Typically, 挫折源于加工厂必须管理太多的系统才能完成一项任务. For example, label management can be a common source of frustration. 处理器之间的拉菲2注册登录没有无缝集成, their label formats, 他们的天平最终会浪费大量的时间和精力来创建标签格式. 而不是能够使用单一的动态标签格式的大多数产品, they end up making individual label formats for each PLU. This increases the overall effort to create the formats, 这使得维护大量的标签格式几乎不可能.

              处理器经常避免采用完全集成的解决方案，以节省成本和时间. 他们认为，如果单独购买解决方案的每个组件，就可以降低项目的总成本. However, 缺乏集成将增加项目或解决方案的总体成本和时间. When a plant project kicks off there are two options. 第一种选择是独立购买每个组件，并以尽可能低的成本购买每个项目. On paper this looks like a good option, however, 花费在比较成本和产品上的时间和资源将给项目增加一笔可观的费用. Even so, many processing plants still choose to go this route. 一旦购买了所有单独的组件，就会出现使用所有单独购买的组件创建解决方案的痛苦和耗时的任务. This approach requires experience, and knowledge that often surpasses what a processing plant can provide.

第二个选择是选择一个值得信赖的“即插即用”系统，它已经完全集成并准备好了. The upfront price tag might look higher, 但是，成本和时间的节省将通过执行和交付完全集成的解决方案来实现. Time and time again, processors try to save money by piecemealing solutions together, but in the end, they pay more for a lesser solution.

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Fully integrated solutions can also significantly improve overall plant productivity and efficiency. 拥有一个无缝的解决方案可以防止处理器使用变通方法和补丁工作“修复”来完成生产目标. By deploying fully integrated solutions onto the plant floor, 可以在更高的解决方案级别处理问题，而不是在组件级别. When the operation slows down or the solution fails, 集成解决方案提供商成为解决问题的单一联系点. 这可以防止处理器不得不在不同的组件供应商之间来回切换，以尝试解决问题. 问题解决得更快，供应商之间的相互指责也更少. Finally, 完全集成的解决方案还允许加工厂减少他们需要处理的供应商数量. Reducing the overall number of vendors helps eliminate confusion, 它还加快了及时购买和安装解决方案的过程.

How does it look to utilize fully integrated solutions on the plant floor?

在接下来的几个月里，本博客系列将重点关注可以在整个加工厂范围内实现的各种类型的完全集成解决方案. Carlisle Technology has over 30 years of experience in developing, configuring, installing and supporting fully integrated solutions. 这些解决方案已经帮助无数食品加工商减少了低效率，提高了产量. 下个月，我们的系列节目将从一家加工厂的收获车间开始. 我们将介绍一个完全集成的解决方案如何从动物进入加工厂开始可追溯性过程，以及解决方案集成如何提高收获区域内的操作效率.

Written by: Andy Cumpton, Sales and Marketing – Carlisle Technology