Coors

Challenge

Coors needed to automate a testing process on a high-speed beverage manufacturing flow line. They were using a manual testing process of beer for lot samples, which was a time-consuming process and created a throughput bottleneck. This slow process meant a large amount of bad product could get through the process before the analysis was even completed.

Solution

A big challenge was Coors' goal of not disrupting normal bottling operations while automating the testing process. For this project HWI bought and integrated off-the-shelf materials and developed all user interface and process control software. HWI also took a non-traditional approach by applying principles of ultrasonics from our past product development experience. This led to the development of a high-speed automated test system for "foaming" the beer for data collection and analysis. The system included an automated piercing mechanism, liquid analysis system, and real-time data output. The development process was completed at HWI, with the final integration implemented at Coors' facility in Golden.

Key Benefits

The addition of this automation enabled Coors to reduce their process time from hours to seconds, while also helping to reassign employees to more value-added roles.