JLS Magazine #1

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Peregrine Falcon Inspires JLS’ Latest Robotic Innovation

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CONTENTS CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHTS.. ...................... 2 PEREGRINE FOCUS. . ................................ 4 EXPERT Q&A .. ......................................... 8 PARTNER Q&A . . .................................... 10 CULTURE ............................................... 12 CUSTOMER SUPPORT.......................... 13

WORLD’S FASTEST ANIMAL INSPIRATION FOR JLS CARTONING SYSTEM ®

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continent, including Antarctica and other oceanic islands, and choose to nest near water and up high on cliff ledges, trees and even skyscrapers.

“Like the peregrine falcon, the Peregrine cartoning system achieves unmatched precision at high speeds,” said Craig Souser, President and CEO, JLS Automation. “We took inspiration not only from the world’s fastest bird but the world’s fastest animal and are proud to offer our customers a system that changes the cartoning game.”

And today, JLS® has a Peregrine of its own in York, Pa., as a next-generation cartoning system.

he peregrine falcon, the Peregrine® cartoning system’s namesake, is not only the fastest bird, but also the world’s fastest animal. Known for its strength and speed, the peregrine can achieve speeds more than 185 miles per hour when diving during flight, and directly strike their prey from high altitudes at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour.

Peregrines live up to 17 years on average and have a wingspan of 3.3 to 3.6 feet.

The bird of prey has populations on every ©2021 JLS Automation, All rights reserved.

The American peregrine falcon nearly vanished from the Eastern United States and Canada in the late 1960s before becoming an endangered species. It wasn’t until 1972, when the U.S. banned the use of a pesticide that caused the population decline, that the peregrine started to recover and was removed from the engaged species list in 1999.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica

Jim Mason Ready for the Next Chapter Jim joined JLS® in 2015 as a Lead Systems Engineer. He brought a combination of application knowledge and creative problem-solving to lead several large projects over the years, including a 12-robot system loading nearly 1,000 tacos/min into trays. Additionally, he’s been awarded with multiple patents and has taken several young engineers under his wing, setting the department up for future success. While his time with JLS was relatively short, his impact will last forever.

The entire JLS family wishes Jim the best in retirement and whatever the next chapter brings.

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hank you for taking a moment to open this inaugural issue of VISION, a JLS® publication. What you have in your hands right now is certainly unique - a printed publica-

tion.

As newspapers and industry publications are going digital or even disappearing, our customers and partners still have asked us to keep them updated on JLS happenings. Instead of adding yet another email to your inbox (or spam folder), we created VISION to not only keep you informed about what’s new at JLS, but also to provide some educational information and updates from some of our partners. We’ll even share some stories about groups and organizations that JLS partners with as we carry out our mission of helping make the world a better place.

We intend to feature at least one customer story in each issue of VISION. It’s amazing to hear how many new food

If your business is like so many others that we hear about on a daily basis, labor and food-safety concerns are at the top of your list. Our team is dedicated to helping you solve these issues. We not only do that with our equipment, but through initial discussions, consultations and truly listening to what your challenges are. As we specialize in sanitary robotic packaging solutions, our team is 100 percent focused on helping you solve the labor gap and keeping your food safe.

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In a time when so many businesses have had to close, or are on the brink of doing so, JLS is very fortunate to have seen our high-water mark rise over the past several years. And 2021 is off to a record start. We do not take that for granted. Our team is committed to the success of each and every customer. The entire team knows we would not be in this position without a strong team, trusted partners and of course our valued customers.

items are constantly being developed as well as the volume at which they are produced in.

JLS is proud to be a part of so many of the success stories out there.

Having strong partners is not taken lightly at JLS. We rely on a collection of large and small partners to provide critical items including machined parts, fabrication services, automation technology, electrical cabinets, conveyors and robot assemblies, just to name a few. We simply cannot grow without the support of these companies.

This inaugural issue features B&R Automation, a member of the ABB Group. We utilize their control and drive platform as well as their newly acquired Codian robotics division.

So let’s get this started. We hope you find this inaugural issue of VISION to be valuable, educational and even inspiring as you learn about some of the community organizations JLS partners with.

As we continue to push onward and upward, the JLS team looks forward to our continued partnership with you as we all work towards making the world a better place.

Craig A. Souser, President and CEO

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT

More Than a Handshake

JLS® and National Beef® partnered together to improve more than just automation.

National Beef ®

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hoosing a supplier for a project that will change the way a plant operates day-to-day is no small task. That’s why Tim Hadding, Vice President and General Manager, National Beef® (OH), made it a group decision. Every person, from operators to electricians, decided JLS® was the right choice to automate its production line.

“The sale didn’t stop at the signature, to the plant and solve the problem. You it began at the install,” he don’t find that in many said. “If I need anything, I can companies. That kind of “I CAN PICK UP pick up the phone and know partnership and dedication Craig will answer. When one THE PHONE AND is unreal. We have a mutual of the robots was having an trust and approach to leadKNOW CRAIG issue, our assigned techership. I trust their judgment WILL ANSWER” nician stopped his grocery and know what they promshopping to drive eight hours ise is what they deliver.”

“What I bought was a partnership that came with the equipment,” said Hadding.

“The equipment has performed extremely well, but JLS’ reputation for service, being true to their word and a business partner is what sold us. It was more than a handshake.”

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And after that handshake, the order for four Osprey® robotic case packing systems arrived. But there was something more—National Beef asked JLS to supply and integrate both the front- and backend conveyor systems to and from the Osprey. “JLS didn’t hesitate and took on the entire project, making sure it worked and worked well,” Hadding said. “I was confident in JLS’ ability to manage that entire process, and they delivered.”

During the project, both Hadding and JLS’ President Craig Souser, realized a similar approach to their leadership and even held joint team meetings on effective business culture and leadership training. “We developed a trust and an admiration on how to run a business through a partnership and how that handshake is so important today,” said Hadding.

“As JLS was growing its team, we started developing our teams together.”

Today, JLS is currently working on another large project for National Beef.

According to Hadding, JLS was “without hesitation” the first choice when it came to robotic solutions.

Photo courtesy of National Beef

CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT Just Born®

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ust Born®, the candy company known for its chick and bunny marshmallow PEEPS®, says JLS® isn’t just a supplier for automated robotic solutions—it’s a valued partner.

“There are a lot of capable suppliers out there, but what really distinguished JLS is that they wanted to work ‘with us’ and not ‘for us.’ They are partners,” said Ross Born, CEO of the 98-year-old candy company when asked why they chose JLS to automate its production.

JLS® automated Just Born®’s PEEPS® marshmallow line and proved to be a true partner along the way.

in the candy business, not in the machine business. They knew what we needed and backed it up.”

JLS built and tested the entire line in-house before packing up nine trailer loads of equipment prior to final assembly and commissioning at Just Born in only 10 days.

“We’ve grown with JLS. They’ve helped us adapt our output to changing customer markets,” said Copeland.

“They’ve demonstrated that they can take their base machine and expand capability in terms of the size, rates and mix of what we were packing, and that has great value.”

As it turns out, picking up a soft, sugar-coated marshmallow bunny is a real challenge. Thanks to JLS’ vision-guided robotic technology, combined with endof-arm robotic grippers from Soft Robotics, automating the marshmallow belt in Just “PICKING UP A SOFT, Born’s Bethlehem, Pa., plant SUGAR-COATED was possible.

According to Copeland, the partnership between JLS and Just Born is due to a combination of communiMARSHMALLOW cation, service and mutual “We weren’t looking for BUNNY IS A REAL respect. “One day, the a machine to do a task, we phone rings and it’s Craig were looking for a partner to CHALLENGE” saying he has an idea of help with factory automahow we can get better sertion projects to help us vice and be more efficient become better producers. in providing it to us, and wanted to set-up The combination of technical expertise a meeting with our maintenance team to and partnership is why we chose JLS,” said talk about it. Do you know how wonderRandall Copeland, Senior Vice President of ful it is to have a supplier that feels free Operations and Supply Chain at Just Born. to pick-up the phone and say let’s talk Born agrees that the level of service about a better way of doing things? That’s and how JLS presented solutions helped how true partnership works. It’s just that make Just Born’s largest investment even simple.” sweeter. “Craig and his team provided solutions, not problems,” he said. “We’re

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UNRIVALED ROBOTIC CARTONING

The patent-pending Peregrine® from JLS® offers complete flexibility and near instant changeovers in a small footprint.

JLS

® is helping food manufacturers solve packaging challenges while

increasing the speed of cartoning operations with a robotic, vision-guided system. Aligned with the rest of JLS’ product portfolio, the Peregrine® cartoner offers a small footprint while eliminating conveyor transitions and providing near instant changeover with the vision-guided flexibility and hygienic design that JLS is known for.

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5 Benefits of Robotic Cartoners That Give a Winning-Edge Over Mechanical Solutions 1 SMALL FOOTPRINT Peregrine® maintains high speeds and offers the ultimate flexibility—all in a small, hygienic, easy-to-use package.

Peregrine places carton forming and closing inline so there’s no wasted real estate. In fact, the Peregrine has dramatically reduced the footprint of the overall cartoning system and eliminates problematic handoffs from conveyor to conveyor by as much as two-thirds.

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The Peregrine’s high-speed JLS TRAK™ eliminates the need for any other conveyors to move cartons away from the former, to accumulate, or manage the loading process. The need for perpendicular transfers and additional conveyors are eliminated. Cartons are kept inline, without turns—from forming and loading, all the way to closing.

VISION

3 NEAR INSTANT CHANGEOVER Changing from one carton size to another or changing products carton-to-carton is as easy as a simple push of a button on the Peregrine. The cartoning solution allows automatic changeover in seconds by selecting a setting on the HMI. Unlike other solutions that have potential downtime issues, Peregrine is completely flexible and adaptable thanks in part to its visionguided technology.

4 VISION-GUIDED FLEXIBILITY The Peregrine uses vision-guided robotics for the ultimate flexibility when placing naked or packaged products into cartons. Thermoformed pouches, flow-wrapped packages, flexible bags and more are no match for the system, which can handle products of different shapes and sizes on the fly without any downtime versus more complex mechanical solutions or manual options that require stop-and-go production.

5 SANITATION Given that secondary packaging solutions are often found in areas where there is moisture, the Peregrine cartoning solution from JLS is designed to get wet, shed water and eliminate any pooling. And with proprietary, sanitary Vacuum On Board technology, sanitation is as simple as an end-of-arm tool changeover.

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e are a high-sanitary design OEM, so we take pride that the Peregrine® follows that same design philosophy,” said Gary Pickett, Director of Business Development, JLS Automation. “Typically, the applications are secondary packaging but the challenge is that these machines are often in the same room as the primary packaging machines. The Peregrine needs to be able to withstand that environment because it will most likely get wet.”

The Peregrine features the same sanitary design as its other machines, including angled surfaces that shed water and eliminate any pooling. Plus, with JLS’ sanitary Vacuum On Board technology, sanitation is as simple as an end-of-arm tool changeover. Cleaning can take place offline due to the quick change nature of the tooling. This makes it ideal for a wide variety of applications, including baked goods and frozen foods where sanitation is everything.

SMALL AND MIGHTY This versatile cartoner offers the highest sanitary standards all in a small footprint that is one-third the size of traditional top- and end-load cartoners. Peregrine places carton forming, loading and closing inline so there’s no wasted real estate, saving food producers valuable floor space.

The Peregrine’s high-speed JLS TRAK™ and positive carton transport (PCT™) system eliminate problematic handoffs and the need for any other conveyors to move cartons away from the former, to accumulate, or manage the loading process. Cartons are kept in-line, without turns—from forming to loading, all the way to closing.“The traditional way of doing that is to place the carton former and carton loader far away from each other between the conveyors. With the Peregrine, we’ve eliminated that issue and no additional conveyors are needed to transport the open carton to the next closing machine,” said Pickett.

Instead, a servo carton removal (SCR) system removes the carton from the forming machine and places it into the track system. The two-axis, servo-controlled system positively grips the carton and moves it vertically down into position on the track.

FAST AND FLEXIBLE The JLS TRAK is also what gives the Peregrine complete flexibility when it comes to size change. Changing from one carton size to another or changing products carton-to-carton is as easy as a simple push of a button on the HMI. Automatic changeover happens in seconds by selecting a pre-programmed recipe.

Unlike other solutions that have potential downtime issues, the Peregrine is completely flexible and adapt-

able thanks in part to its vision- guided, and place it into the carton. robotic technology.

The JLS TRAK system takes it from there, The advantage of the fully controlling the carton all the way vision-guided system, through closing. Made of linear servo according to Pickett, is that with a collate motors, independent carriers and load system the product ride along the track to move has to be in a specific ori“WITH VISION cartons in place. Each carrier entation and location as it opens to accept the carton GUIDANCE, NO enters the cartoning machine. and also adjusts for carton COLLATING If a product isn’t positioned size and the space needed to correctly, it will jam and cause SYSTEM move each carton regardless the machine to stop. With of size to loading and closing.

IS NEEDED” vision guidance, no collating According to Pickett, the system is needed and products JLS TRAK helps enable near can come into the instant changeover and flexibility at high system in any orientation. speeds when combined with the PereThe vision-guided robot grine’s PCT system. will simply adjust for the “Once we grip the carton, we can move product orientation, pick it up

it at very high speeds and we can have extremely accurate positioning of the carton throughout the system,” said Pickett.

“That’s the advantage of the JLS TRAK system—it achieves accuracy, speed and flexibility in one system because when we open and close the carriers independently, we can change that for a specific carton size.”

Once loaded, cartons are then closed by a second vision-guided robot where they are then sent downstream.

Together, the JLS SCR system, JLS TRAK, vision-guided robotic technology and robotic closing achieve high-speed, flexible carton forming, loading and closing—all in a small footprint.

For more information on the Peregrine, visit www.jlsautomation.com/peregrine.

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E X P E R T

Q&A

Gary Pickett

Q:

Fast, Accurate and Flexible Cartoning JLS® provides an in-depth look at how the Peregrine® cartoning system eliminates transfer conveyors, saves space and eliminates costs while boasting robotic, vision-guided technology.

What are the benefits of the Peregrine® compared to traditional top- or end-load systems?

Pickett: The Peregrine is a robotic, vision-guided top-load cartoning solution. Compared to end-load cartoning, top-load carton applications provide a larger window to place product. The cost savings associated with reduced materials on a top-load system is a big opportunity for our customers.

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Tri-seal cartons reduce transportation costs and space requirements versus pre-formed cartons used on a traditional end-load system. Top-load cartons are typically manufactured and shipped as a flat blank while end-load cartons are formed and glued. The empty cartons are then packed into cases, stacked on pallets and shipped to the customer’s plant. By eliminating the need to ship cartons, the Peregrine saves food manufacturers between five and 10 percent of costs associated with material and shipping by forming and closing cartons inline.

Q:

Why does JLS® consider the Peregrine the next generation of carton loading?

Pickett: Top-load applications are more conducive to automation and we’ve seen the market move away from end-load during the last 10 to 15 years. The reason for this is because you have to build the collation for an end-load application, which requires an in-feed conveyor. From that point, it’s then pushed into the end of a carton, and that’s a challenge in itself just getting the product safely and accurately into the carton.

On the Peregrine, JLS builds the collation with the robot directly into the carton and eliminates all transfers from the infeed into the carton. With robotic applications, our solution is much more conducive to automation. Plus, robots are more affordable now than they were in the past, allowing food producers to move to automation and convert to a top-load carton application.

GARY PICKETT, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT at JLS Automation, discusses how the fast and flexible robotic Peregrine cartoning system saves customers costs, materials and floor space compared to traditional mechanical top-load solutions. Pickett holds more than 30 years of carton loading experience and helps JLS® expand and develop in existing and new industry markets.

Q:

How does the Peregrine’s JLS TRAK™ achieve full carton control from forming through

loading?

Pickett: The carton management system of the Peregrine is unique compared to other top-load solutions. The heart of the Peregrine’s carton management system is the JLS TRAK, which moves the cartons from forming to the robotic loader and then into the closing area. Once that carton comes out of the Peregrine machine, it is fully formed, loaded and sealed.

With the Peregrine, there are no additional conveyors needed to transport the open carton to the closing machine—we eliminate that connecting conveyor and get the former and loading machines as close as possible to the robot, which closes the cartons inline.

Once a carton is formed, it is placed directly into the JLS TRAK system where it is carried through closing. The Peregrine quickly grabs the carton, places it into the track and moves it at very high speeds and with extremely accurate positioning.

This, combined with our experience with vision-guided systems, helps save floor space which is a premium, and allows the ability to do something they couldn’t do before with automation.

Q:

Why is it important to have fast, reliable cartoning?

This is the Achilles heel of the whole system because you have to aggressively remove the cartons from the forming machine and clear them in time for the next batch of cartons to come down and transport it to the loading system. The traditional way of doing that is to place the carton former and carton loader far away from each other between the conveyors, which typically leads to the cartons slipping and sliding, and making it difficult to move. Unless the carton and forming machines are placed close together, full carton control is not possible.

Q:

What type of control platform does the Peregrine utilize?

Pickett: The controls platform for the Peregrine aligns with the other products in our portfolio. We use B&R Automation’s software and control platform not only for the machine but also the robot. Everything, including the robot and track, is on one, single platform. The advantage of moving to the B&R controls platform for all of our products is that everything is on one architecture, and the entire system is programmed and controlled from one software package. Doing this eliminates any connectivity through the system that can cause delays and mutations.

Customers simply log into one system to assess and diagnose an issue.

Editor’s note: Turn to page 10 to learn more about the B&R control platform.

Q:

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Pickett: With traditional top-load systems, there is a carton forming machine and those cartons are then transported to the robotic loading cell. The section of conveyor from the carton

forming to the loading section relies on friction to move.

The Peregrine is high-speed. How fast is that?

Pickett: It depends on the application and various production dynamics. Packaging lines are limited to the carton forming and closing capacity of existing machinery, but the Peregrine can exceed speeds of 150 cartons per minute, which accommodates more than 90 percent of applications.

Compared to a traditional top load system, the Peregrine can offer higher cartoning speeds in a smaller footprint. In fact, a Peregrine placed behind three traditional flow wrappers can sometimes free up half of a production floor.

For more information on the Peregrine, visit www.jlsautomation.com/peregrine.

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Intuitive Controls Drive JLS

®

P A R T N E R

Q&A

The Peregrine® cartoning system is powered by a uniquely simple control platform that makes it small yet mighty.

Patrick McDermott

Q:

When did the B&R partnership with JLS® start and what does it mean to B&R?

McDermott: About five years ago, there was a need for higher payloads and better sanitary solutions for primary packaging.

Through the process of JLS finding that, the idea evolved to a JLS-control platform using B&R technology that integrated the control system and robot. At the time, JLS thought the technology would gradually grow in demand over time, but it’s been a big hit in a thirsty market and has been taking off from there.

The partnership with JLS is one we value at B&R and due to the high interest, we created a global account manager role at B&R dedicated to supporting and growing the JLS solution with full priority.

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Q:

What is the benefit of having B&R controls and robots standard on all JLS machines?

McDermott: The main benefit is that we’ve integrated everything into a centralized software solution with distributed hardware. The B&R platform easily allows devices to communicate with each other and present information without a lot of code.

Traditional control systems require end-users to invest in a lot of training and software tools to go online. The B&R platform allows JLS to embed the diagnostics into the HMI, while also providing end users off-the-shelf, web-based tools, which is where B&R sees the future of diagnostics.

Q:

What makes the B&R control system intuitive to use?

McDermott: In addition to the web-based diagnostics, the centralized architecture of the systems with distributed hardware is a winning formula. JLS has taken a lot of ownership and put its vision into what that looks like—a machine that tells the robot exactly where to go and what to do while minimizing personnel challenges in the plant. A company’s investment in the maintenance and training of the line is much higher due to higher turnover. The ability to connect everything digitally between robot, track system and traditional servo motion on one common troubleshooting platform makes it that much easier to automate.

Q:

How does the track improve the cartoning operation on the Peregrine versus a traditional mechanical system?

PATRICK McDERMOTT, PRESIDENT, B&R NORTH AMERICA, a unit of the ABB Group, is a global leader in industrial automation combining state-of-the-art technology with advanced engineering to provide customers in virtually every industry with complete solutions for machine and factory automation, motion control, HMI and integrated safety technology.

McDermott: The value of JLS’ innovation is the precise control of the carton and the ability to synchronize it with the robot.

This is where the centralized architecture really pays dividends because it achieves better performance at throughputs that matter. Unlike our track system, traditional solutions lack flexibility. Today’s market is consumer-driven and the ability to run different formats with software-based changes is critical in a hygienic environment.

Q:

JLS is focused on sanitary design. What are the hygienic features on the track?

McDermott: B&R’s ACOPOStrak solution is a key differentiator.

From the early stages in design for the ACOPOStrak, the cleaning and hygienic requirements in a food processing environment were a focus. The stainless steel bearing and rail design provides washdown options up to IP69K. B&R’s rail design allows us to control the track profile and attach a shuttle to it, giving us the most flexibility in a sustainable, washdown solution. With standard rails and bearings, you get into greasing and oils, which leads to service and modified wheel roller designs to achieve

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washdown features. Our track solutions are designed for flexibility to accommodate high washdown pressure for the application.

Q:

Describe your partnership with JLS in two words.

McDermott: Mutual trust. With any partnership, especially in our innovation-driven world, everything isn’t always smooth sailing. Partnerships have their challenges and take work on both sides. Without the foundation of trust in each other, achieving success is much more difficult.

Partnerships are earned over time and don’t simply happen by sitting in the boardroom. JLS is a true partner to B&R.

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Organizations We Support CULTURE

In an effort to turn the goal of Making the World a Better Place into a reality, JLS® supports local, national and global organizations.

Making the Future Limitless

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oung Thinkers of York connects under served students in York, Pa., to robotics and engineering. Ray Ames, Founder and Executive Director, started the organization in 2017 with the goal to become the leader of turning those students into future engineers, scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders as 90 percent of York’s students don’t have access to robotics through curriculum.

Coordinating with the York school district and learning centers throughout the city, Young Thinkers works with students from preschool to middle school through in-class workshops. The organization also offers an after-school robotics program where students meet twice a week for 12 months.

“We provide activities as an extension of the school day to provide students the exposure to robotics and engineering that they wouldn’t typically experience. Young Thinkers shows them what opportunities are available now and in the future,” said Ames.

JLS® has previously hosted on-site tours, where students can see robotic packaging machines in action, meet the engineers and discuss new technologies and robotic applications.

“Our relationship with JLS has helped us show the average kid from York city what they typically wouldn’t have the opportunity to see. JLS is one of the backbones keeping the organization going,” said Ames. “Craig’s generosity helps provide the motivation for our students to realize that if they believe and dream it, they can make it a reality while reinforcing the importance of staying in school to make their futures limitless.”

For more information on the Young Thinkers of York, visit www.youngthinkersofyork.org.

Empowering Women and Feeding Communities

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ast Africa, with a majority of its population in poverty, is facing a food shortage. The Women’s Bakery is working to change that by empowering women and creating access to gainful employment at bakeries in local communities.

“Our goal is to build sustainable, profitable bakeries throughout East Africa that are powered by women that would not have had access to formal education or employment and sell quality, nutritious products,” said Markey Culver, Founder and Photo courtesy of The Women’s Bakery CEO. “We want to prove that the for-profit and nonprofit sectors can work together to create life-changing opportunities.”

To ensure the successful launch and operation of the bakery, every woman receives more than 200 hours of training to manage day-to-day operations, sales and expenses. Ingredients are locally sourced to not only support the local economy but also to help ensure the bread remains affordable and high-quality.

Currently, three The Women’s Bakery-owned bakeries are operating in Rwanda and have helped women provide for themselves, their families and communities while simultaneously creating economic opportunities and providing a healthy source of nourishment.

According to Markey, the support from JLS last year kept The Women’s Bakery in operation. “When the Rwandan government closed its borders in March 2020, we knew there was going to be an immediate food shortage. Thanks to Craig, we were able to feed a team of 53 people and their families. He directly helped provide a two-month supply of food for 211 people during a lockdown,” she said. “With supply chain disruptions and raw material costs skyrocketing, JLS gave us a means to protect our team and restart operations.”

This year, The Women’s Bakery looks to open a fourth bakery and partner with local schools to provide a consistent food supply to the area’s children.

For more information on The Women’s Bakery, visit

(Virtual) Boots on the Ground

Thanks to mixed reality technology, JLS® is providing customer service and training in real-time from any location.

JLS

utilizing a virtual, ® ismixed reality

monitoring technology to offer customers remote service and support. JLS View uses Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 technology and helps the company stay connected with its customers whether they have a support need around the corner or around the world. “The purpose of JLS View is to be hand-in-hand with our customers and to see and hear exactly what they are seeing and hearing at the plant,” said Bill Stratford, Director of Aftermarket Sales and Services, JLS Automation. “JLS technicians can see the machine from the customer’s point of view in real time.”

The service and training platform incorporates technology with customer support. Customers use the HoloLens technology, a webcam that the customer wears on their head. This shows JLS technicians what customers are seeing on the packaging line and experiencing with the machinery as if the technician were physically at the plant. Because technicians are literally seeing what the customer is seeing, they can provide guidance and instructions right then and there.

This is a tremendous benefit when it comes to time and costs, according to Stratford, because JLS View allows immediate diagnosis and troubleshooting of a machine. If a customer is shut down, this helps them get back up and running faster. There’s no waiting for a JLS technician to arrive onsite or incurring travel costs.

Another benefit, Stratford says, is that JLS View enables a strength in numbers methodology, or “more minds are better than one” approach. Instead of sending a single technician to the customer’s

plant, now JLS can virtually bring a team of techs, lead engineers, programmers and others into a meeting setting to collaborate and provide a successful solution. “JLS View helps us be the virtual boots on the ground. Now we can get a group of people in a room—it’s no longer a one-on-one effort,” he said.

Initially introduced as a tool for remote machine service calls, JLS is now also using the technology to offer virtual training, provide technical support and perform recipe creation and modifications for products. This is especially helpful in training and recertification with the high turnover rates of operators and maintenance personnel that are commonplace in today’s manufacturing environment.

“JLS View is the link that makes training easier from anywhere at any time.

While the concept of JLS View remains the same, we’re continually searching for better ways to utilize technology to offer the best customer support that we possibly can and also provide training. Our vision of JLS View is to make customer support seamless and efficient,” Stratford said.

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WORLD’S MOST FLEXIBLE CARTONING SOLUTION