Automation system for Kesselring brewery

At the beginning of 2012, GEA Brewery Systems installed the new automation system GEARBOXX™ at Kesselring brewery located in Marktsteft, Germany, in exchange for the old control system which had been working since 1975. It was at that time one of the first automatic systems of the still young generation being „fed“ by punched cards, which to date no longer responds to the requirements of a modern brewery. Immediate „retirement“ was decided, and the system was replaced by a modern automation system.

The scope of supply included MCC cabinets complete with necessary hardware engineering as well as software engineering, including commissioning. The system was installed within the time limit of two months.

With GEARBOXX™ it is now possible to monitor the brew process from everywhere around, even with a note pad or smart phone. All staff members in charge are immediately informed via text message about possible failures at the plant and their tangible causes. Production losses and time-killing fault finding are avoided in this way, if staff members must necessarily appear in the mid of the night.

A further, immense ecological advantage is that the plant is working at low energy use, because the pumps are no longer running all the time at full capacity, but are adapted automatically to the actual demand of energy.

GEARBOXX™ brings about considerable ease of work to the brewers. For instance, the plant starts automatically the preparation of the first brew for the day at midnight. The brewer begins his morning shift at five o’clock with checking the operation of the control system. Then he starts the second brew. The time gained in this way can be used for other tasks.