The Project
NFH, one of the largest ice producers in the Philippines, struggled to meet rising demand. It was running the refrigeration equipment mostly manually, which required extensive labour resource. With water cost and salaries rapidly increasing, NFH decided to streamline operations and minimise labour requirement. Its existing equipment was to be replaced with an up-to-date system which was required to handle and record data and monitor energy consumption. Additionally, water waste during the freezing period, which had already been filtered and treated by the Reverse Osmosis (RO) machine had to be reduced as this is an expensive process.
The Solution
Resource Data Management (RDM) Asia developed a strategy with RDM’s remote control and monitoring system. Installed by KATA Industrial, RDM’s TouchXL features a high-definition, graphical display which provides convenient access to the data and settings of the infrastructure. Multiple pressure and temperature sensors were installed to better monitor processes. An adjustable thawing and freezing timer improves both performance and functionality. Further controls ensure that the condenser temperature difference remains at optimum levels. To prevent excess water flow, which was one of NFH’s principal objectives, precise inlet water controls were also installed.
The Benefits
After installing RDM’s solution, labour of machine operators was reduced by 50% and the daily water consumption by 45%. This translates to NFH saving approximately USD $2,450 per year per ice machine. With processes requiring manual input reduced to a minimum, operators are able to work on multiple tasks during operation. As a result, labour costs have dropped and production efficiency hit its highest levels.