Aquaculture supplier salutes its digital Commander
Seafood and aquaculture equipment supplier Optimar AS has unveiled a new proprietary digital platform, Optimar Commander, which can monitor, capture and analyse system-wide data from sensors mounted on linked equipment in processing plants.
The Norwegian company says this makes it easier for key decision makers to “know the facts” about what’s happening in their land or ship-based factory, in real-time, to increase the quality of the seafood.
“Optimar Commander provides complete insight into the production process so seafood companies all over the world over can gain new predictability, better optimise their business and increase profitability,” said Optimar’s executive vice president Peder Stette.
The information gathered by sensors is displayed on intuitive screens (or monitors), creating an image of everything that is happening in the factory. Customers will have full insight into, and a complete overview of, operations at any time both locally from their PC or remotely from their smartphone or tablet.
In a press release, Optimar said accessing information on key performance indicators, extracting dynamic reports, and documenting the quality of factory processes are a few of the many features available.
Optimar Commander can also alert operators of equipment errors or stops and will warn when machines need maintenance, thereby reducing downtime and providing the opportunity for predictive maintenance.
Control, overview and insight
“The system works preventively by providing endless opportunities for control, overview and insight into operations,” said Stette.
Linking to Optimar’s 24/7 Control Centre, the system also allows for quick service follow-up and ordering of components or spare parts.
The company pointed out that knowledge of how fish are treated throughout the process is key to any successful operation. “This is all about animal welfare,” Stette noted.
“Having the system provide alerts for such things as deviations in oxygen levels or temperature variations or the actual numbers of fish in a holding tank, operators can avoid stressing the fish unnecessarily and thereby increase the quality of the final product.”
Retrofit option
Optimar market advisor Mariann Blø Dalseth said the company supplied several pelagic fish processing plants in Scotland with equipment and would be offering the Commander platform as a retrofit option.
It is also used on the company’s Optilice 4 mechanical delousing system, installed on the Volt Processor, which has been on trial in Scotland. The platform is specified for new harvest vessels that Norwegian service boat supplier Remøy Management will take delivery of next year.
The first, the 28.5-metre VOLT Harvest, is equipped with two stun and bleed lines and refrigerated sea water tanks to cool the fish during transport to a processing facility. Remøy intends to offer the boat to cistomers in Scotland as well as Norway.
