While most food and beverage businesses have adopted process automation in one format or another, the technology has evolved considerably over the past few years, leading to improvements in design, efficiency and reliability.
One of the major drivers for businesses to increase levels of automation is legislation, but the need to compete in the market place and reduce production costs has also played a significant part.
Within the food and beverage industry, the key to finding the best automation solution is a thorough analysis of each individual part of the plant or installation.
By carrying out an in-depth analysis of the application, it can be determined if a centralised control system using non-intelligent nodes, will deliver the required performance, or if the sheer size of the system means that the control has to be decentralised, using a fieldbus system working with field controls, intelligent valves and actuators.
