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Food Processors Visualise the Future

At CFIA Metz and PPMA, food manufacturers appreciate the benefits of 3D factory visualisation

Agrofood process engineers flocked to PPMA 2011 and CFIA Metz to source solutions for the factory of the future. First stop: MPDS4, offering flexible, efficient design of production facilities in 3D

Engineers in the competitive food processing sector are driven by the need to design efficient, profitable facilities. At CFIA Metz (France) and PPMA (UK), CAD Schroer’s software impressed with its fast and flexible 3D approach to factory projects.

At the CFIA Metz agrofood event, and the PPMA processing and packaging machinery show, CAD Schroer met with factory operators, engineering project management companies, and system integrators. Its MPDS4 2D to 3D factory layout software, and its factory modelling service, are designed to get new build or modification projects moving quickly.

MPDS4 Factory Layout Interactive Demo

Keeping Track of Factory Changes
“Our factory modelling service greatly interested Owner/Operators, who say that keeping track of their inventory and ever changing layouts is very time-consuming and expensive without the right tools,” explains Pierre Crabbe of CAD Schroer France.

CAD Schroer and WSP CEL at PPMA 2011: factory layout software and full project management services

“Many food processers only have 2D drawings of their factory layouts,” agrees UK Sales Manager Bill Wilkins, “When it’s time to expand operations or move facilities, they find that much is outdated. We help by modelling existing factories, then providing the MPDS4 design software for making changes in a quality controlled manner, providing 3D visualisations, as well as full project documentation for contractors.”

More Information about Factory Layout Software

Visualising Layouts in 3D
The 3D factory walk-throughs delivered directly in the MPDS4 design tool caught the attention of engineering managers at both events, who saw this as an effective way to examine issues, plan factory changes, and communicate with Directors. “Maintenance managers saw the 3D review tool as a great way to examine maintenance or safety issues in a factory or proposed layout, especially where machinery operates on multiple levels,” Pierre adds. MPDS4’s integrated interference checker automatically flags up breaches of safety clearance zones, for example.

MPDS4 FACTORY LAYOUT allows process engineers to design 3D factories on the basis of 2D drawings

Machinery providers and system integrators specialising in niche areas, such as providing clean rooms or conveying systems, have to fit their equipment into existing spaces. “They now recognise the huge benefits of planning in 3D - gaining precision layouts that avoid expensive rework on site, as well as excellent pre-sales materials,” says Bill.

Flexibility is Key
The food sector faces huge opportunities with new ingredients and an emphasis on lifestyle foods - but flexibility is key. For project engineers, this means a factory design tool that allows users to gain control over and flexibly adapt or redesign facilities, without a big implementation burden.

CAD Schroer at Food Events in 2012:

PPMA 2012

Processing and Packaging Machinery Exhibition
25-27 September 2012, Stand C15, NEC Birmingham, UK

CFIA Rennes 2012

13-15 March 2012, France