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What is a faster factory?

September 17, 2025
Jacqueline Wasem
Director of Marketing
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At Laminar, we believe the most valuable resource in any factory isn’t just water or energy — it’s time. In our latest video, Laminar's Cassie Orkin introduces how our patented spectral sensors and AI-driven platform transform Clean-in-Place (CIP) and changeovers from static, timer-based routines into dynamic, optimized cycles.

The result? Less waste, fewer errors, and more production uptime. Watch the video to see how factories are unlocking 15% faster cleaning, 5–15% reductions in water and chemicals, and unprecedented visibility into every line. Check out our video and the transcript below: 

Unlocking the Faster Factory

Hello, I’m Cassie Orkin from Laminar, and I’m excited to introduce you to our breakthrough technology — designed to help you run not only a faster factory but also a more sustainable one.

The most precious commodity in any factory is time. Inefficiencies don’t just lower production — they cause waste. This shows up as wasted product, water, energy, and chemicals.

At Laminar, we give back time and resources to every production line by cutting down slack in processes like CIP and product changeovers, while also helping you avoid downtime by detecting errors like underwash, product quality issues, and out-of-spec product.

Why Traditional CIP Holds You Back

Take your CIP process as an example. Most factories still rely on static, timer-driven CIP cycles supported by periodic swabbing and sampling. These cycles are designed for the worst-case scenario — meaning you’re often wasting water, chemicals, energy, and most importantly, time.

Manual overrides to recover from underwashes or quality issues are common. With so much variability between lines, equipment, SKUs, and operating conditions, true optimization has always been a challenge.

Now imagine if you could actually sense what’s in your pipes — in real time — and adjust every step of your CIP cycle accordingly. That’s what Laminar makes possible.

How It Works

Our system doesn’t just optimize the cycle as a whole — it optimizes every step of the cycle, something conductivity sensors, chemical suppliers, or traditional “continuous improvement” consultants simply can’t do.

Here’s how:

  • Patented spectral sensors shine UV, visible, and infrared light through your pipes to detect the exact signature of any liquid — whether it’s clean water, rinse water, caustics, or product.
  • Machine learning models interpret these liquid signatures, advising your PLC to move forward or hold based on the real-time condition of the liquid.
  • Validation stage: We work with your quality team to confirm recommendations through existing QC checks like swabbing and sampling.
  • Fix mode: Once validated, the system autonomously optimizes every step of every cycle, giving you confidence that you’re achieving the optimal clean with minimal resource use.

A Closer Look at Results

In a typical CIP setup, we place sensors on both the supply and return side. Our model compares both signatures in real time to determine when each step is truly complete.

During validation, for example, supply sensors show when clean water has entered rinse steps, while return sensors track when product is fully flushed. When the lines converge, you know clean water is flowing out — and time savings are clear.

In many cases, we identify 15% time savings and 5–15% reductions in water, chemical, and energy use, often with even greater benefits during product changeovers.

Insights Beyond CIP

Our Insights platform gives visibility you’ve never had before — showing savings per line and for the entire factory, tracking product loss, time, and resource efficiency down to the equipment level.

And while CIP and changeovers are great starting applications, our technology extends further:

  • Detecting product quality issues early
  • Catching missing ingredients or incorrect dosing
  • Verifying SKU-specific attributes like viscosity, color, or emulsion state

Across the board, we transform processes to help your factory become the best version of itself.

Get Started

At Laminar, we combine science, machine learning, and your team’s expertise to deliver real-time optimization that reclaims time, reduces waste, and ensures compliance.

Get in touch today to see how Laminar can help you run a faster, smarter, and more sustainable factory.

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