Bulk Material Handling with V5 – Manual, Semi-Automated or PLC Controlled

V5 from SG Systems Global offers process manufacturers a flexible and reliable way to manage bulk material handling—whether manually confirming additions or fully integrating with existing PLC-based systems. It’s designed to meet your current setup while unlocking future automation opportunities.

From ingredient discharge into mixers to powder flow control and liquid dosing, V5 adapts to the needs of your facility—enforcing recipe compliance, sequencing material flow, and recording batch execution in real time. Whether you’re working with a basic hopper or a fully instrumented silo line, V5 provides a central control layer that brings structure and traceability to the process.

“V5 doesn’t force a new system on you—it integrates with what you’ve already got and scales from there.”
— Head of Manufacturing Systems, Blending Facility

Multiple Levels of Control – Built Around Your Equipment

No two plants manage bulk material flow the same way. Some rely on operator-confirmed additions, others use programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and many fall somewhere in between. V5 supports every stage of that journey by offering tailored control options:

• Manual mode: operator prompts with step-by-step instructions and required confirmations
• Semi-automated: V5 records weight confirmations or triggers timers for flow/dosing systems
• Full integration: V5 sends API commands to PLCs (e.g. Allen-Bradley, Siemens) to initiate discharges and capture feedback
• Hybrid control: mix of operator-driven and PLC-automated steps, with enforced sequencing

Each approach is recorded in the batch record, with tolerance enforcement, user accountability, and system feedback logged for audit-readiness.

Why Start with a Gap Analysis?

Before any integration begins, V5 customers undergo a gap analysis to map the current state of their bulk material handling infrastructure. This ensures that the integration plan is grounded in reality and designed to add control—not conflict.

• What equipment is in use? (silos, feeders, augers, load cells)
• Which PLC platforms are installed? (protocols, I/O, APIs)
• What does the existing batch process look like?
• Where does human error or inconsistency typically occur?
• Is traceability currently enforced—or assumed?

The outcome is a detailed plan to connect existing assets with V5’s digital infrastructure—no rip-and-replace required.

Digital Execution & Review for Every Discharge

All bulk material handling actions—manual or automated—are recorded in V5’s Batch Execution & Review module. This ensures every ingredient addition, valve activation, or weight confirmation becomes part of a validated, reviewable batch history.

• Actual vs target comparison with tolerance enforcement
• Timestamped operator inputs or PLC events
• Electronic sign-off workflows (4-eyes, QA hold, release)
• Batch traceability tied to material, location, and equipment ID
• Integration with QMS, WMS, and ERP where applicable

This means production records don’t just show what should have happened—they prove what did.

“We had the silo, the PLC, and the mixer—but V5 is what brought them together into one system of record.”
— Director of Quality, Powdered Ingredient Producer

Compliance, Control & Scalability in One Platform

Whether you manufacture dairy, supplements, spices, chemicals, or cosmetics, bulk material handling is often the first step in a highly regulated production process. V5 gives you the tools to make that step accurate, documented, and repeatable.

• Supports GMP, 21 CFR Part 11, ISO 9001 and other compliance frameworks
• Integrates with both modern and legacy PLCs and weigh systems
• Operates on-premise or in the cloud with offline capability
• Scales from single mixers to multi-line production environments
• Customisable for any level of automation or industry requirement

With V5, you’re not locked into a fixed method of working. You gain a flexible platform that grows with your automation strategy—whether that means guiding operators step by step today or sending discharge commands to a PLC tomorrow.

Start with Batch Execution & Review in V5 MES, and let your bulk handling process evolve—with traceability, control, and confidence at every step.