Kemin Industries Develops Digital Platform to Transform Feed Manufacturing Process – INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES

18 August 2021 – Manufacturing feed is an expensive undertaking. To maintain profitability, producers must ensure that every aspect of production is at its most optimal. The mechanisation of production has meant that most processes can now be handled by computers, making it much easier to keep an eye on wastage and ensure cost-effective operating and product uniformity.

But we can go a few steps further by combining this computer-run system and the interconnectivity of the internet in an Internet of Things (IoT) network where these machines communicate with each other using sensors.

Through its upcoming KEMINCONNECT^™ platform, Kemin is exploring this concept to help customers unlock more manufacturing efficiencies. Feedinfo recently sat down with Raf Snoekx, the company’s Business Development Manager for Kemin Application Solutions, and Tom Verleyen, Global Platform Director for liquiSMART™ and Nutrition, to find out exactly what KEMINCONNECT entails and how the company plans to implement it to improve feed manufacturing.

[Feedinfo] What can you share about the context and motivations for the development of KEMINCONNECT? How long has this been in the works at Kemin?

As “Industry 4.0” signals a change in the manufacturing landscape, it also creates enormous opportunities for the animal nutrition and health industry. Kemin wants to be part of this continuous improvement process and provide additional value to our customers. Today, Kemin’s application systems apply our products in the production process of feed mills, crushing facilities, rendering facilities, pet food facilities and more. Through KEMINCONNECT, the Industrial IoT platform we developed, we can better integrate this application into our customers’ existing production process.

We embarked on this project early last year, and significant resources have been allocated to support this journey. Over the last few months, we have been expanding our team that works on the service significantly, and they have done a fantastic job in developing the platform and working out several use cases. This is a customer-centric endeavour, and we are excited to bring it to the industry.

[Feedinfo] Kemin has an extensive services portfolio supporting its liquid programme. How does KEMINCONNECT fit in with these services and how will it bring additional value?

By developing KEMINCONNECT, we aim to pioneer the future of value-added services in our industry. With this digital platform, we are confident that customers will enjoy increased agility and reactivity from our Kemin support teams, and operators will gain additional insights on how to improve their process and application systems. KEMINCONNECT will lead to increased efficiency and productivity of our liquid programme solutions and bring additional value to our customers.

[Feedinfo] How does KEMINCONNECT work? What is needed in terms of sensors, etc.? What are its main features?

[Tom Verleyen] KEMINCONNECT is customised for our liquid programme and was tailor-made in house to meet the requirements of our customers who are active in the feed industry, raw material segment and rendering facilities.

We start by understanding what data needs to be collected and which sensor can deliver this information. A crucial element of the platform is data security and data integrity. KEMINCONNECT was developed with the highest level of end-to-end security in mind, ensuring all data is safely stored. 

Depending on the use, these data inputs can come from our application system or a variety of sensors, which can include readings such as moisture level, temperature, relative humidity, steam quality, pressure or volume, amperage and more. The sensor market is developing quickly, so the number of applications is expanding enormously. 

The sensor data, together with other relevant process parameters, is securely transferred via an industrial IoT gateway into KEMINCONNECT. This information is automatically validated, aggregated, and safely stored in the system to ensure customers have real-time data from multiple applications at various locations when they need it, yielding insights and system alerts.

The platform offers knowledge that enables customers to better understand how Kemin’s liquid programme benefits the production process and can ease data-driven decision making.

[Feedinfo] The platform’s services fall into three categories: monitoring, assisting and transforming. Can you give an overview of the kinds of insights and analysis each category provides?

[Raf Snoekx] The monitoring service is all about gathering and analysing data collected by the sensors. Based on the collected data, we aim to optimise inventory levels and supply chains and improve the overall experience for those using Kemin solutions.

For example, we have developed an applicator monitoring module that tracks the accuracy of application treatment per formulation. By transitioning from preventative maintenance to scheduled, predictive maintenance, the module increases the reliability and uptime of the application system and reduces the overall maintenance costs.

Another example is our bulk-tank monitoring module. This is an industrial monitoring solution that uses sensors to provide accurate insights on tank levels and eliminates the need for dispatching staff to the bulk-tank site. The algorithm predicts when a tank will reach the critical re-order point.

The assisting service helps create a full picture by aggregating and analysing the data collected at different points to provide the customer with new process insights that allow for predictive actions and analytics. This increases productivity and eases the implementation of our programmes.

The millSMART^™ ONLINE module demonstrates the benefits of the millSMART ONLINE application system and assists in identifying where a customer can generate additional gains in the production process. millSMART online is Kemin’s programme in which a sensor inside the mixer takes away moisture raw-material variability. The programme’s newly developed key performance indicator dashboard gives customers a bird’s eye view of its consolidated benefits for processes, along with a sustainability calculator. Customers can then drill down per feed formulation and see how the system adjusted the mixer to the target moisture level. The programme can also suggest which additional formulations to calibrate to gain additional benefits from the sensor-based application system. The information on the dashboard helps customers get the best value from the millSMART ONLINE application, assisting them in producing feed with a consistent moisture level when it leaves the mixer.

Lastly, the transforming service provides prescriptive insights, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to enable self-optimising processes that help improve quality, safety, productivity and profitability across all processes. We have ongoing prototype development in this area to reduce variability in feed production and standardise the moisture level of feed entering storage bins.

[Feedinfo] What is the timeline for bringing KEMINCONNECT to market? How has the feedback from the first users of the programme helped to evolve the offering?

[Tom Verleyen] We involved customers in the development phase to solicit their input and feedback, and ensure the functionalities and dashboards meet their needs. This was an extremely helpful exercise for our development team. Over the last few months, several pilot projects ran across different continents, and the initial feedback from customers was extremely positive. The team is currently preparing for a gradual rollout of KEMINCONNECT in which all the new applicator systems we are installing can be immediately equipped with this new functionality.

For existing applicator systems, we are working on a plan to gradually upgrade. Our goal is that this new functionality soon becomes a standard feature, as the benefits and user-experience advantages are so significant.

[Feedinfo] What is mapped out in terms of the future development of KEMINCONNECT? 

[Raf Snoekx] In feed and raw material processing, many variables interact with each other and are constantly changing, the consequence of which is variability in the process and end results. Sensors and connected devices will significantly impact process profitability and ensure standardised product output. This means that a key component of any programme is to identify and quantify distinct variables and make appropriate changes to eliminate variation. Through additional sensor technology and the connection of this data through an Industrial IoT platform, we believe such a solution will be achieved.

Imagine a sensor that can measure the freshness level of processed animal proteins online through analysing biogenic amines and automatically control the level of preservatives added in the slaughterhouse. Or imagine a feed mill in which an antimicrobial is simultaneously applied with the Salmonella risk assessment, which is measured through sensors. The opportunities and ideas for the future are almost unlimited. Through connecting different machines and processes, the manufacturing process can be revolutionised, and our customers can capture tremendous benefits.

The critical takeaway is that the possibilities for improvements in feed manufacturing are endless, and we are just at the start of this journey. Stay tuned for the launch of some of these dashboards and extensions to KEMINCONNECT very soon.

Published in association with Kemin Industries