Peanut Processing

TechComp has been working with multiple plants for a peanut manufacure since 2003, and have completed many projects for them during this time, which include machine controls refits, automation projects, plant wide Overall Equipment Efficiencies (OEE), Asset Management solutions, robotics, cooking systems, and water treatment controls. We provide continued support for the systems, and work closely with their staff to assist in meeting lifecycle engineering and sustainability goals. Our most recent projects include:

  • OEE Project – TechComp implemented an OEE system to collect data on Cooking and Packaging Lines. The systems included modification of ControlLogix PLCs, development of a FactoryTalk Suite Edition application, a SQL Server historian with web-based reporting, and a web page interface for administrative functions. The system calculated OEE for real time feedback as well as aggregating the data for comparison for up to five years.
  • Live Data Display – TechComp developed a FactoryTalk View SE application used with a data concentrator ControlLogix PLC to display production, alarm, and OEE information. This information is displayed real-time on 57” large screen displays throughout the plant. The displays have improved awareness of alarm conditions and production information which allowed a 15% increase in production within the first 45 days. FactoryTalk AssetCentre Project – Kraft is standardized on Rockwell for their overall automation controls and software. 
  • TechComp has completed a large AssetCentre project in their Planters plant in Suffolk, VA which maintains complete backup of 200+ Assets (PLCs, HMIs, Drives, & Robotic Programs). As part of this development, TechComp installed and implemented Windows Domain Servers and a Rockwell Directory and Activation Server to centrally manage licenses, users, and security. One of the focuses of FactoryTalk AssetCentre was that the change management software provided a set of asset-centric focused tools to securely and centrally manage automation production environments by tracking user’s actions, managing asset configuration files, and providing backup and recovery of operating asset configurations. With these capabilities, compliance with many cyber security requirements was made significantly easier.