Bongards’ Creameries Optimizes Operations With Pavilion Technologies Dairy Solution From Rockwell Automation

Minnesota-based dairy producer selects Pavilion8 model-predictive control technology to help increase capacity, reduce energy consumption and increase yield

AUSTIN, Texas. — To help increase capacity, reduce energy consumption and increase yield, Bongards’ Creameries, a world-class creamery cooperative based in Bongards, Minn., has selected the Pavilion Technologies Dairy Industry Solution from Rockwell Automation for advanced process control of its deproteinized whey (DPW) and stork spray dryers at its Perham, Minn. plant.

The Bongards’ DPW and stork spray dryers are essential for removing moisture in order to produce high-quality powdered whey products. Typically, dryers are the most energy intensive units used in dairy processing, and one of the most optimal operations in meeting final product quality specifications during production. The Pavilion Technologies Dairy Industry Solution controls the final product’s average moisture to a desired target, while reducing overall moisture variability and operating just below the glass transition point to achieve optimal performance. Improving control of its dryers will help Bongards’ increase capacity, reduce energy consumption and increase yield.

“Bongards’ Creameries teamed up with Pavilion Technologies to help meet our customer demand, as well as to optimize our DPW and stork dryer operation,” said Brent Jewett, operations manager, Bongards’ Creameries. “Partnering with Pavilion helps us continue reducing our operating costs, while furthering our commitment to continuously provide our customers with top quality products.”
The Pavilion Dairy Industry Solution is based on the Pavilion8 modular software platform to provide modeling, prediction, control and optimization capabilities in one unified system. Bongards’ will leverage the Pavilion solution in its dryer application to help manage product quality consistently closer to product specifications, reduce variability of product quality, and maximize throughput subject to equipment and process constraints.

“Bongards’ is an acknowledged technology innovator in the Midwest dairy manufacturing region,” said Greg Jackson, president of Pavilion Technologies, Rockwell Automation. “We’ve worked on several successful dryer control systems in other areas of the world, and are excited to have the opportunity to work with such a highly regarded producer in North America.”

Rockwell Automation acquired Pavilion Technologies in November 2007 as part of the company’s strategy to expand its plant-wide information software and process automation offerings through its broad-based, industry applications. This has expanded Pavilion’s capabilities of providing the world’s leading, model-based, software solutions to improve industry profitability – with more resources, a global footprint, and a broader solution offering to process manufacturers.