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Sugar Shack 4.0: Implementation of a Cyber-Physical System for Logistic and Sanitary Automation in a Maple Syrup Boiling Center

Thomas Bernard, François Grondin, Jean-Michel Lavoie

TL;DR

This paper presents a process-aware cyber-physical system (CPS) for a maple syrup boiling center that automates plant-level logistics, traceability, and CIP using an event-driven Node-RED architecture with device abstractions and a centralized interlock for shared piping. The approach integrates delivery logistics, reverse osmosis (RO), evaporator feed, and permeate management with inline sensing, culminating in deterministic routing and complete traceability up to the evaporator inlet. Deployment in the 2025 season delivered 431 queued routines, expanded permeate reserves to about 41,640 L, eliminated mid-season contamination incidents, and cut administrative work from over 30 h to roughly 1 h. The work demonstrates a scalable path to Industry 4.0-inspired automation in agrifood processing and lays groundwork for reusable control assets across similar facilities and adjacent industries.

Abstract

This paper presents the design and deployment of a process-aware cyber-physical system that automates plant-level logistics, traceability, and sanitation in a centralized maple-syrup boiling center. The system replaces ad-hoc, manual operations with event-driven orchestration on a local server, employing reusable device abstractions and a centralized interlock with priority-based arbitration for shared piping. It implements deterministic routines for delivery, reverse osmosis integration, evaporator feed, and permeate management. The system is sensor rich: inline measurements of flow, temperature, and sugar concentration (degrees Brix) drive routing decisions and trigger systematic post-transfer rinses (cleaning-in-place), ensuring consistent hygiene and complete, immediate traceability up to the evaporator inlet. During the 2025 production season, the system queued 431 operations without incident; executed 908 \enquote{topstock} and \enquote{downstock} balancing cycles; increased usable permeate reserves from 22,712 to approximately 41,640 L through dynamic storage assignment; eliminated mid-season contamination incidents previously observed under manual practice; and reduced administrative effort for billing and reporting from more than 30 hours to roughly 1 hour through automatic documentation. These results demonstrate a practical path to modular, plant-scale automation beyond traditional architectures, and lay the groundwork for packaging reusable elements for similar plants or adjacent industries. This work is part of a larger project involving the first scientifically-documented integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in a maple syrup boiling center.

Sugar Shack 4.0: Implementation of a Cyber-Physical System for Logistic and Sanitary Automation in a Maple Syrup Boiling Center

TL;DR

This paper presents a process-aware cyber-physical system (CPS) for a maple syrup boiling center that automates plant-level logistics, traceability, and CIP using an event-driven Node-RED architecture with device abstractions and a centralized interlock for shared piping. The approach integrates delivery logistics, reverse osmosis (RO), evaporator feed, and permeate management with inline sensing, culminating in deterministic routing and complete traceability up to the evaporator inlet. Deployment in the 2025 season delivered 431 queued routines, expanded permeate reserves to about 41,640 L, eliminated mid-season contamination incidents, and cut administrative work from over 30 h to roughly 1 h. The work demonstrates a scalable path to Industry 4.0-inspired automation in agrifood processing and lays groundwork for reusable control assets across similar facilities and adjacent industries.

Abstract

This paper presents the design and deployment of a process-aware cyber-physical system that automates plant-level logistics, traceability, and sanitation in a centralized maple-syrup boiling center. The system replaces ad-hoc, manual operations with event-driven orchestration on a local server, employing reusable device abstractions and a centralized interlock with priority-based arbitration for shared piping. It implements deterministic routines for delivery, reverse osmosis integration, evaporator feed, and permeate management. The system is sensor rich: inline measurements of flow, temperature, and sugar concentration (degrees Brix) drive routing decisions and trigger systematic post-transfer rinses (cleaning-in-place), ensuring consistent hygiene and complete, immediate traceability up to the evaporator inlet. During the 2025 production season, the system queued 431 operations without incident; executed 908 \enquote{topstock} and \enquote{downstock} balancing cycles; increased usable permeate reserves from 22,712 to approximately 41,640 L through dynamic storage assignment; eliminated mid-season contamination incidents previously observed under manual practice; and reduced administrative effort for billing and reporting from more than 30 hours to roughly 1 hour through automatic documentation. These results demonstrate a practical path to modular, plant-scale automation beyond traditional architectures, and lay the groundwork for packaging reusable elements for similar plants or adjacent industries. This work is part of a larger project involving the first scientifically-documented integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in a maple syrup boiling center.
Paper Structure (13 sections, 2 equations, 6 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 13 sections, 2 equations, 6 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. System architecture and implementation
  3. Plant-wide context: shared assets, content model, routing
  4. Delivery logistics
  5. RO integration
  6. Evaporator feed and operator assistance
  7. Permeate and utilities management
  8. Outcomes and discussion
  9. Productivity, labor, and flow stability
  10. Sanitary practices and contamination control
  11. Traceability, auditability and data transparency
  12. Operability and safety
  13. Conclusion and future work

Figures (6)

  • Figure 1: Modern maple processing steps.
  • Figure 2: Overview HMI: dynamic PFD of the maple syrup boiling center. Note open valves in green, active pumps marked '1', active lines with dotted lines.
  • Figure 3: Silos HMI: live levels and content types (top); priority pickers and destinations (bottom-left); category totals (bottom-right).
  • Figure 4: Delivery setup HMI.
  • Figure 5: Ongoing delivery HMI.
  • ...and 1 more figures