“The very first time a semi-trailer goes through the system, we position the truck to essentially teach the probe where it can probe, where it won’t hit any of the bows or straps on the truck.
“The way it’s designed to work is the truck would have a small puck installed just behind the front of the trailer,” Jerry Kramer, CHS general manager, says.
#LIGHTS OUT 9 LIVE FEED HOW TO#
Still in the pilot phase, once fully operational, the system will incorporate artificial intelligence and advanced sensing capabilities to “teach” a truck probe how to sample incoming grain without anyone manning the controls. Notable achievers of nearly lights out manufacturingĮxamples of semi-lights out operations in feed and grain processing are cropping up across the supply chain.įor example, a CHS grain elevator in Herman, Minnesota, is on its way to implementing a first-of-its-kind lights out automated receiving system. Today, following protocols requires employee training and relies on the employee’s commitment to biosecurity and proficiency in completing the task.Īs technology costs drop over time, advanced sensors, high-quality cameras, automatic washers and high-temperature sterilizers may provide effective solutions for reducing the potential for human error in sanitation practices. Human error in following sanitation protocols for the prevention of pathogenic spread could also be avoided with lights out manufacturing. With lights out, automated receiving would eliminate or greatly reduce feed mill foot traffic from truck drivers. Since the truck is also a carrier of either washing down in-truck very often or the type of heat sterilization that is commonly used inside flour mills.”
#LIGHTS OUT 9 LIVE FEED DRIVER#
“A truck driver drives trucks - they do not load feed trucks.
#LIGHTS OUT 9 LIVE FEED DRIVERS#
“We’re starting to see feed companies have their truck drivers stay in their truck,” says Loren Field, P.E., executive vice president of Younglove Construction LLC.
While acceptable controls for moving between areas include foot baths, dedicated footwear, “Danish entry,” and handwashing stations, restricting most people’s access to the feed mill is an important biosecurity measure. “The goal is to develop procedures that prevent the pathogens from entering the manufacturing area, such as restricting personnel movement from the receiving area into the manufacturing area.” “Foot traffic from the receiving area represents a potential for bringing pathogens into the feed manufacturing plant,” the guidance states. According to Guidance for Developing Biosecurity Practices for Feed and Ingredient Manufacturing, humans - employees, visitors, drivers and customers - are all potential pathogen spreaders by way of soiled clothing, dirty footwear or on their person. The advantages of lights out manufacturing cited across industries include improved worker safety, reduced accidents, optimal operations efficiency, higher productivity and better manufacturing space utilization.Īdditionally, it addresses problems feed manufacturers face with staffing shortages and offers biosecurity advantages by reducing pathogen transmission via humans.įeed mills in the United States are required to have a written biosecurity plan to control the potential spread of animal diseases through feed and feed ingredients.Ī main component of this plan involves identifying potential hazards and risks throughout the manufacturing process. In the next 30 years, however, it is possible that automation technology and feed manufacturing equipment may be ready to rise to the challenge of lights out feed manufacturing. Lights out production also has limitations and works best with simple repeatable tasks - not complex ones (like feed mixing, batching and routing) or small production runs that would require reprogramming. Most mills today do not possess the facility automation, data exchange capabilities or maintenance-free equipment required to operate a mill without on-site staff. Its prevalence in feed manufacturing is likely years away from reality, according to industry experts. While it’s far from commonplace, it has been implemented in a few instances around the world - most notably at FANUC, a manufacturer in Japan that makes robots and manufacturing systems at its lights out factory. This concept is called lights out manufacturing and utilizes fully automated technology for all aspects of production, requiring little to no human intervention. In fact, you wouldn’t even need to flip on a light switch (automatically - from the command center, of course.) The mill would be buzzing with productivity, but not human activity.
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