Food & Beverage
Unlock safer, faster, more predictable production with engineering-driven insights into how your food and beverage processes actually behave.
Big Picture
Visibility That Keeps Quality Moving
Food & beverage production demands precision under pressure. Ingredient variability, sanitation requirements, audits, and rapid changeovers leave very little margin for error. Onyx 360 gives your team clear visibility into how processes, equipment, and controls interact—so you can improve quality, throughput, and compliance without disrupting live production.
Case Study
Connected Performance for Food & Beverage
Seamless cutover for Food & Beverage Modernization
Challenge
A leading food & beverage manufacturer producing a high-demand specialty product needed to modernize their control system. With the plant operating at full capacity, there was no tolerance for downtime, making the cutover inherently risky. Their goals were to minimize cutover duration, reduce production risk, and ensure rapid operator competency with new control system. This initiative was also part of a North American fleet-wide modernization effort, increasing the importance of a scalable and repeatable solution for additional facilities.
Solution
We supported the modernization with an integrated execution model combining control system engineering and dynamic simulation. The solution included:
- Automated scripting tools for control system testing at multiple stages of the project
- Process modeling to replicate key behaviors
- Control emulation software to mirror the automation system architecture
- Integrated project teams spanning automation, simulation, and operations
The combination of an integrated team environment and robust simulation enabled engineering teams to identify issues early and optimize control strategies and allowed operators to effectively and safely rehearse cutover and operating scenarios.
Results
- Significant time savings in integrator testing and FAT
- Reduced operator training and testing time through hands-on simulation
- 6-week reduction in time to full production
- Documented $2,100 savings per I/O point on automation scope
- 840% ROI on the simulator investment
- ~$1 million savings per site through reduced startup time and lowered risk
6
weeks faster to full production
$2,100
cost reduction per I/O point
~$1M
savings per site
840%
ROI
Faster operator competency + smoother cutover
Scalable approach for modernization program
3D Simulation for Food & Beverage
Train operators, refine workflows, strengthen sanitation practices, and test equipment layouts in immersive 3D environments that accurately replicate your facility—no production disruption required.
Benefits
What Food & Beverage Manufacturers Gain
Consistent Product Quality
Reduce variability and maintain standards across lines and facilities.
Faster, Safer Changeovers
Cut downtime and startup risk with validated procedures.
Less Waste and Rework
Optimize processes to protect margins and improve yield.
Stronger Compliance & Audit Readiness
Simulate, document, and standardize procedures for regulatory reporting.
Better Workforce Preparation
Enhance operator and sanitation training without disrupting production.
Lower Operating Costs
Reduce energy, resource usage, and unplanned interruptions.
Greater Agility
Adapt to new SKUs, product mixes, and line configurations with clarity.
Enterprise-Wide Standardization
Scale best practices consistently across plants and shifts.
Use Cases
Where Connected Performance Delivers Impact
- Heating, cooling, mixing, and flow optimization
- CIP (Clean-in-Place) simulation and validation
- Packaging line performance modeling
- New product introduction (NPI) readiness
- Operator and maintenance training
- Line expansions and layout planning
- Allergen-control and sanitation workflow validation
- Real-time operational insight through digital twins