David Reboul, Production Director at UFA in Puidoux, has shared his insights and experience on working with AMABOX and their new AMABOX System. The video below shows highlights of the new system and the interview!
The full interview with David Reboul can be read below.
Interview
Can you tell us what UFA Puidoux does?
The UFA plant in Puidoux produces mixed feed for livestock for breeders all over Switzerland. For the French-speaking part, UFA in Puidoux produces mixed feed for livestock: Feed for cattle, pigs, laying hens, chicken but also feed for small animals such as turkeys, rabbits, goats and horses. We produce 110,000 tonnes per year with various structures, such as expanded flour, 3, 4 and 8 mm pellets, but also crumbs.
Can you tell us what the Amabox system does?
With 500 different recipes, 55 ingredients in small quantities were dosed manually. The AMABOX system replaces 100% the manual dosing of small components. It thus avoids 20,000 manual dosings per year for the operator.
Why did you buy the Amabox system?
Mainly for 3 reasons: quality / safety / efficiency.
Quality is improved by precise and reliable dosages. The risks of dosage errors are eliminated by the absence of human intervention. Cross-contamination is excluded since the transport is done by individual box and no longer by horizontal transport, as with screws or pipes for traditional pneumatic transport. The system includes a Box Cleaner: which cleans each box after emptying with a very innovative pneumatic air system.
Safety because the traceability of small components is further optimized. Each box, each preparation is controlled, traced by RFID code: Radio Frequency Identification.
The RFID code is scanned at several places in the installation, during dosage, during transfer, during emptying and even when returning empty boxes.
Operator safety is improved since they are no longer exposed to fine dust from small components.
Efficiency is real with savings in time and work. The dosages are all prepared in advance, so always ready, nearby the mixer.
This increases efficiency because there are no more delays due to late manual additions. Faster than the manual old multi-cell microdosing system, because here the dosage is not “in-line”. It is prepared in advance during the buffer time, several batches and several hours in advance. With this, simple recipes and complex recipes follow one another, and no time is lost with multi-component recipes.
The second advantage is that the operator can concentrate entirely on the grinding/mixing line. This means that the entire production is controlled more efficiently.
What (most important) problems does the Amabox system solve for you?
Amabox solves the risks of cross-contamination and waiting times for the preparation and emptying of small components.
How does the Amabox system fit into the vision of UFA/Fenaco?
This system is innovative and is part of an approach aimed at always supporting operators. The system is economical, scalable and managed by an AI that relentlessly optimizes the system. It is also part of our vision of uncompromising quality.
How long has the system been operating, how was it integrated into your plant’s operations?
The system was gradually integrated into the process and operators were easily able to adapt after a transitional period. Indeed, during several weeks of commissioning, operators could work manually in the old way or with the new system. This also greatly reassured operators during commissioning. The system became 100% active as of 01.09.2024.
Do you expect to achieve the predicted improvements?
The efficiency is already there. The tedious manual operations are already forgotten, the only action that remains is refilling the AMABOX System.
How has the AMABOX System changed/improved operations?
We anticipate orders much more in advance, and therefore preparations.
Operational efficiency has been increased. Already 1,500 preparations have been carried out automatically, i.e. approximately more than 9,500 dosages of various ingredients and 4,600 boxes emptied.
Total quantity emptied into the mixer = 79 Tonnes.
What is your opinion on the functionality of the AMABOX system?
The system is functional, adapts to the operator for ease of use.
What do you think of the technical implementation?
We first worked on a simulation of the system’s efficiency in our environment, integrating our needs and constraints. Then, we planned the project. The planning was very well thought out and the implementation was carried out by specialized stakeholders. Everything went well.
How did you experience the support after commissioning?
Excellent interpersonal skills and support always available.
How did you experience the cooperation with AMABOX?
Very good, proactive, many fine-tuning and meetings. The cooperation with the operators was also very pleasant.
How did you experience the coordination between the different suppliers (process control / MES-ACOS interface)?
Interfaces are essential for smooth operation and the different suppliers must collaborate for an optimal result. Innovative projects bring new challenges to the different suppliers who must also go outside their usual area.
Would you recommend this system to other people? And why?
Yes of course, because the system is intelligent. The system also learns autonomously and can still offer a lot of optimization.
How did you get in touch with AMABOX?
First on the internet and then quickly in a feasibility meeting.
Can you give a brief description of AMABOX (for example: very innovative?)?
The AMABOX system is a unique and innovative solution for our sector.
Do you have new projects for your plant (for example, AMABOX is currently working on a robot to unload bags automatically…)?
We know this system and are already interested in the future.
What does AMABOX bring to Swiss breeders?
The fact that the system does not require horizontal transport routes and that it almost completely eliminates our manual additions, allows us to minimize losses and increase food safety for our breeders.
At UFA, quality counts.
We want to express our gratitute to David Reboul and UFA for the great collaboration and interview.
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