Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) operates more than 760 agricultural products plants around the world, using corn, soybeans, wheat, oilseeds and other produce to manufacture materials used to make products ranging from food and animal feed to biodiesel and industrial feedstocks.
In 2004, the company recognized the potential for plant data to help improve performance in regulatory compliance, quality, efficiency, process design, cost accounting and logistics, and launched an initiative to improve its ability to convert data into useful information. "Over the past 11 years, we've made some progress," said Scott Harmeier, process optimization manager at ADM, to attendees at the NovaTech Futureproof Automation 2015 User Conference on Aug. 31 in New Orleans. "It's been a long and constantly changing process."
Protecting electrical controls and equipment within food and beverage plants presents unique challenges due to the sanitation requirements of the hygienic environment.
