Coatings manufacturers face numerous issues, including product traceability, quality control, rebatching, operator traceability, inventory control and reconciliation. MultiLoad II Slate is the newest offering in automation hardware for batch control. Slate is an evolution of the MultiLoad II system, a hardware device that oversees each transaction, storing the data and sending it to the customer’s software system. As a batch controller, MultiLoad II delivers straight product or multiproduct recipes using ratio, sequential and various hybrid blending methods. MultiLoad II Slate takes these benefits to the next level by using each company’s database to provide a solution that is specific to their needs.

Due to the varied nature of each fluid industry, companies have traditionally been faced with only three options. The first option has been to endure the slow, manual process of tracking their transactions with pen, paper and a spreadsheet. This leaves them with only a best estimate of how much product moved each month and includes hours of data entry for accounting. The second option has been to use a standard automation system. Since these systems weren’t designed with each industry in mind, this often leaves companies trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. With features they don’t need and language they don’t use, frustrations abound. The third option has been to build a custom automation system. This requires a significant investment of time and money. In addition, the company must pay for more customizations any time they change a process.