CFS Cost Fox empowers operators

CFS is taking the food industry into a new era with its lifecycle performance philosophy. Its aim is to optimise the output of food processing and packaging in the most cost-effective way and is at the heart of engineering innovation at CFS. The CostFox software enables the machine to ‘tell’ the operator how it is performing and guides towards possible improvements.

Show real-time production performance

When the CFS PowerPakNT was unveiled last year, it incorporated a very smart piece of software that can keep eye on the performance of this high-capacity thermoformer: CFS CostFox. Gert-Jan Langen, Product Manager Software Solutions at CFS, is keen to support customers to improve their margins. “Our responsibility goes beyond just delivery of the equipment. We want to enable the operator to see at any given moment how efficiently the equipment is operating and what can be improved. So we developed
CFS CostFox to enable the machine to ‘talk' to the operator.”

Take immediate action to boost productivity and gross margin

CFS CostFox displays the production performance of a machine real-time and where it belongs: on the operator panel. Shown are for example machine stoppages, speed loss, set-up time, line restrictions and machine failures. The data scanned by CostFox along the production line on how the machine is operating are visualised in a pie or a table indicating whether adjustments need to be made to improve the performance, boost productivity and consequently result in annual savings. So the operator is not simply supervising production but actually managing the machine, able to take immediate action rather than wait until the production results have been reviewed the next day.

Gert-Jan Langen: “With CFS CostFox the operator and maintenance staff can quickly respond to issues that can disrupt and reduce the plant’s productivity. With small adjustments, operators of one of our customers showed their line is more efficient now, which doubled their product gross margin.”

Lifecycle Performance philosophy

The development of CFS CostFox is also a perfect example of CFS putting its lifecycle performance philosophy into practice. CEO John-Ole Hansen: ‘We developed a new way of thinking about the future performance of production equipment and packaging materials as well as the associated operational costs. Lifecycle performance is our management philosophy, our driving force to offer customers the best there is.’ Partnership with the customer is a vital aspect of the CFS approach. Solutions focus on customers’ individual needs. This results in an ‘individualised’ machine, production line or packaging material. Hansen adds, ‘Once this is put into production, we continue to work intensively to control the variables that influence performance. This way the lifetime of the machine is extended.’

Enclosure,  Pictures:
1. CFS Cost Fox: Real time equipment performance analysis at operator level.

CFS Lifecycle Performance

CFS specialises in performance focused solutions for the food industry, from a single machine or packaging material to a complete production line for the preparation, marination, processing, slicing and packaging of primarily meat, poultry, fish, seafood and cheese based products.CFS offers Lifecycle Performance, supporting the performance of food processors both now and in the longer term. Operational challenges, such as variety and flexibility, cost per kg / pack, food safety and environment, are the basis of CFS product and packaging innovation for improving output and reducing the operating cost of food processors.