Join the 155,000+ IMP followers

www.foodpackautomation.com

Industrial Automation Platform for Beverage Manufacturing

Siemens and DrinkPAK implement integrated automation and digital infrastructure at Fort Worth facility to scale high-speed canned beverage production.

  www.siemens.com
Industrial Automation Platform for Beverage Manufacturing

Siemens and DrinkPAK are cooperating to deploy an integrated industrial automation and digital infrastructure system at a high-capacity beverage manufacturing facility in Fort Worth, Texas, targeting high-speed, recipe-driven production and automated intralogistics.

Context of the Cooperation
Siemens AG and DrinkPAK are addressing the operational complexity of large-scale canned beverage production, where throughput, consistency, and logistics coordination must be maintained at line speeds reaching 3,000 cans per minute.

DrinkPAK operates multiple high-capacity facilities across North America and requires standardized, scalable automation to support expansion and multi-site integration. The cooperation combines Siemens’ expertise in industrial automation and energy infrastructure with DrinkPAK’s production and logistics requirements.

Technical Solution and Responsibilities
The core of the implementation is Siemens’ BRAUMAT process control system, designed for batch-oriented beverage production. BRAUMAT enables recipe-based automation, ensuring repeatable product quality through controlled sequencing, parameter management, and batch traceability.
The system integrates:
  • Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for real-time machine and process control
  • Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs) for operator interaction and diagnostics
  • Data acquisition and reporting functions for process monitoring
Siemens also provides electrical infrastructure, including switchboards and metering systems, enabling continuous energy monitoring and load management. This supports energy efficiency by aligning consumption with production demand.
Financial structuring is included as part of the solution, allowing phased investment aligned with plant scaling and operational performance.

Deployment and Integration
The solution is deployed at DrinkPAK’s Fort Worth facility, where automation systems are integrated across production lines, utilities, and warehouse operations.

A key integration element involves Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) supplied by E80 Group. Siemens PLCs manage communication between AGVs, sensors, and drive systems, ensuring coordinated pallet movement and synchronization with production output.

HMIs provide real-time system visibility, enabling operators to monitor equipment status, detect faults, and support predictive maintenance strategies.

The architecture ensures interoperability between process control, material handling, and energy systems, forming a unified digital infrastructure.

Applications and Use Cases
The system targets high-throughput beverage manufacturing, with applications including:
  • Recipe-controlled batching and filling
  • Automated pallet transport and warehouse handling
  • Energy monitoring and load optimization
  • Integrated production and logistics coordination
These functions support industries requiring consistent, high-volume liquid processing, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production.

Results and Expected Impact
The integrated platform improves operational stability by synchronizing production and intralogistics systems, reducing bottlenecks and manual intervention. Standardized automation components simplify maintenance and spare parts management.

Energy monitoring enables data-driven optimization of power usage, contributing to lower operational costs and improved resource efficiency. The scalable architecture allows replication across multiple facilities, supporting network-wide standardization.

Overall, the cooperation demonstrates how combining process automation, intralogistics control, and energy infrastructure can enhance throughput, reliability, and maintainability in high-speed manufacturing environments.

Edited by an industrial journalist Sucithra Mani with AI assistance.


www.siemens.com

  Ask For More Information…

LinkedIn
Pinterest

Join the 155,000+ IMP followers