OPTIMIZING ANIMAL FEED PRODUCTION LINES: REDUCING WASTE, INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY

1. Background: When Feed Mills Enter the “Reconstruction” Phase

Over the past decade, Vietnam’s animal feed industry has grown rapidly. Along with the expansion of livestock, poultry, and aquaculture, demand for industrial feed has surged. However, this rapid growth also brings challenges:

• Intense competition: Local brands must compete with FDI enterprises equipped with advanced technology.

• Stricter quality requirements: Feed must be consistent in nutritional composition and stable across batches.

• Rising production costs: Raw materials, electricity, and labor costs fluctuate significantly.

Against this backdrop, many domestic factories are forced to upgrade their existing systems rather than rely on outdated, manual production lines that lack automation and are difficult to control.

A large-scale feed mill in Central Vietnam turned to HTEN with the following challenges:

• Outdated electrical cabinets and control equipment, frequently causing breakdowns.

• Control software unable to support production expansion or new functions.

• Premix weighing – requiring high precision – still heavily dependent on manual operations, leading to dosing errors, material waste, and unstable product quality.

• Production data recorded manually, lacking transparency and making traceability difficult when issues arise.

The plant’s management sought a comprehensive upgrade solution: leveraging existing infrastructure while moving closer to smart manufacturing standards.

2. HTEN’s Solution: Upgrade – Modernize – Digitalize

After a thorough site survey, HTEN’s engineering team proposed and implemented a package of three key solutions:

2.1. Electrical Cabinet Upgrade & Equipment Supply

• Replaced outdated devices with new, high-reliability modules.

• Redesigned cabinet layouts for easier maintenance and future expansion.

• Applied advanced protection systems to extend system lifespan.

Result: More stable cabinet operation, minimizing fire hazards and unexpected downtime.

2.2. Control Software Upgrade & On-site Commissioning

• Reprogrammed PLCs with optimized logic, ensuring smooth control across weighing – mixing – pelletizing – packaging.

• Upgraded SCADA with a more user-friendly interface for operators.

• Integrated alarms, device status monitoring, and error logging functions.

Result: Flexible operation, reduced dependence on individual skills, and standardized production processes.

2.3. Premix Weighing Software & Batch Data Management

The most critical improvement in the project:

• Automated premix weighing: High-precision sensors reduced dosing error from ±5% to ±1%.

• Batch-based data management: Each production batch was tagged and fully recorded (ingredients, ratios, production time).

• Quick traceability: Full production history available for quality checks or incident handling.

• Automated reporting: Output and efficiency reports generated daily, weekly, monthly.

Result: Reduced material waste, improved reliability, and transparent quality management.

3. Tangible Benefits: Numbers That Speak

After HTEN’s implementation, the factory achieved:

• Ingredient dosing error reduced: from ±5% → ±1%.

• Material waste reduced: by ~12%.

• Line productivity increased: by up to 20% thanks to stable operation and less downtime.

• Lower maintenance costs: due to new electrical cabinets and synchronized devices.

• Consistent feed quality: uniform nutritional composition, boosting customer satisfaction.

• Transparent production data: enabling modern management and preparing for higher standards (ISO, HACCP, GMP).

4. Significance: Upgrading Is Not Just Replacing

A key highlight of this project:

• HTEN did not build a new production line from scratch, but optimized and upgraded the existing system.

• This saved significant investment while delivering performance nearly equivalent to a new line.

• With the integration of premix weighing and batch management software, the plant took a crucial step toward digital transformation in manufacturing.

5. HTEN’s Message

Through this project, HTEN demonstrates not only expertise in providing electrical and automation equipment but also its capability to deliver comprehensive upgrade, modernization, and digitalization solutions for feed mills.

👉 With proven experience in the feed industry, HTEN is committed to delivering:

• Optimized costs by leveraging existing infrastructure.

• Superior productivity through advanced control systems.

• Stable quality with automated premix weighing and batch management.

• Transparent data – the foundation for future smart factories.

6. Conclusion

This feed mill upgrade project is clear proof that automation technology is not only for new lines, but can also revitalize existing systems, helping businesses transition to the smart manufacturing era sustainably and cost-effectively.

HTEN is ready to accompany feed mills on this journey – from upgrading electrical cabinets and control software to modern production data management solutions.

If you have any inquiries, please contact us at:
Phone / Zalo: 0335 605 772 (Mr. Văn)