Food producers and manufacturers can now unlock maximum throughput, performance, efficiency, and value from their food production lines through Ishida’s revolutionary, AI-driven remote production monitoring and reporting software, Sentinel 5.0.

Sentinel 5.0, which is the successor to Ishida’s popular Sentinel software, combines machine performance monitoring with comprehensive data capture to give food manufacturers a smarter, consolidated and in-depth analysis of their entire food production lines.

Based on Industry 5.0 principles of human-machine collaboration, a key update to Ishida’s proprietary software is its capacity for machine learning. Sentinel 5.0 can connect and communicate with both Ishida and non-Ishida machines, and ‘learn’ how the food production line is operating. It can then offer data-driven performance improvement notifications for operators, such as alerting them to machines that are not working at their maximum capability, and the reasons why.

Ian Hodgson, Systems General Manager at Ishida Europe, explains more about the value Sentinel 5.0 gives: “We know food manufacturers worldwide are always looking at how to get the most from their food production and packing equipment, and optimise their processing and packing lines for best performance. That’s why we’ve developed Sentinel 5.0.

“Sentinel 5.0 essentially makes it easier than ever before for food manufacturers to obtain smarter insights from their machines, and entire production lines. It provides a platform for much more joined-up thinking, and with the AI within the software, it is possible to optimise performance, without operators having to alter settings themselves. The result is better throughput, less potential for product giveaway and waste, and ultimately, better value and profit.”

Alongside the continuous remote production monitoring, food manufacturers can easily troubleshoot and interrogate their weighing, packing, and inspection systems through the Sentinel 5.0 AI chatbot. Machine manuals, and an ever-expanding machine learning database, means operators can easily and remotely diagnose issues on their lines, without needing to call Ishida engineers for help.

Sentinel 5.0 is available under three subscription-based licences – Standard, Premium, and Premium Plus, with the AI and machine learning functionality available on the latter two licence tiers. All new machines sold by Ishida will have Sentinel 5.0 pre-installed, with its Freemium licence provided free of charge for the first year.

Beside the groundbreaking AI technology, Sentinel 5.0 incorporates all the functions that its previous iteration provided, including giving food manufacturers peace of mind with regards to compliance and quality control. Through Sentinel 5.0, pack data as well as X-ray inspection and checkweighing data can be stored in the cloud, meaning paperless compliance with e-mark and HACCP regulations is possible and products can be digitally traced.

Food manufacturers can also benefit from a host of other features and functionality, including automatic email reporting, customisable dashboards, and access to the software directly from connected Ishida machines, or through computers and smart devices. Sentinel 5.0 can be updated remotely and auto-backup, with the latter meaning manufacturers can recover the machine’s data and settings if there were a failure or loss of data of any kind. Meanwhile, customers can request to have Ishida’s experts take control of the machines through a secure, remote connection, to perform remote diagnostics.

Ian concluded: “Data, as we know, is one of the most invaluable assets across any organisation. With Sentinel 5.0, we give food manufacturers the ability to harness that data and use it to drive improved performance. We are truly pushing new boundaries with machine learning, and we’re continuing to add to the capabilities of Sentinel 5.0. With our new software and our team of experts, we can drive greater value for manufacturers. Whether it’s a machine, the product being packed, or human error, Sentinel 5.0 can understand where the opportunities are for improvement, making it much faster to make tangible gains.”

About Ishida

Ishida is a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of end-to-end weighing, packing and safety solutions for the food industry, helping manufacturers increase automation and achieve compliance, reduce cost and downtime, increase operational efficiencies and brand protection, and maximise profits.

With an installed global base well in excess of 180,000 industrial machines, covering a huge number of applications and end markets, the company is the undisputed world market leader for multihead weighers and one of the leading global suppliers of snack food bagmakers, X-ray inspection systems, checkweighers, graders, traysealers, leak detectors and Industry 5.0 solutions.