Looking to boost throughput, quality and safety without disrupting production? The short answer: start with a clear business case, pick high-impact use cases, build solid data and controls foundations, pilot fast, and scale what works—while baking in safety, cyber security and change management. With the right partner orchestrating mechanical, electrical and controls, plant automation becomes a low-risk route to better OEE, lower waste and happier auditors.
1) Define outcomes before technology
Decide what success looks like in numbers: throughput, OEE, giveaway, labour hours, energy per unit, right-first-time, audit compliance. Prioritise 2–3 high-impact pain points (e.g., manual case packing, label errors, frequent changeovers) and set payback targets so every automation decision ties back to value.
2) Map the current process and losses
Walk the line. Time changeovers, log stoppages, weigh rework, sample rejects, and trace how information flows (paper vs digital) to inform industrial automation and control decisions. This exposes the true constraints and prevents automating waste. Capture hygiene zones and retailer/customer requirements that may influence equipment choice.
3) Choose the right automation building blocks
- Material handling: smart conveyors, accumulation, automatic changeover guides.
- End-of-line: case packers, palletisers, stretch wrap, print-and-apply with vision verification.
- Inspection: metal detection, X-ray, checkweighers with automatic feedback to fillers/weighers.
- Robotics: palletising/depalletising, case handling, or cobots for light, repeatable tasks.
- Controls & data: unified PLC/HMI standards, line control, OEE dashboards, recipe control and electronic work instructions.
Pick proven modules first; add complexity only where it earns its keep.
4) Build strong controls and data foundations
Standardise PLC/HMI platforms and naming conventions. Implement line control for start/stop logic, interlocks and recipe management. Add sub-metering and OEE so benefits are visible. Integrate with MES/ERP where helpful, but don’t let big-bang IT stall quick wins—use lightweight connectors and scale.
5) Engineer for hygiene, safety and compliance
Design for cleaning and access: stainless steel, open profiles, sloped surfaces, correct IP ratings. Complete PUWER risk assessments, verify guarding and interlocks, and document competency and maintenance plans. For lifting/handling, observe LOLER. Build validation (FAT/SAT) and audit trails into the project plan.
6) Pilot quickly, then scale with confidence
Run a focused pilot on a single line or shift. Prove the KPIs (throughput, rejects, labour saves), gather operator feedback and refine standards. Scale horizontally to similar lines, then vertically to upstream/downstream processes.
7) Don’t forget people and change management
Bring operators and engineers in early. Co-design HMI screens, SOPs and visual standards. Train by role (operators, maintenance, QA) and schedule on-shift vendor support post go-live. Celebrate early wins to maintain momentum.
8) Cyber security and resilience
Segment OT networks, manage user permissions, and back up PLC/HMI programs and recipes. Track firmware versions and keep a golden image of each machine. Plan spares and critical inventories so uptime isn’t hostage to lead times.
Authoritative resource (non-competitive): The UK Made Smarter programme offers practical guidance on digital manufacturing and scaling industrial automation: https://www.madesmarter.uk/
How FESS Group delivers automation upgrades
FESS Group scopes, designs and integrates industrial process solutions for UK factories—combining mechanical, electrical and control systems. From conveyors, weighers and inspection to robotics, line control and OEE data capture, we phase installations around production windows, validate against acceptance criteria and provide ongoing PPM and training.
Practical automation checklist
- Measurable outcomes agreed (OEE, labour, waste, energy)
- Current losses/time studies completed; constraints verified
- Use cases prioritised and costed with payback
- Controls standards defined (PLC/HMI, line control, data tags)
- Hygiene/safety (PUWER/LOLER) and validation plan in place
- Pilot scope, KPIs and timescales confirmed
- Training, SOPs and spares strategy ready for go-live
- OEE/MES integration and reporting live before scale-up
FAQs
1) Where should we start automating?
Pick the biggest, most stable bottleneck—often end-of-line case packing/palletising or inspection/coding where labour and quality risks are high.
2) How do we avoid over-engineering?
Tie every feature to a KPI. If it doesn’t move throughput, quality, labour or energy in a measurable way, it’s a “nice to have”—defer it.
3) Can we automate in high-care food areas?
Yes—use hygienic designs, correct IP ratings and segregated flows. Validate cleanability and ensure changeovers and washdowns are quick and repeatable.
4) What’s the typical payback for small automation steps?
Common quick wins (case packing, palletising, label verification, OEE) often pay back in 6–18 months, depending on volumes and labour assumptions.
5) How do we keep benefits after go-live?
Lock in with standards: recipe control, setpoint management, preventive maintenance, on-screen work instructions and regular OEE reviews with actions.
Ready to upgrade your plant with low risk and high ROI? Book a consultation or request a site assessment today: https://fessgroup.co.uk/services/industrial-process-solutions/
