Case Study Stabinger Confectionery GmbH noax Industrial PCs optimize production processes and control manufacturing machines in a modern confectionery company in South Tyrol
noax Industrial PCs measure, manage and count the mini-cake production at the Stabinger facility
Hygienic production replaces preservatives Quality, that is what is most important. Karl Stabinger, founder and CEO of the Stabinger Confectionary Company, used this simple idea to expand a small-town bakery into a Europewide exporting company. His “Sweet Sins from South Tyrol” brand is being sold in grocery store chains such as Metro Cash & Carry, Galeria Kaufhof and exclusively at Feinkost Käfer in Munich. The confection goods are produced in South Tyrol. The production site is outfitted with state-of-the-art machines that are able to produce about 4,000 Ricotta pastries per hour, and simultaneously produce about 5,900 feet of Strudelini, a type of a mini apple strudel. The factory “To prevent bacteria, noax owns cooling and Industrial PCs are treated with packaging facilities chemicals and high-pressure and a mechanical washdowns regularly” workshop, as well as a food-laboratory to supervise the quality of the goods produced. In regard to the quality of his products, Karl Stabinger allows no compromises. In spite of mass production, his cakes and pastries still taste as if they had come from a small-town bakery. This is due to the consistent use of fresh ingredients, dedicated workers, and the most modern food production technology, including the noax S15 and P15 industrial PCs.
and special programs for machine control in the confectionary industry. The standard software, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, was adapted to the requirements of Stabinger, by adding a few additional modules. As soon as an order is entered into the system, the head of production processes the orders and delegates the necessary equipment and personnel. Karl Stabinger introduced a group premium model at his plant, which rewards those workers who perform best. At the beginning of production, the noax industrial PC’s verifies whether the combined ingredients in the mixing machines correspond to the recipe. A scale determines the appropriate amounts and transfers the data to the noax IPC. The industrial PC’s then rechecks the recipe data. If the mixture ratio is wrong, the production manager will be informed immediately.
Premium model Since November 2006, noax IPCs have ensured efficient and reliable production processes because all of their hardware and software components are designed to work together and provide optimal performance. The software was specially developed for food production companies. The software architecture consists of the ERP software Microsoft Dynamics NAV Industrial PCs assist with recipe quality control
Compressed air and metal detectors Additionally, a noax industrial PC’s controls the composition and consistency of the whipped cream mixture. The cream is whipped with compressed air unlike traditional processing with an electric blender or a whisk. Compressed air saves two thirds of the production time without affecting the taste. A noax heat-resistant PC monitors baking times, since cake dough has to be baked perfectly. A module that is part of the software solution, determines the ideal combination of oven-use and optimal baking time for each respective product. When cakes, tarts, or strudel are baked, filled and decorated, they have to be packaged in order to seal in the aroma and safe transport. Karl Stabinger has outfitted a separate room for packaging, where noax IPCs
Fresh mini-cakes, South Tyrolean apple strudel and red-berry gateaux are in the portfolio of the Stabinger Confectionery. Despite the high-tech production site on a 81,805 square feet area, the founder and owner Karl Stabinger creates a homemade taste through fresh ingredients and the essential loving handiwork. Everything besides the manual work is monitored by noax Industrial PCs: the mixture, the baking times and the packaging.
noax Industrial PCs monitor the exact amount of ingredients – everything tastes homemade
fulfill tasks such as printing labels and keeping track of packaging units. Before the pastries go on their journey, they have to pass by a metal detector. Despite intensive controls, it screens for metallic objects in final products. This is also part of quality control, making sure the customer will get a perfect product. After the final check, the baked goods are packaged for transport and sale. A noax mobile industrial PC’s is responsible for printing the labels. Since Stabinger is an international company, labels are printed in customers’ respective languages. All labels also contain barcodes for tracking. A beam sensor tracks the packaging units, until each order is completed, then the cakes, tarts and strudels can be secured on palettes and loaded onto trucks. Stabinger has optimized order processing and production to an extent that when an order is received before 6:00 PM, it is shipped the next day before 2:00 PM. This way, his customers always receive the freshest goods.
Hygienic design
regularly exposed to high-pressure washdowns and cleaning chemicals. The completely sealed construction and protection connector covers, prevent water, cleaning chemicals, acids or brine from harming the PCs. All components in a noax PC are securely attached. There is no use of plug connectors, which can come loose during shock or vibration and lead to downtimes. If these industrial PC’s control expensive installations or production machines, any downtime will generate high costs. Production would not be able to access the goods management system and delivery deadlines could not be met, which is particularly critical for “just-in-time” deliveries. In regard to its customers, a company with these kinds of IT problems will quickly lose its reliability and endanger its very existence. Reliability of automated solutions is most important in production. noax guarantees its customers not only the best processing on the market, but support for years. From the beginning, it was important for noax designers that the concept of their industrial PC’s be directed at environmental conditions in industrial production, where extreme temperature
variations, chemicals, permanent vibration or heavy shocks, all belong to the daily routine of an industrial PC. Therefore, noax engineers only choose components for their units which are industrial grade. An internal blower by ebm Pabst will make sure that the heat buildup “The reliability of the by a processor or a screen automated solution is the will be quickly forwarded most important factor in to the outside by means production.” of special cooling fans. A microcontroller regulates temperature leading to optimal functionality of the industrial PCs. Information can easily be accessed via the analog IPC resistive touchscreen. Special mounts for the IPCs allow the user to operate the industrial PC’s in comfort, since they are ergonomically optimized to be at chest level. Since November 2006, when Karl Stabinger added the industrial PC’s to his production, order slips, and the processing associated with them, have become a thing of the past. Stabinger is convinced that the industrial PC’s have a great future ahead of them in his company.
The completely sealed touchscreen PCs at Karl Stabinger’s company were designed by noax to meet the particularly high hygiene requirements of the food industry. The PCs have a smooth stainless steel enclosure and are completely sealed according to protection rating IP65. This means that neither dust nor moisture will affect the industrial PC’s . In regard to Stabinger, this means that the industrial PC’s are protected from flour dust, water, cleaning materials and grease. Reliable sanitation processes are part of Stabinger’s philosophy. “Fundamentally, we do not add any preservatives to our products. Our preservative measures are hygiene, if you put it that way.“ This means that the machinery, including the noax IPCs are The employee controls the baking times on the Industrial PC next to the oven
Stabinger Confectionery GmbH
Specifications and Application
Overview of Components
Company Profile:
Objectives:
Hardware:
In Sexten – a small village in South Tyrol located in the middle of the Dolomites – Stabinger opened its company and specialized in the production of cakes, fine gateaux and typical South Tyrolean strudel - now sold all over the world. Sweet sins from South Tyrol! In an area of 81,805 square feet works a high-tech production and packaging facililty. Despite the mass daily production: The confectionery-specialties don’t taste like mass-ware off the conveyor belt, but thanks to fresh ingredients, lovingly handwork and modern technology, everything tastes homemade.
Managing of the mixers and ovens
In-time depiction of the orders
-- Industrial PC Steel S15 Industrial PC Panel P15
Automated label-print
Optimize processing
Optimize working times
For more information, please visit: www.staby.it
IPC Requirements:
-- In-house developed noax all-in-one motherboard -- Input: particularly robust touch panels -- Bright, high-contrast TFT display -- Protection class IP65 -- Completely sealed, without external fan
IPC operation at the production line
Completely sealed
Narrow installment
Protection against flour, water and chemicals
Interfaces for periphery devices, i.e. printers
Bright, high contrast display
Professional support and service
High system availability
Software: -- Operating system: Windows XP -- Application programs: Eos GmbH (www.eos-italia.it), ERP software Microsoft Dynamics NAV
© noax Technologies Case Study arranged 2007
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