New opportunities for improved sugar factory performance through the Sugar Factory 4.0 project

Most people working in an industrial or technology field will have heard of the so-called 4^th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and this is a hot topic in South Africa’s various government departments. It refers to the ready availability of massive computing power to enhance the effectiveness of industrial manufacturing and supply chain systems. Wikipedia refers to Industry 4.0 as “… the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies, including cyber-physical systems, the Internet of things, cloud computing and cognitive computing, and creating the smart factory”. The essence of 4IR thinking is to couple computing power to manufacturing processes and supply chain logistics to enhance decision-making and automation, thereby improving manufacturing productivity and reducing production and distribution costs.

Staged approach to Industry 4.0

Sugar Factory 4.0

South African sugar factories, and indeed sugar factories throughout most of the world, are facing severe challenges, and the need to reduce costs of production and improve process efficiency is paramount. However, such factories are characterised by variable raw material feedstock, changing process conditions, a high degree of complexity, and multiple recycle loops. There are many instruments, measurements and control systems in a sugar factory, with lots of analytical and process data available, with even more becoming available as the SMRI’s Near Infrared Spectroscopy (SMRI-NIRS) analytical technology is being deployed. However, these data are not always readily accessible to the operating staff and may not be easily interpreted in order to improve efficiencies and troubleshoot problems. The Sugar Milling Research Institute NPC (SMRI) considers that there is great potential for the application of 4IR principles to sugar factories to improve declining performance and, following a successful application, was able to attract funding from the national Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) Sector Innovation Fund and the sugarcane processing industry to undertake a project to develop and implement relevant 4IR solutions in the industry.

Factory focus areas

Kitty Foxon

Through a workshop with sugar factory and company representatives, several sugar factory process sections were identified that could potentially benefit from the application of process data-based 4IR principles to improve efficiency or profitability. One shortcoming of the current system of factory sampling, analysis and calculation procedures is that relevant process parameters may only be available hours or days after sampling, thus providing a historical perspective on operations. What would be more valuable is near real-time data and derived information that can inform operators of the current performance status to permit them to make changes to improve performance. 4IR tools could further provide predictions of future performance trajectories in order to make pro-active decisions to minimise losses.

It was recognised that the hardware and software skills required to implement 4IR projects in the sugar industry were not widely available, but there are numerous companies and consultants with such skills available. However, to maximise the benefits of such projects, domain-specific knowledge is required, i.e. sugar technology and factory operational knowledge and skills. Thus, calls were put out for proposals involving 4IR consultants, SMRI teams and factories that had an interest in testing 4IR solutions. This process, under the SMRI team leadership, namely Ivan Voigt, Steve Davis and Dr Kitty Foxon, resulted in the approval of six technical and value assessment (TVA) projects, which aim to identify how the 4IR principles could be applied to each particular problem area, the costs of such implementation and the savings/increased productivity that could be realised from the implementation.

Following project set-up meetings and contracting, the host factories were visited to understand the nature of the problems and what data may be available and would be needed to develop appropriate solutions. Certain projects were extensions of existing SMRI research projects, which meant that considerable data collection and interpretation had already been done, enabling the process to be fast-tracked. The following six TVA projects have been undertaken, with the recommendations of the consultants having now been received.

• C-Centrifuge monitoring (at two factories with two consultants). The C-centrifuge station is the last opportunity to recover crystal sugar; sucrose passing through to molasses is lost. Operational factors that are associated with or lead to high sucrose loss to molasses will be studied in and monitored in this project and deviations from best practice will be highlighted in order for the operators to focus on bringing process parameters back to optimum values.
• Inversion losses / non-sucrose tracking. Undetermined sucrose losses in a factory are typically only assessed at the end of each week, by which time it is too late to correct problems. However, there may be multiple reasons for such losses and assessing root causes in real time is a complex task. This project seeks to utilise the rapid analytical capabilities of the SMRI-NIRS technology to track sucrose inversion and non-sucrose creation in the raw house for early identification of loss-causing situations, as well as monitoring process conditions that are typically associated with high sucrose losses.
• Throughput control. In a sugar factory, there may be several process bottlenecks that limit production capacity, and these change throughout the season. The Throughput project will analyse process data to identify where process bottlenecks are occurring that may lead to a negative impact on production and recovery. The products are anticipated to be software tools for bottleneck forecasting and scheduling to minimise the occurrence of such bottlenecks by pro-actively making appropriate process decisions.
• Diffuser operations. Sugarcane diffusers are effective devices to extract sucrose from cane but controlling them to optimise performance at lowest energy cost is a complex task. This project will take existing and new diffuser process data to develop better insights into diffuser operation and control to improve sucrose extraction without excessive use of imbibition water.
• Steam supply and usage. A sugar factory has a highly integrated steam supply and demand network to maximise the use of energy extracted from bagasse, sometimes supplemented with coal. However, there are few places where energy usage is effectively measured. This project aims to monitor and interpret high- and low-pressure steam supply and demand patterns so as to improve factory energy efficiency, especially where the cost of coal usage is considerable.
  

  Steve Davis

The six TVA reports will consider how these projects may be implemented at these factories, the costs associated with the hardware and software for such, and the technical and financial benefits that may be expected to accrue to the factories following successful implementation. In December 2019, the project Steering Committee will approve the recommended projects to be implemented in 2020. Consideration will also be given as to how such projects may be rolled out to other factories if successful, and it is anticipated that the industry will see a step-change improvement in performance in a few years through the introduction of such 4IR thinking and technology.

First African mill to score Bonsucro certification

Mauritian company Omnicane Milling Operations Limited, owned by the Omnicane Group, has become the first African mill to achieve Bonsucro certification, resulting in the first Bonsucro-certified sugar coming on to the market from Africa.

Omnicane’s CEO Jacques M. d’Unienville said the significant achievement confirmed that the operation was in line with international guidelines linked to responsible sugarcane production.

The rigorous Bonsucro Standards are the most widely accepted international standards for sustainable sugarcane. The Bonsucro Production Standard helps farmers and mills to measure their productivity and key environmental and social impacts, while the Chain of Custody Standard gives traders and buyers the assurance that they are sourcing and trading responsibly. “We believe that Bonsucro certification will provide a competitive edge for the marketing of sustainable sugar from Omnicane and the Mauritian sugarcane industry at large,” d’Unienville said.

Omnicane is a part of the National Cane Sustainability Steering Committee established by the Mauritian Sugar Syndicate to promote a national drive for sustainability across the country’s cane industry. Through this initiative, the group has worked very closely with the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute to reduce their herbicide application rate. The levels of herbicide application in Mauritius are among the highest in the world.

Omnicane’s Chief Operations Officer for Agriculture Francois Audibert said successfully reducing herbicide application rates, which is a core requirement of the Bonsucro Standard, was a major achievement for the operation.

Bonsucro’s Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East Boudewijn Goossens said the certification heralded a new era for African sugarcane production. “As the continent’s first Bonsucro-certified mill, this means there will be African Bonsucro-certified sugar on the market for the first time. The group’s certification is a validation of the hard work it has accomplished with its partners in transforming the Mauritian sugarcane sector into a more sustainable industry,” he said.

Bonsucro is a global multi-stakeholder non-profit organisation that promotes sustainable sugarcane production, processing and trade around the world. Bonsucro supports a community of more than 500 members in some 40 countries, from all elements of the sugarcane supply chain, including, farmers, millers, traders, buyers and support organisations.

Its vision is a sugarcane sector with thriving, sustainable producer communities and resilient, assured supply chains, while building a platform to accelerate change for the largest agricultural commodity in the world – sugarcane.

The Brazilian mill Maracai, owned by Raizen, was the first to be certified by Bonsucro in 2011. Currently there are 108 certified mills worldwide:

77 in Latin America, of which 64 are in Brazil; 30 in Asia/Pacific: Australia, China, India and Thailand; one in Africa: Omnicane Mauritius.

To find out more visit: www.bonsucro.com

Mbombela grower rolls up his sleeves for the industry

A belief in being part of the solution rather than sitting on the sidelines has placed Higgins Mdluli in numerous leadership positions over the years. Now, as a newly elected member of the SA Canegrowers board, he is gearing up to champion the cause of the country’s sugar farmers.

Born in the Driekoppies area of the Nkomazi Onderberg region, Mdluli is no stranger to farming or the prosperity that sugarcane can bring to a community if the industry is well looked after.

His family was one of the first that converted its subsistence maize crop to sugarcane in the late 1970s. “When we went from maize farming to sugarcane there was a big improvement in income, so there was a positive connotation to farming sugar. It was the first time farmers could actually earn an income from farming, rather than just having a subsistence crop that only produced enough food to eat,” Mdluli recalled.

The passion and excitement of farming sugar was passed on to Mdluli at a young age and already, at 12, he had started assisting his parents on the farm after school. When it came time to choose a career he opted for a BSc degree in hydrology, since farming was seen as a supplementary income rather than the main source. He then added a national diploma in civil engineering and took his career to new heights.

Mdluli was one of the founders of Endecon Ubuntu Engineering Consultants. His involvement in that sector, which is one of the main roleplayers in government service delivery, has given him the opportunity to interact on a regular basis with state officials at all levels, giving him an edge in government negotiations that is useful in today’s sugar landscape.

While Mdluli continued his work as an engineer, he would still spend much time on the family farm in Nkomazi. In 1999 his grandparents died, leaving him their 8,3 hectare farm, necessitating even more time being spent there. “I believe that when one receives an inheritance it is important to grow it, not to let it stagnate. There should always be growth if one wants to move forward in life.

“I would spend most weekends there and noticed there were many pieces of land going out of production because the descendants did not want to farm. So when they sold their properties, I bought them. I realised that farming could actually be a viable career if I could grow big enough.”

This eventually brought his farm to 85 hectares, and while his parents were instrumental in assisting with farming activities while Mdluli worked as an engineer in Mbombela, the day soon dawned when he had to choose his path forward.

Higgins Mdluli has grown his farm from 8,3 hectares to 85 hectares.

In 2016 he handed over the reins of his stable engineering business and entered the uncertain world of farming, full time. He said that the biggest difference between a corporate career and farming was the ever-changing landscape of the latter. “Every day is different and it depends on so many factors – even the weather. Farming keeps you on your toes the whole time. In the corporate world it takes a long time to reach a decision because there are so many roleplayers who need to be consulted. But when you farm, you need to take action quickly and you only have yourself to report to. If there’s a problem you must make a plan.”

Asked what prompted the decision to swop the corporate world for farming, Mdluli said that any profession must be chosen on the basis of passion and enjoyment. “And I love farming! While a corporate job gives you security and you are guaranteed a salary at the end of the month, with farming you really have to work for it and then sometimes, you still don’t get an income because conditions are not right.

“Yes, there are challenges, but I make sure my children know that farming also contributes to putting bread on the table and the profession must be respected. It is good that they see you enjoying what you do because it increases the chances that they might want to take over the farm one day.”

Leadership

The community’s response to Mdluli’s full time entry to farming was to elect him on to every board possible. “The elders said they had done their best but they needed a younger generation to come in that understands the global issues,” he said.

In addition to his election on to the board of SA Canegrowers, he has been the chairperson of Ngogolo Co-operative since March 2016. He has also recently been elected to the Malalane MCC as well as Malalane Local Grower Council.

Looking back, Mdluli said he wished he had started attending council and grower meetings earlier in his life. “I wish more people would realise the importance of going to growers’ meetings so that they are informed about what is happening. Otherwise you operate in a silo and you never understand why the prices are so low. You have to stay informed.”

Mdluli said he quickly realised that with the challenges facing the sugar sector, if he did not get involved and help, many incomes would disappear in his community and elsewhere in cane-growing regions. “The prices paid to farmers are so low, but you are either part of those who are trying to solve the problem, or not. I choose to be part of finding a solution.

“When there are so many elderly people dependent on that income, you find the energy to fight on so that they can still earn a living. If there is no income at the end of the year for those relying on a two or five hectare farm, what must they do? So we need to be part of a solution to ensure the whole industry continues.”

Besides the low prices, Mdluli entered the industry at a time when it has been split between two organisations. “The biggest challenge is to unite everyone so that we can present a united front when we approach government for any assistance. We can’t be divided if we want to be taken seriously. We need to look at the bigger picture to help the whole industry because everyone has a role to play.”

Mdluli is positive about the sector going forward and noted that few industries could offer the income and ease of management as sugar. “I would rather fight to find solutions to help the industry and get it back to where it should be. With a good sugar price you are better off planting cane than any other crop, because your inputs are relatively low. You are also guaranteed a market through the mills. For small scale growers especially, sugar is a better option, than, for example, maize or any other crop.

“We are starting to realise what the factors are that are hindering the sector and we are working towards solutions.”