SIG filling machines fitted with OPC-UA connectivity

SIG, a systems and solutions provider for aseptic carton packaging, is helping manufacturers gain full connectivity in their plants with machine-to-machine communication. The company recently announced that its new filling machines are now built in with industry-standard OPC Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) connectivity. This enables horizontal machine-to-machine and vertical communication within the entire production plant – from shop floor to top floor. OPC-UA is the data exchange standard for secure, reliable and platform-independent industrial communications, helping to drive smart, connected and fully integrated systems. 

In addition to this built-in offering, all existing SIG filling machines can also now be retrofitted with a simple plug-and-play installation providing OPC-UA connectivity. It is delivered through the Connector Module of SIG's Plant 360 Controller solution. This advanced monitoring and control solution was designed to optimise every part of food and beverage production by gradually integrating all plant processes and systems into one platform, no matter what equipment, supplier or PLC is used.

The industry-standard OPC Unified Architecture (OPC-UA) connectivity built into SIG filling machines enables horizontal machine-to-machine and vertical communication within the entire production plant – from shop floor to top floor. (Source: SIG)

Stefan Mergel, Senior Product Manager Equipment at SIG: “SIG is committed to driving maximum connectivity and integration within our customers' digital factories. And to enable this, all our new filling machines, as well as automatic magazines and downstream solutions, are using industry-standard OPC Unified Architecture, meaning that connectivity is simply built in from the start.”

Having OPC-UA connectivity either built in or retrofitted on SIG systems gives food and beverage manufacturers the greatest possible freedom and flexibility when choosing their other manufacturing components and technology partners. This ultimately means that an SIG customer can configure a digital factory based precisely on their needs and demands.

For manufacturers, flexibility in their operations has become an increasingly critical issue. With growing industry demands, rapidly changing consumer trends, and the ongoing challenge of COVID-19, manufacturers are seeking to make their production lines more flexible, individualised and agile to handle periods of higher outputs and faster product changes, while also driving down costs. As a result of this, many are looking to IoT-enabled systems, data and automation solutions to turn their filling plants into intelligent and connected factories.

Stefan Mergel: “Food and beverage production is rapidly changing and becoming more demanding than ever. Filling plants are operating on an unprecedented level with higher demands, growing competition, and ever-shorter production cycles – even more so due to COVID-19. Now is the time for companies to step up their digital transformation and ensure they can be more resilient, productive and agile in their future operations.”

Enabling OPC-UA connectivity within its filling machines, systems and components is another aspect of SIG's solution-driven Smart Factory platform – a drive to deliver IoT-enabled systems and technical services that transform filling plants into connected factories that secure the highest possible efficiency, flexibility and quality for customers.