What are the hidden costs of manufacturing changeover?

Manufacturing changeovers carry three main hidden costs: 1) Flushed product from the changeover process - product sent to drain before the production line stabilizes, 2) Lower productivity from more frequent product changeovers as SKU complexity increases, and 3) Challenges meeting production schedules with smaller batches and greater variety.

How much can Laminar reduce product changeover time?

Laminar's Changeover ML models enable the changeover process to run 15% to 20% faster. A global beverage company reclaimed an average of 25% time from each process cycle using Laminar's technology.

Reduce Product Changeover Time by 20%

Q: How does Laminar detect precise SKU changeover points?

Laminar uses spectral sensors and science-led AI to pinpoint safe cutover at the head and tail of the process, advising the PLC to bottle good product and not flush it down the drain. The technology detects exact SKU changeover for every production run.

Beverage bottling line switching from one drink to another, with Laminar sensors detecting the exact transition to minimize waste and downtime.”

The Hidden Costs of Every Manufacturing Changeover

Rising SKU complexity demands shorter production runs, faster turnarounds, and tighter orchestration. But every product changeover still carries hidden loss — product sent to drain before the production line stabilizes. Preserving both schedule and yield requires changeovers driven by precision, not guesswork.

The luxury of production runs with just a single SKU per line is a thing of the past as consumer and market demands change fast. Manufacturing processes like changeover drive up production costs and hinder productivity with any slight increase to the amount of time it takes the production line to switch from one SKU to the next.

Agile and efficient processes are key to managing schedules and cost reduction, especially when SKU counts increase resulting in more production runs with shorter batches and greater variety. Meeting your production goals and keeping up with demand is a fine balancing act.

Laminar monitoring box mounted on a factory wall with connected cables, collecting and transmitting live Clean-in-Place and changeover data.

Precise Production Process for Less Changeover Time

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More Fillable Product, Less Product Loss

Our Changeover & Product Loss Prevention models pinpoint safe cutover at the head and tail of the process, advising the PLC to bottle good product (with rising input costs) and not flush it down the drain.

Faster Changeovers, More Production Efficiency

Laminar helps you reduce product loss and input costs by optimizing every production run across your production line. Our Changeover ML models enable precise switches between SKUs. Our technology enables the changeover process to run 15% to 20% faster. Every minute saved is a minute of extra filling time, resulting in more product shipped per shift.

Run an Agile Manufacturing Facility

Laminar helps you mitigate the operational challenge of running smaller batches and more production runs to meet changing customers demands. With our changeover models, you gain the ability to run the optimal changeover period with minimal product loss. Gain over 20% production speed and get more production flexibility.

Detect exact SKU changeover for every production run.

Laminar’s spectral sensors build unique spectral signatures within sub-seconds. Our ML models instantly advise the PLC to take the right action.

Easy to install and integrate into your PLC/SCADA and network, the solution is designed to be up and running within days, reporting efficiency and cost savings in real-time on our Insights platform.

Reduce Product Loss & Downtime From Changeover Procedures

Our patented Spectral Sensors build unique spectral signatures for every fuild passing through your pipes.

Our SKU switching models continuously monitor your fluids and recommend action to your PLC at the precise moment needed.

Caustic Soda

Oil

Mayo

Water

Laminar inline spectral sensor attached to a stainless steel production pipe, built with sanitary fittings for food and beverage environments and enabling AI-driven process optimization.

Stop wasting time and resources on SKU changeovers.

A global beverage company reclaimed an average of 25% time from each process cycle. Learn how in our case study.

Read the case study

View all case studies

Ready for Product Changeover Optimization?

Laminar is used by 6 of the top 10 F&B brands and is deployed in beverage, sauces, dairy, and dressings.

Reduce changeover time by 20% — book a demo to see how Laminar can help you run your optimal production line every shift.

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There's no technology out there like Laminar.

As a company that's always pushing for innovation, Monin sees this as the kind of AI-driven solution that gives manufacturers a real edge. The fact that Laminar delivers on both sustainability and profitability makes it an easy decision to pilot and scale.

Angel Pagan | VP of Manufacturing | Monin

We've been making quality food products for over a century, and one thing that's kept us ahead is a willingness to invest in technology that actually moves the needle. Laminar is a unique application of technology, it lets us optimize our cleaning processes in ways we couldn't before. We're piloting ML models and sensors now and already planning to scale, because the technology checks both boxes that matter most to us: sustainability and profitability.

Paul Liedtke | Sr. Director of Manufacturing Technology | The Marzetti Company

Winland Foods is committed to exceeding consumer expectations with a high-quality food experience from the field to the table. Innovation is a critical pillar of our mission to provide superior value, and we've partnered with Laminar to enhance production flexibility with insights previously invisible to the naked eye.

Leveraging their machine learning technology, we expect to enhance our production agility, reduce waste, and gain greater capacity so we can continue to deliver more world-class quality and value to our customers.

Das Menon | Winland Foods, Sr. Director, Continuous Improvement

Our partnership [with Laminar] has allowed for an 18% reduction in downtime during cleaning, which increases productivity and lowers costs in the supply chain. We have also saved 40% of a cleaning cycle's water consumption by using the technology.

Supply Chain Director | Unilever

Laminar has industrialized exceptional technology that delivers results not found anywhere else in the market. The ability to generate real-time spectral fingerprints for each fluid and determine the liquid signature enhances our efforts to develop the best products and meet market demands.

Their team is a true partner in our shared goal to identify productivity opportunities and use cases that are distinctive to their technology. We're excited to leverage Laminar in creative ways that support our innovation goals, which give us our advantage in the marketplace.

Process Engineering Director | Market-Leading Snack Food Company