The convergence of traditional automation with artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new possibilities for feed manufacturers to improve efficiency and reduce costs, according to speakers at the 2025 Feed Mill of the Future Conference held during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta. This evolution marks a fundamental shift from basic automated controls to intelligent systems that can adapt and optimize operations in real-time.
Traditional programmable logic controller (PLC) systems operate on what CPM Automation Sales Territory Manager Matthew Boland calls a “task-based” model, where systems follow precisely programmed instructions. However, the integration of AI is enabling a transition to “goal-based” control systems that can adapt and optimize operations autonomously.
