Nedap AVI


Automatic loading system for food compound industry


loading_food1.jpgAt ForFarmers animal feed is manufactured and distributed to 6000 farmers across Europe. In the last three years they migrated to a complete new automatic loading system. Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology from Nedap proofed to be the solution to reduce truck loading time from 45 to less than 10 minutes.

 

High degree in automation

The compound animal feed industry is highly automated. All processes like purchasing, storing, mixing, and distributing of nutrients have been integrated in the automation system. All farmers have their own preferred composition of nutrients which means that over 300 different types have to be processed. Integrated scheduling techniques enable efficient processing. Transportation is done by bulk trucks.

 

Food safety and tracebility

Within the framework of food safety, tracebility of the product is vital. In case of an incident ForFarmers needs to know all transportation movements (who delivered what to who). Within a four hour time frame nutrients can be tracked and traced from its original source to the farmer (and animal eventually).

 

Identification and registration

To track and trace nutrients Nedap AVI equipment is installed to do the registration of driver and vehicle movements. Every driver and vehicle has an RFID badge or tag. At all entrances, loading docs and weighbridges RFID readers identify these badges and tags. The registration is used to authorize and verify certain actions. In this way for example loading is not initiated in case a driver chooses the wrong loading dock.

 

Truck loading

The loading process starts as soon as the driver leaves from the last farmer on his route. All trucks are equipped with GPS. The system knows exactly where the truck is and how long it takes to arrive at the plant. This data is collected by the production planning scheduling system and its new load is set ready. As soon as the truck enters the plant the driver is instructed to go to the weighbridge. The vehicle is identified and the system checks its weight and verifies whether the truck is empty or not. After verification the driver is instructed to go to the loading dock where its new load is waiting in the vehicle contra set. The driver only has to drive and stop and as soon as a light turns green the loading process starts. During loading time the driver steps out of the truck and picks up his receipt. This receipt shows him his new route. A full truck normally contains animal feed for an average of three customers. Time between arriving empty at the plant and leaving full again is only 10 minutes.

 

ADVANTAGES

  • Revenue enhancement
  • Efficiency improvement
  • Faster tracebility