Miller Magazine Issue: 116 August 2019

49 COVER STORY MILLER / AUGUST 2019 PROCESS CONTROL AND AUTOMATION IN GRAIN MILLING For efficient production in the age of In- dustry 4.0, automation is a must for a facility. It is important not only in terms of increasing production efficiency and qual- ity but also in terms of tracking the history of a product. Automation and digitalization are inspiring new solutions to optimize yield, save energy, prevent wastage or remove defective produce. With the devel- opment of technology, the era of self-de- termining and self-assessing production facilities in which all components of ma- chinery communicate with each other will become widespread. In recent years, with the acceleration of technological de- velopments, the world has begun to enter a digital trans- formation. This transformation affects and changes personal and work life in almost every way. The world is now more “smart.” It is vital to keep pace with this transformation for the milling sector just like for every sector. The milling indus- try has to embrace this production mode and adapt to new technological developments. Having access to reliable contaminant mitigation, trust- worthy information and real-time quality monitoring are chal- lenges for food processors. Automation and digitalization are inspiring exciting new solutions that can address these issues, enabling processes to be adjusted to optimize yield, save en- ergy, prevent wastage or contamination and remove defective produce. Machine manufacturing giants, global food security agencies and global data collection firms are investing heav- ily in innovating process and providing solutions to include in the automation system. Thanks to technological advancement and the research and development work carried out by milling technology suppliers, it is certain that the input expenses can be lowered, maintenance cost and duration can be reduced, and facilities with quieter and fewer workers can be built.