Krones, change-over from Botec Classic to Botec F1
Assuring IT security standards
Over 2,550 systems installed in 25 years – the Botec process control system is a genuine classic in Krones’ product portfolio. The “Batch-Orientated Technology”, to give the abbreviation its full name, is suitable for every beverage and liquid-food producer running batches, i.e. for breweries, and also for dairies, as well as producers of juices and soft drinks, wines and spirits. Meanwhile Botec is one of the products handled by Syskron, the digitalisation specialist from the House of Krones, and constitutes a part of the SitePilot product family.
The original variant is Botec Classic, and it’s still running in many plants. In the shape of Botec F1, a new version has evolved over the course of years. It differs from its predecessor versions in terms of the following functionalities:
- Self-managed trending module (for visualisation with Iltis WPF)
- Tracking and tracing
- Implementation of current IT security standards
- Virtualisation of the process control systems
- SitePilot integration
- Material validation with barcode scanners
- Video mode
- Four different visualisation options
To all Classic users: change-over recommended
Krones is now recommending all Classic users to change over to the F1 variant. The reason is not Botec itself, but the operating system installed on the computers: from mid-January 2020, Microsoft entirely ceases the support for Windows 7. In order to assure continued dependable production nonetheless in line with contemporary standards, Krones accordingly advises upgrading to Botec F1, since this runs on contemporary hardware and supports all Windows versions currently available. What’s more, the system can be easily expanded, and above all is being continually design-enhanced. For an upgrade process, in consultative coordination with the client, particular attention is paid to ensuring that production can continue to be run almost uninterrupted even during the actual change-over work.
By changing over to Botec F1, beverage producers not only receive a state-of-the-art solution that simplifies batch production. The system also satisfies the continual call for networking: via standardised interfaces, the process control system can be integrated into the IT landscape of the company concerned, and connected up to an existing ERP or MES system and to BI solutions, for example.
