Mead Intelligen designed to control machinery downtime - Packaging Tech Update - Mead Corp. Packaging Div - Brief Article

Modern Brewery Age, Jan 28, 2002

Mead Packaging of Atlanta, Georgia, launched its new Mead Intelligen system at the Drinktec Interbrau show in Munich, Germany. According to the company, the system is designed to optimize packaging line productivity and economics by automatically detecting problems in operating machinery.

For example, Mead reports that Intelligen can address typical preventive maintenance items like machine sanitation or vacuum cup replacement, but can also predict different types of catastrophic failure.

"Mead Intelligen introduces the capability to predict part wear and schedule required maintenance at the best point in a production schedule," says Brendan J. Clegg, Mead Packaging vice president for worldwide marketing. "By using Mead Intelligen technology as a tool to forecast and control downtime, packaging lines can run at optimum levels during peak demand and product supply will flow to the marketplace in line with expected economics."

William E. Cecil, Mead v.p. for technology says that Mead's Intelligen is significantly different from conventional packaging machinery maintenance programs. "Let's compare an intelligent control technology like Meade's to an automobile,' he said. "An owner's manual tells you to change the oil every 3,000 miles, but the manual doesn't know how you drive, maybe the oil change should be scheduled more or less often, depending on driving conditions, the manual really can't tell you when you should change your oil, but mead Intelligen technology can."

Cecil reports that the Intelligen system can monitor torque data and analyze operating conditions to predict when critical maintenance will be required and report in advance, so that downtime can be planned. Mead is now using lighter and stronger system components to reduce torque variation, and has developed PC-based software to interpret operating data.

"The ability to leverage torque data is already fundamental to our servo-driven systems," Cecil noted. "We've learned that a hybrid packaging system--part servo and part mechanical drive--will not support the advantages of intelligent technology because it is important to isolate the relevant data between each servo motor and the modular assembly it drives. Thus, 100% servo technology, modular engineering and PC-based electronics are critical to this technology."

Cecil said that key consumer benefits would include much reduced down-time.

"Preventing unexpected down-time is essential to good production line economics," said v.p. Clegg. "The ability to identify critical issues like chain tension and wear, bearing wear, belt wear or lubrication needs, and schedule required maintenance during normal changeovers enables better production control and economics."

Mead Intelligen technology was demonstrated at Drinktec using a 100% servo-driven Mead Basketwrap 250 system.