Wayne Labs

Wayne Labs has more than 30 years of editorial experience in industrial automation. He served as senior technical editor for I&CS/Control Solutions magazine for 18 years where he covered software, control system hardware and sensors/transmitters. Labs ran his own consulting business and contributed feature articles to Electronic Design, Control, Control Design, Industrial Networking and Food Engineering magazines. Before joining Food Engineering, he served as a senior technical editor for Omega Engineering Inc. Labs also worked in wireless systems and served as a field engineer for GE’s Mobile Communications Division and as a systems engineer for Bucks County Emergency Services. In addition to writing technical feature articles, Wayne covers FE’s Engineering R&D section.

Natasha Dhayagude, CEO and co-founder of Chinova Bioworks, was named Startup Canada’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2017

Women in STEM Careers

Food ingredient company startup cofounder encourages women in STEM

The new company has also found a way to isolate fiber from mushroom stems, which serves as a clean-label preservative and a fining agent for beer

Wayne Labs

December 13, 2021

Chinova Bioworks, a startup in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, focuses on women and STEM careers

FA&M 2021 Conference Highlights

Engineering Keynote shows persistent staffing/supply chain problems for design upgrades and planning

Getting parts and materials on schedule can be a challenge, let alone the workforce to execute projects and keep plants operational, but technology is helping to fill in the gaps

Wayne Labs

December 13, 2021

For the second time in as many years, FE’s annual Food Automation and Manufacturing Conference was held quite successfully on line—rather than in person—due to the persistent COVID-19 pandemic.

Shami Usmani, VP Engineering & Manufacturing at AriZona Beverages

FA&M 2021 Conference Highlights

Manufacturing facility planning and ops: The planning is vital

AriZona Beverages took years to plan, design and build a new facility in New Jersey, leaving nothing to chance

Wayne Labs

December 13, 2021

If you visit AriZona Beverages’ website and click on “Who’s Thirsty?” it seems that once you start scrolling through available beverages, you’ll never get to the end. With more than 300 products sold around the country, it takes some modern equipment and some talented, dedicated people to make all those products.

Water Treatment

Water stewardship: Good things happen when beverage company engineers get together and talk

This high-level panel of experts discussed water problems and how to solve them

Wayne Labs

December 11, 2021

This panel of beverage company experts discuss local and global water issues and methods of conserving and recycling water.

Penfolds, one of the world’s most respected winemakers in South Australia, has become the first wine to partner with BlockBar

Blockchain Track & Trace

Getting started with blockchain

Blockchain-based track and trace systems can work standalone, and they can be integrated into MES and ERP systems, giving processors several options

Wayne Labs

December 7, 2021

Blockchain applications can be cost effective for small and medium processors, yet integrate into already existing MES and ERP systems.

GS1 appoints Smucker Company’s Julia M. Landry to its U.S. Board of Governors

People News

GS1 US appoints Smucker Company’s Julia M. Landry to its U.S. Board of Governors

Landry will help guide GS1’s U.S. strategy to support members’ digital transformation initiatives and standards adoption

Wayne Labs

November 18, 2021

Smucker's Julia M. Landry joins the GS1 US Board

Smithfield hog production is seeing greater efficiency with modern technologies in its feed mills.

Control Systems

Modern SCADA system improves feed mill operations at Smithfield operations in Utah

The mill produces 12,000 tons of animal feed per week, feeding 1.7 million pigs a year

Wayne Labs

November 17, 2021

A new control system for a formerly manually operated plant makes a huge difference in output, efficiency and product quality

Connecting warehouse data with production and business systems

Making the connection provides up-to-the-minute data on scheduling, stock-outs, ingredient substitutions, customer trends and recalls

Wayne Labs

November 8, 2021

Often one role of a shop floor or MES is to act as a relay or connection point between the ERP and WMS. In case of a non-automated shop floor where there is no MES, there is a good chance that the ERP system connects with an independent WMS or has some built-in WMS functionality.

Microsoft Active Directory Networks can be compromised if not configured carefully

Network Intrusion Issues

Does Microsoft Active Directory Services open the door to BlackMatter and other ransomware?

Convenient as they are, Microsoft Active Directory Domain Services can let hackers get a foothold into systems if not managed properly

Wayne Labs

November 7, 2021

Microsoft Active Network Directory Services makes it easy for system admins to make changes to fluid networks--but if not managed properly, leaves an open door for malicious actors.

SoftAI is a bundled hardware and software solution

Soft-touch robotics system becomes human-like with new AI software

Gentle grippers can pick up food items on a belt, but to do it well, there must be a fast-thinking “brain” behind their moves

Wayne Labs

November 5, 2021

Robotics systems lately have developed a soft touch to pick up delicate foods without damaging them, and there have been a lot of developments in the grippers themselves to handle these fragile products. However, these grippers can’t do it alone.

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

On Demand Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.

Wayne Labs

ARTICLES

Food ingredient company startup cofounder encourages women in STEM

Engineering Keynote shows persistent staffing/supply chain problems for design upgrades and planning

Manufacturing facility planning and ops: The planning is vital

Water stewardship: Good things happen when beverage company engineers get together and talk

Getting started with blockchain

GS1 US appoints Smucker Company’s Julia M. Landry to its U.S. Board of Governors

Modern SCADA system improves feed mill operations at Smithfield operations in Utah

Connecting warehouse data with production and business systems

Does Microsoft Active Directory Services open the door to BlackMatter and other ransomware?

Soft-touch robotics system becomes human-like with new AI software

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