objectively determine expected returns from an investment
![](https://www.vintecc.com/uploads/files/Warehouse-logistics-PocoLoco-1.png)
About
Company
PocoLocoLocation
Roeselare, BelgiumCompetences
digital twin
throughput analysis
virtual simulation
concept validation
production optimalisation
warehouse optimization
virtual optimization & validation of a new warehouse design
relevance
Snack Food Poco Loco, located at Roeselare, Belgium, is part of the Finnish group Paulig. It is a major producer of private label tex-mexproducts realising a turnover of 270m EUR and employing more than 680 people.
"Being able to objectively evaluate different what-if scenarios with the help of a Digital Twin, automatically result in optimal investment decisions."
![Pieter T'Joens](https://www.vintecc.com/uploads/files/Pieter-Tjoens-pocoLoco.jpeg)
Pieter T'Joens
Operations Development Manager - PocoLoco
Challenge
To support future growth, Poco Loco wanted to expand the capacity of their packaging line. A clear capacity target was set, what to change in order to achieve this had to be investigated.
The packaging process can shortly be described as follows:
- Empty pallets come from a pallet feeder line and pass through a pallet checker.
- The pallets go to two different packaging lines. Pallet transport is done by pallet shuttles.
- The case packers stack the boxes onto pallets and notify when the full pallets are ready.
- Finally, the shuttles pick up the filled pallets and transport them to the exit line.
Additionally, Poco Loco faced very limited physical space constraints.
![](https://www.vintecc.com/uploads/files/Warehouse-logistics-PocoLoco-layout-3_2023-09-22-124152_hikt.png)
solution
To pinpoint the problems with the current packaging setup and to verify whether the proposed solution would suffice, vintecc created a digital twin of the packaging line.
1 virtual packaging line
- Based on talks with Poco Loco experts and using 3D CAD files, we built a virtual packaging line. The true behaviour and timings of the various components were mapped onto the virtual world.
- Simulation results were compared with throughput statistics of the actual system. This ensured that virtual and real systems acted the same.
2 implementing proposed solution
- In a second phase, the solution proposed by the Poco Loco experts was added to the simulation model and validated in a wide range of typical scenarios.
- Contradictory to the expectations, the hardware solution PocoLoco had in mind, did not solve the throughput problem!
3 investigated alternatives
- Moving forward, vintecc rebuilt the packaging line piece by piece to get a very clear understanding of the underlying fundamental problems.
- Using the digital twin, vintecc investigated alternatives in how pallet requests were handled.
4 testing new throughput strategies
- vintecc simulated a number of what-if scenarios to evaluate the impact of certain proposed changes. Certain strategies greatly improved the capacity of the full packaging line, resulting in less case packer idle time and – ultimately – in an overall increase in throughput without any additional hardware investments.
- Furthermore, our experience with the digital twin allowed us to propose even more optimizations and recommendations.
results
1 critical recommendations
- In retrospect, the Poco Loco case was a success. The digital twin technology developed by vintecc allowed simulating a lot of different scenarios and strategies in a very short time, ultimately leading to a number of critical recommendations that allowed Poco Loco to make an informed decision how to optimally direct investments.
2 throughput optimization instead of expensive hardware
- vintecc was able to recommend a throughput optimization for a better and more fluent work flow instead of adding new hardware.
- An expensive and unnecessary hardware investment - which would turn out even worse - could be avoided.