{mosimage} If you want to learn more about how emerging controls and automation technologies can improve manufacturing efficiency, you won’t want to miss this event, sponsored jointly by Automation World and Packaging World magazines.Among the speakers will be two from General Mills: Mike Viland, engineering manager from the Packaging Engineering Group, and Steve Bennek, engineering manager from the Controls and Information Systems Group. Their topic: “Packaging Line Performance Tracking—Moving from Cases to Causes.”“I think we’re in a period where a number of things are going to have to work themselve out,” says Bennek. “As more and more packaging systems have smart motors and smart sensors and more sophisticated controllers and programming software, I think the challenge becomes this: How do you integrate all that into something that is supportable and manageable? In our case, one thing we’re doing is relying more and more on packaging machinery OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) for support. We provide them the mechanisms they need to get in and provide us support in a controlled manner. I think there’s an opportunity for OEMs to get better at this sort of thing.”Other speakers on the program include:• Scott Schienvar, logistics director at L’Oreal• David Shaw, lead controls/facilities engineer at Mars• Jeff Russell, TPM coach for controls and automation at Pepsico• Jim Flandreau, business process analyst—plan to produce at Perrigo.While the Forum itself takes place Tuesday May 4, you may want to arrive a day early and attend the Make2Pack and Connect-and-Pack Workshop. It will include a look at the PackML Implementation Guide developed by Procter & Gamble.For complete details on the Packaging Automation Forum, now in its fifth year, visit www.packworld.com/paf.
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