As part of its drive to continue to bring innovative technology solutions to the food industry, TNA Solutions has launched an immersive, interactive digital service, the tna intelli-assist, to deliver high-impact projects with minimal risks – all while staying on budget. From replacing or integrating capital equipment into an existing line to designing a brand-new facility, the launch marks the first time that a fully integrated extended reality (XR) solution has been available to food manufacturers as part of TNA’s evolution to industry 5.0 solutions. This innovation underscores TNA's commitment to fostering personalised partnerships, ensuring collaboration and support at every project stage.

The tna intelli-assist leverages XR and simulation technologies to enable teams to create digital twins of their manufacturing site, including equipment, utilities and buildings, and demonstrate how the new additions can best fit into their set-up with minimal disruption and optimal designs. Food manufacturers can use the tool to visualise their plant floor, virtually replace systems and validate manufacturing plans and installations in a low-risk environment. Visualising potential spatial conflicts and utility interferences ensures optimal clash prevention.

To enhance collaboration, tna intelli-assist also integrates remote meetings into the virtual environment with virtual reality (VR) headsets or through a desktop application. Multiple people can seamlessly join the plant simulation via their preferred medium to preview the project and directly interact with the digital twin, making the process of stakeholder buy-in and troubleshooting more efficient.

“Much of food manufacturing has readily adopted Industry 4.0 technologies due to the efficiency, productivity and repeatability benefits they offer,” explained Natasha Avelange, global extended reality manager at TNA Solutions. “Building on this with XR allows the human element of food manufacturing to be enhanced, with creativity, productivity and problem solving brought together without barriers. This is the essence of Industry 5.0.

“Food production is an area where there is a continuous drive towards higher output, greater efficiency and continuous uptime. That’s why it’s so important that equipment upgrades or introductions are well-planned and delivered as efficiently as possible. With tna intelli-assist, we’ve innovated a way to significantly shorten project planning time, and improve accuracy, enabling teams to get integration right the first time.”

Commenting on the launch, Thiago Roriz, chief operating officer, TNA Solutions said, "As a forward-thinking company committed to innovation, we are proud to integrate Industry 5.0 technologies, particularly in VR, into our project management process. By harnessing the power of VR, we are not only enhancing operational efficiency but also empowering our teams to collaborate more effectively, train in immersive environments, and optimise production in real time. These advancements directly translate into a more responsive and agile approach to customer needs, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions faster and more effectively. This step marks a significant evolution in how we integrate cutting-edge technology with human-centred design, ensuring that it serves not only operational goals but also drives customer satisfaction. With Industry 5.0, we are ushering in a new era, one that balances advanced automation with the ingenuity of the human touch."

Users are introduced to the programme through TIA, the virtual guide and mascot of tna intelli-assist. TIA helps users to navigate the platform, streamlining onboarding by handling various tasks.