Overview

Pearson Packaging Systems is a provider of comprehensive automation solutions and a Gold-level OEM member in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork. With automation solutions designed to meet the critical uptime demands of high-volume manufacturers, the company designs robust machines optimized for 24/7 continuous operations. From individual equipment to integrated systems, Pearson Packaging Systems has deployed more than 22,000 machines worldwide.

Supernova Award Category

Tech Optimization and Modernization

The Problem

Prior to this initiative, Pearson Packaging Systems designed, built, tested and commissioned all of the machines for its customers on the plant floor as they were being developed. Pearson Packaging needed to increase the speed at which it could deliver functioning machines to its customers and reduce the amount of idle time on the plant floor. As part of its lean manufacturing process and effort to reduce lead times, the company needed a solution to support all these activities virtually.

The Solution

A key priority for Pearson Packaging Systems was to deploy a solution that would enable engineers to support customers remotely from headquarters, rather than deploying them to the field site. As a member of the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork, Pearson Packaging trusted Rockwell Automation to support their endeavors and leveraged the Emulate3D software to give their engineers the ability to build, test and commission all of its machines in a virtual environment before they ever hit the shop floor. The company uses the Emulate3D™ digital twin software from Rockwell Automation to gather data, run virtual simulations and virtually troubleshoot issues throughout the lifecycle of a machine.

The results

Pearson Packaging Systems' utilization of digital twins exemplifies the immense potential of this technology in generating tangible business advantages. By employing this innovative solution throughout the machine lifecycle, engineers can promptly assist customers by executing machine code through the

Emulate3D software, even for machines deployed in the field. This approach often saves the company from having to deploy expensive resources like engineers.

Metrics

Pearson Packaging recognizes a metric where every day a machine remains idle results in a loss of $1,800 for each machine. Prior to using Emulate3D, developing and testing robot code by hand could take an entire day. With the implementation of Emulate3D, engineers can build code ahead of time and run processes at 100 times the speed than previously available. With code successfully and thoroughly tested with Emulate3D, Pearson Packaging has complete confidence in the code being deployed to the machines, knowing it will function flawlessly from the outset, reducing lead times and shaving a day to a week off a schedule. 

The Technology

Emulate3D™ digital twin software from Rockwell Automation

Disruptive Factor

Pearson Packaging customers are turning to the company to solve various hypothetical strain scenarios with a machine, Pearson Packaging can proactively diagnose faults by running the scenarios through virtual simulations. The company can now deliver a response plan for machine malfunctions without ever having seen the physical machine. This has successfully transformed customer expectations in the packaging industry by establishing a new market standard where virtual machine design, construction and testing have become essential requirements. Customers are now relying on Emulate3D capabilities for projects big or small, as it limits the amount of downtime for machines which in turn saves money.

Shining Moment

Pearson Packaging is using Emulate to help create even better designs for customers before shipping. Pearson Packaging is moving beyond controls and has its mechanical engineering group using Emulate to prove out designs prior to programming. 

With Emulate, Pearson Packaging significantly reduced the amount of time and human effort required to fulfill customer requests.