Cigarette Manufacturing

Problem:
A cigarette manufacturer needed to monitor and present line speeds and machine events/faults on displays along each line. Down time is measured by thousands of cigarettes per minute lost when there is a machine problem.

Solution:
Single Line LED Displays were integrated with the PLCs to provide event/fault messaging along the lines. The operators were able to take immediate action due to the dynamically visible information presented. Proactive response to events, faults, and machine down times are other added benefits. The displays also provide line production information creating competition between teams.

Data Source:
Data is transmitted from the com port on each PLC displaying counts in cigarettes per minute. Data is serial protocol sent via RS485 to the displays.

ROI:
Savings were calculated based on cigarettes produced per minute. Employees are encouraged to reduce down time on their machine. Savings are estimated to be over $10,000/month based on increased production due to the reduced down time benefit. Payback for the displays was less than 6 weeks.

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