Ken’s Foods Modernizes Palletizing System with Rockwell Automation On-Machine Design

Application area: pallet conveying, end-of-line packaging, material handling
Industry sector: food and beverage manufacturing

Ken's Foods is a US manufacturer of salad dressings and sauces operating multiple production facilities nationwide. As the company expanded its manufacturing footprint, its existing pallet conveying infrastructure no longer met the increasing demands of production and distribution.

Legacy conveyor systems, ageing control equipment and layouts that restricted material flow reduced the efficiency of end-of-line packaging operations. The growing use of offsite warehouses further increased the need for a more flexible and scalable pallet handling system. In addition, conventional cabinet-based variable frequency drive (VFD) installations required extensive panel design, long cable runs and complex commissioning, increasing engineering effort and maintenance requirements.

To modernise its operations, Ken's Foods implemented a distributed On-Machine control architecture designed to simplify installation, improve system flexibility and support future expansion.

Replacing cabinet-based controls with an On-Machine architecture
Working with material handling supplier Stokes Material Handling Systems and system integrator Elm Electrical, Ken's Foods deployed an On-Machine solution based on field-mounted Armor PowerFlex 350 drives.

Unlike traditional panel-mounted systems, the drives were installed directly on the conveyor equipment, eliminating much of the panel engineering normally associated with conveyor installations. The distributed architecture also reduced the amount of power, I/O and safety wiring required throughout the system.

The pallet conveying solution integrates field-mounted drives, CompactLogix 5380 controllers, Allen-Bradley photoelectric sensors and PanelView human-machine interfaces into a unified control platform. Native integration between the devices simplified engineering by reducing custom programming while providing consistent communication and drive configuration across the installation.

According to the project team, the simplified architecture enabled a single technician to complete the initial setup and configuration of all field-mounted drives in less than two days.

Simplifying safety and commissioning
The new conveyor system incorporates network-based functional safety using a Compact GuardLogix controller together with safety-rated On-Machine drives.

Integrated Safe Torque Off functionality and onboard safety I/O allow emergency stop devices to connect directly to individual drives and communicate over a single EtherNet/IP network. This approach eliminates the need for multiple hardwired connections returning to a central safety panel.

The distributed safety architecture reduces wiring complexity, lowers panel and I/O requirements, and provides greater flexibility when modifying conveyor layouts or adding new emergency stop locations in the future.

Improving installation and maintenance efficiency
The distributed control architecture reduced engineering, installation and commissioning effort by removing the need to design and assemble conventional control cabinets.

Power, I/O and safety connections are wired directly to the conveyor-mounted drives, allowing faster installation and more straightforward commissioning. Native integration between controllers and field devices also simplified drive configuration and reduced commissioning time.

The new design improves maintenance by placing drives directly on the equipment, making them easier to access during servicing or replacement. Local disconnects, quick-connect power and I/O connections, and integrated test points simplify lockout/tagout procedures while allowing maintenance teams to isolate individual conveyor sections instead of shutting down larger portions of the system.

Results
The modernised pallet conveying system has reduced engineering complexity while accelerating installation and commissioning. Field-mounted drives eliminated much of the panel engineering associated with conventional conveyor systems, enabling faster deployment and simplifying future modifications.

Maintenance efficiency has also improved through easier equipment access, simplified lockout/tagout procedures and enhanced diagnostic capabilities. Real-time operating data, including current, voltage and speed, provides maintenance teams with greater visibility into conveyor performance and supports faster troubleshooting of end-of-line packaging operations.

The successful implementation has led Ken's Foods to adopt the distributed On-Machine architecture as its standard approach for future pallet conveying projects, providing a scalable foundation to support continued manufacturing growth.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.