Moving your edible oil production from farm to fork
Sustainably, reliably and safely
Farm to Fork strategies focus on making value chains fair, healthy and sustainable. Edible oil producers are facing stark challenges. Farmers have to make sure their harvests are as good as they can be while adapting to changing weather patterns. Energy and raw material prices are also increasing amid global and regional instability, while consumers are demanding lower prices. Meanwhile, the world’s population continues to grow. The need to improve safety and sustainability while ensuring profitability puts pressure on producers to improve productivity while reducing both energy usage and waste. As such, the industry requires solutions that will make vital improvements within the areas of:
- Sustainability – where improvement comes in the form of energy savings, optimized use of water, raw materials, protection of the local environment, and reduction of waste
- Reliability – where the need to reduce wear and tear, prolong equipment life, and eliminate the risks of unplanned stoppages are all critical to profitable operation
- Safety – where keeping personnel safe from harm is of critical importance, and ensuring that food quality is maintained throughout the value chain
ABB offers application-based solutions for edible oil raw material production, pre-treatment, and refining sectors. Our domain expertise, energy efficient motors and variable speed drive / variable frequency drive (drive) solutions help to substantially reduce energy costs, while programmable logic controllers (PLC) deliver integrated control systems that help to provide enhanced digital visibility and control over processes in edible oil production, and onwards to logistics – providing solutions from Farm to Fork.
Farming
Challenges facing the edible oil industry
Edible oil can be derived from a wide range of raw ingredients, with different preferences, tastes, and availability around the world. In recent years global supply chains have seen challenges, e.g for the production and distribution of sunflower oil. The challenge falls upon producers around the world to ramp up production of various types of oil to compensate for this uncertainty, and continue to meet increasing demand.
Mitigating against global instability
Rising energy prices and increasing raw material costs, combined with changes in seasonal demand, along with other global factors such as logistical disruption, have placed producers’ margins at risk. Electricity is typically among the top operating expenses for manufacturers. Improving the efficiency of processes and process equipment is the easiest and most effective way to quickly cut costs, while also improving output and reducing waste.
Ensuring maximum quality from farm to fork
Crops such as olives can be vulnerable to extreme weather, and require reliable irrigation and timely harvesting at the peak of their ripeness. Once harvested, crops must be stored to maximize their freshness. End product quality is highly dependent on raw material quality. The conditions under which raw ingredients such as canola and sunflowers are transported and stored must also be highly controlled. The reliability of critical equipment is vital to ensure minimum downtime, and to ensure that ingredients are fresh when they reach the processing stages.
Solutions across the value chain
ABB offers a suite of solutions for equipment that can deliver vast benefits for farms involved in the oil production value chain, helping to ensure optimal quality of ingredients, while reducing waste.
Farming
Challenge
SUSTAINABILITY
I need to optimize my water consumption wherever possible
RELIABILITY
Pumps are often situated outdoors, exposing them to weather and dirt
SAFETY
I need to ensure that crops are kept healthy to maintain high product quality
Irrigation/pumps
ABB drive/motor packages ensure pumps run at the minimum speed necessary, to achieve maximum efficiency
Purpose-built motors (e.g. washdown, Food Safe, farm duty, critical cooling) help to eliminate the possibility of downtime
PLC provide continuous control over processes, and can adjust watering cycles according to ambient conditions
Challenge Solution
SUSTAINABILITY
High-quality raw materials are essential for producing good edible oil, so I need to optimize my conveyors to prevent damage to products
RELIABILITY
I need to prevent conveyors damage from sudden starts and stops, or from running too fast
SAFETY
Some raw ingredients (e.g. sunflower seeds) may be explosive when highly concentrated
Conveyors and augers
The variable speed is more important than the soft start/ stop since the supply is never constant but the flow has to be as constant as possible, reducing damage to raw material and resulting in less waste
Drives provide smooth operation for various types of conveyor, reducing wear and tear on equipment
Ex-rated motors, including SynRM, deliver high efficiency in hazardous areas
Challenge Solution
SUSTAINABILITY
Storage conditions need to be kept optimal to avoid wastage – not too wet and not too dry
RELIABILITY
Fans and blowers are vital at multiple treatment stages in oil production, which is why I need them functioning optimally at all times
SAFETY
I need to provide good even airflow for drying raw materials to ensure end product quality
Fans and blowers
PLC and drive can respond to ambient conditions to ensure that high pressure fans produce the best environment for drying
Variable fan speeds using drives help maintain optimal temperature and humidity throughout storage facilities
Drives maintain optimal airflow throughout storage facilities, while EC Titanium motor provides a compact, integrated IE5 efficient solution
Pre-treatment
Complex processes require sophisticated control
Producing edible oils is a complex, multistage process. The pre-treatment process includes cleaning of raw materials, grinding, chopping, and then extraction with solvents. These all require a high degree of precision control of process equipment to ensure that products meet high standards and are safe for human consumption.
Careful monitoring for reduced energy costs
Many of the motor-driven applications involved in these processes, for instance hammer mills and screw presses, are large energy consumers. Improving the efficiency of equipment is vital to reduce costs and improve profitability. Waste reduction is also highly important, both for raw ingredients and for by-products, which can be used for biomass energy production and alternative protein production.
Ensuring the safety and reliability of heavy equipment
Large rotating machinery can create an ever-present safety risk for personnel. Functional safety precautions are vital to ensure that facility employees are kept safe from harm, while also reducing the likelihood of equipment failure. Meanwhile, equipment reliability is also highly important. If a specialist machine fails, it can be difficult to repair or replace quickly, which can have a severe impact on plant uptime and profitability.
Meeting the needs of pre-treatment facilities
ABB products are designed to meet the needs of oil pre-treatment processes. From ATEX-certified motors across a wide power range, to advanced industrial PLCs and energy saving drives that provide precision control, ABB is equipped to help edible oil producers to improve the sustainability, reliability and safety of their operations.
Pre-treatment
SUSTAINABILITY
The motors used for destoning and removing foreign objects are often in continuous operation, and can consume large amounts of energy
RELIABILITY
Sieves vibrate rapidly, and my equipment needs to be able to withstand the process continuously
SAFETY
Any error or failure to equipment can risk harmful material being missed in sifting processes
Sieves and destoners
High efficiency motors reduce energy consumption, particularly for motors with long hours of operation
Robust motors combined with extreme environment drives ensure maximum longevity and low maintenance requirements
Remote condition monitoring and PLC can provide early warning of potential failures long before they occur
Pre-treatment
Challenge Solution
SUSTAINABILITY
Efficient milling is required to ensure minimal wastage
RELIABILITY
High uptime is needed to maximize production
SAFETY
Mills and grinders are high torque applications, and I need to ensure maximum safety of my plant and personnel
Pressing and milling
Drive and PLC ensure improved process accuracy, and that process concludes only when product is ready
Remote monitoring equipment and internal supervising features ensure that any potential maintenance issues can be flagged up early
Safe torque off brings machine safely into a notorque state and/or prevents it from starting accidentally
Pre-treatment
Challenge Solution
SUSTAINABILITY
Process is typically a large energy user, requiring motors and with a power rating of 100 kW upwards
RELIABILITY
Screw presses are high torque applications, and need to be robust to meet process demands
SAFETY
Pressing is a high intensity process, and I need to keep personnel safe and my equipment from failing
Screw presses/expellers
Ultra-high efficiency SynRM motor/drive packages can achieve IE5 efficiency levels
Drive provides control based on current, for immediate feedback on process performance to detect any degradation
Drive provides added protection against overloads with ABB drive/motor packages offering 100% torque down to 0 RPM
Refining
The importance of quality control
Raw oil may contain fatty acids, along with a range of other unwanted ingredients that can affect the color, odor and taste of oil. At every stage of the refining process, accurate control over processes is vital to ensure maximum quality and consistency of end products. Increased control over processes provides opportunities to improve their efficiency, and potentially reduce energy costs by a substantial amount, particularly for high energy users.
Ensuring maximum uptime, at all times
In edible oil refining, reliability of equipment is highly important. Equipment must therefore be robust.
Proven solutions for edible oil producers
Refineries typically utilize heavy machinery, which makes safety a high priority for facility operators. ABB’s offering for edible oils production, including electric motors, drives and PLCs, can help to de-risk operations, without compromising on productivity and efficiency.
ABB drives are designed with specific features and functionality to meet the challenges of producing oil sustainably, reliably, and safely. Adaptive programming allows drives to take on limited PLC control functionality for additional versatility. Ease of use is prioritized through an intuitive programming interface, while an open software architecture ensures compatibility with all fieldbus types.
SUSTAINABILITY
I need my pumps to achieve optimal efficiency
RELIABILITY
Equipment outage can halt production, leading to wastage and additional costs
SAFETY
Oily substances can leave residue and present a safety hazard – equipment must therefore be regularly cleaned
Pumps
Drive and SynRM or EC
Titanium motor packages can achieve IE5 levels of efficiency with the added savings of only running at the precise application speed
Built-in supervision of several parameters combined with external sensor signals build resilience into the system
ABB’s motors and drives are built with a robust design to withstand regular washdowns
Refining
Challenge Solution
SUSTAINABILITY
Required solvent dosage will depend on quality and consistency of raw materials, and I need to reduce wastage
RELIABILITY
Replacing and maintaining boiling processes requires large capital investment
SAFETY
Edible oil is a consumer product, and is subject to strict safety standards
Solvent extraction
PLC ensures accurate dosing based on weight and density of product for peak performance
Remote digital monitoring and extensive service provision around the world reduces maintenance requirements and downtime while extending operational life
Precision control provided by drives and PLCs ensures high accuracy without manual intervention
Refining
SUSTAINABILITY
Decanters are energyintensive machines
RELIABILITY
Decanters are often operated continuously, so need to have extremely high reliability
SAFETY
I need to keep personnel safe from large moving machines
Decanters
ABB’s decanter software allows for smooth and efficient operation
PLC can provide precision control and detect any deviations in behavior that may require attention
Drive-based functional safety features such as Safe Limited Speed ensures that machines operate within safe parameters
Refining
SUSTAINABILITY
Oil reacts to temperature, so I need to ensure there are no interruptions to cooling processes to prevent waste
RELIABILITY
Any downtime due to unplanned maintenance is costly to my business
SAFETY
Oil is highly regulated and graded. I need to ensure full transparency over my processes
Temperature control (inc. cooling compressors)
Drives and PLCs offer confidence that correct temperatures are maintained at all times
Drives extend motor equipment lifetime through smoother operation, ensuring less wear
PLCs can be linked with facility control systems via fieldbus to ensure process logs are accessible
Bottling and packaging
Challenge
SUSTAINABILITY
I need to optimize the operation of my conveyors to ensure maximum energy efficiency
RELIABILITY
Multiple conveyors may have different maintenance requirements, while long conveyors can require numerous motors and long cable runs
SAFETY
I need to keep personnel safe from moving machinery
Solution
Drives ensure smooth start, stop, and precise speed control for conveyors, reducing the risk of damage to goods
PLC combined with drives and motors ensures perfect synchronization of multiple conveyors for less wear on equipment
Integrated functional safety in drives reduces risk to personnel
Conveyors and bottling
ABB Motion solutions for edible oil production
High efficiency motors
Variable speed drives/variable frequency drives
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs)
• ABB offers a comprehensive range of reliable and high efficiency motors for all edible oils production processes from farm-to-fork
• Super premium efficiency IE4 induction and permanent magnet motors can significantly reduce energy usage, while meeting and exceeding Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) around the world
• ABB Ecodesign tool calculates losses and efficiency for complete drive module (CDM) and LV motors
• Ultra-premium efficiency IE5 SynRM motors / NEMA EC titanium motors and VSD packages can achieve unprecedented energy savings for pre-treatment and refining applications
• IEC and NEMA Food Safe motors contribute to more hygienic working practices while prolonging motor lifetime
• Integrated motor packages provide easy installation and high efficiency —
• ABB drives are made with efficiency and performance in mind to empower productivity for producers of edible oils. They provide flexibility to optimize processes and control across the value chain, while achieving high reliability for less downtime
• Achieves substantial energy savings by delivering precision control to ensure that a motor only uses the energy it needs for a given output
• Built-in features and functionality tailored to edible oils production processes
• EnergySave Calculator tool allows you to predict energy performance and savings prior to investing
• Functional safety built-in
• ABBs drives are well-known for being easy to use
• ABB automation devices deliver solutions with high performance and flexibility to be effectively deployed in applications across the edible oils value chain
• ABB range of PLCs can provide solutions for small, medium and high-end applications
• Ideal choice for high availability, extreme environments, condition monitoring, motion control and safety solutions
• Constantly monitors process variables and can instruct motor and drive equipment to adjust operations instantaneously to match requirements in real-time
• Safety PLC specifically designed for safety applications involved in machinery and process automation
Further reading
Demand for edible oils increases as biofuel industry grows
Edible oils are an essential source of nutrition and cooking ingredient for people around the world. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, vegetable oil accounts for approximately 10% of the global average caloric food supply. This means that it is second only to cereals in importance.
Unfortunately, like other manufacturing sectors, the edible oil sector faces several challenges. Rising energy prices and increasing raw material costs, combined with changes in seasonal demand, regulation, and geopolitical events, have placed producers’ margins at risk. At the same time, the demand for edible oils is increasing, partly due to interest in using them as a biofuel.
To ensure that edible oil manufacturers can continue operating in this challenging and cost-sensitive environment, they must identify opportunities to improve the productivity and reliability of production processes.
Press article
Our service expertise, your advantage
Keep your operations running profitably, safely and reliably
• Maximize uptime, extend product life cycle, and enhance the performance and energy efficiency of your assets.
• Enable innovation and success through digitalization by securely connecting and monitoring your motors and drives, increasing reliability and improving efficiency.
• Our domain expertise is strengthened by a service offering tailored to your needs, enabling you to unlock new possibilities and achieve more sustainable outputs.
The
Partnered solutions
Bringing expertise and capabilities together to enhance your business performance
Delivering digital for success Smart. Secure. Connected.
ABB Ability™ digital solutions
ABB offers a range of advanced services and digital solutions based around the ABB Ability™ platform, which will help maximize the potential of your motor-driven applications across the entire powertrain.
ABB Ability™ Mobile Connect
ABB Ability™ Mobile Connect for drives allows equipment manufacturers to communicate with drive users or service personnel on-site, helping them easily commission and troubleshoot drives remotely. Chats and sharing of images and backups via smartphone makes the technical support process quick and efficient.
This increases opportunities to provide online technical support for end customers – without complex connectivity infrastructure. This is ideal for facilities in remote locations.
ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for drives
ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for drives keeps you one step ahead of process issues. The service provides fact-based insight into the performance and efficiency of VSDs, via KPIs and signal data, to keep processes running smoothly.
Irregularities in operations can be identified and solved long before they result in equipment failure, reducing downtime while enabling a shift towards predictive maintenance, while allowing additional opportunities to optimize performance based on the data.
ABB Access and local support
ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for powertrains
ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for powertrains optimizes the performance and efficiency of rotating equipment. It enables full transparency on all parameters for drives, motors and pumps, and can also be applied to applications such as pumps, decanters, boilers and hammer mills.
ABB Ability™ Smart Sensors
ABB’s Condition Monitoring solutions are underpinned by Smart Sensors: small devices which can be fitted directly to the chassis of a motor with minimal installation and no wiring required. The device gathers near real-time data measuring parameters such as temperature, vibration, magnetic flux and noise, which are then aggregated, stored and analyzed by the cloud to gain unprecedented insight into equipment condition and performance. Potential equipment issues can be detected before they turn into faults, without having to manually inspect the motor.
Engage ABB support locally
As well as serving the market directly, ABB continuously develops a network of valueadding channel partners that enhance ABB’s presence around the world. Local expertise, combined with a world-leading product and service offering, help to provide support at every stage of the edible oil value chain.
ABB’s carefully selected channel partners are regularly trained in the latest products, techniques and best practices, as well as being periodically assessed on their core competencies to ensure that customer expectations can always be fulfilled, 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world.
The ABB Value Provider program ensures that approved third parties deliver authorized sales, support, service and engineering in cooperation with ABB, bringing ABB’s products and services straight to the customer’s front door.
Summary
Businesses across the edible oil production value chain, from farming through to refining, face challenges in ensuring maximum efficiency with minimum waste, while attempting to reduce costs wherever possible. Meanwhile, the industry is also working hard to improve its environmental footprint.
ABB’s Motion portfolio delivers solutions with tangible benefits for improving the sustainability of operations, and the reliability and safety of edible oils production processes, from Farm to Fork.
