What are the deciding factors for a F&B manufacturer to add robots/cobots to their production floor? Automating these should be the first port of call. In food processing, there are several applications that could pose a threat to worker safety. NS: One of the most obvious benefits for robots is to remove humans from potentially dangerous tasks. TM Robotics works with several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the world to engineer unique robotic solutions for applications such as putting tomato paste on pizza, packing cheese into trays, cake cutting and cake decorating, to name some of the more unique applications we have been involved with.Īre there any areas in F&B processing (or packaging) that do not employ robots or cobots, but should be?
In fact, there are few applications that cannot be robotized with some type of automation. NS: There are already a plethora of potential applications for robots in food processing. What are some other applications being used in food processing? We know that robots are used in pick-and-place, cutting and slicing of meats and cheeses, cleaning and sorting, and dispensing in bakery production. NS: Robots and automation have long been used to improve production in all types of manufacturing environments, and their popularity won’t dwindle anytime soon.
Do you think this is a current trend or the wave of the future? Shibaura Machine’s TSVision3D uses several cameras to enhance a robot’s vision, enabling it to see the shape of an item to pick it up in the most effective way.įE: Due to labor shortages, as well as the pandemic, it seems more F&B manufacturers have turned to robots and/or cobots to fill roles. Importantly for food processing plants, this is also possible for non-uniform items, like fruits and vegetables. The technology uses several cameras to enhance a robot’s vision, enabling it to see the shape of an item to pick it up in the most effective way.
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Shibaura Machine’s TSVision3D is a good example of how to manage this. One of the most valuable features of robots for food processing is an adequate vision system to manage the difficulties in dealing with irregular shaped items. Due to the high-pressure nature of food processing-reliance on fast production, low waste and minimal downtime-most facilities stick to the robot types they know and trust, whether that be SCARA, Cartesian or 6-axis.
NS:Collaborative robots are still in their infancy when compared to traditional robot types, so it is not surprising that there are fewer present in food processing than some other industries. How have robots/cobots been used in the F&B processing industry lately? Nigel Smith, president of TM Robotics, spoke with us about the topic.įE: It hasn’t been easy to add robots/cobots to the food processing industry due to the inherent nature of food-different shapes, sizes, etc. We wanted to get the perspective of a robotics supplier to let us in on how robotics is being used in food processing. The food detectable soft gripper can grip sensitive and lightweight oblong objects with odd geometries and/or objects with an unusual surface. Piab’s piSOFTGRIP 50-2 vacuum gripper is made from silicone, which is approved for direct contact with food (FDA 21 CFR and EU 1935/2004 regulations). The vacuum gripper uses a rubber or polyurethane suction cup to pick up items and offers a high degree of flexibility. This creates greater accuracy and consistency in processing applications.Ĭobots use grippers, whether vacuum grippers, pneumatic grippers, hydraulic grippers or servo-electric grippers, to handle items. Many advanced grippers are paired with robust robotic vision technology to guide the robotic arm, allowing it to compensate for variations in product shape. Other types of grippers, such as vacuum grippers, have also shown promise in handling delicate or irregularly shaped items. Today there are soft grippers that can quickly, yet gently, handle sensitive food products such as fruits and vegetables. End of arm toolsĪccording to A3, one of the most important advances in robotic technology for food processing has been the introduction of more advanced grippers. These stronger, faster and more capable cobots will allow expansion in high-growth segments including electronics, healthcare, consumer goods, logistics and food and beverage. They are seen in material handling, assembly, material removal, quality inspections and food packaging, among other uses.ĪBB’s GoFa and SWIFTI cobot families offer high payloads and speeds, to complement YuMi and Single Arm YuMi in ABB’s cobot line-up. Cobots typically are easier to program than typical industrial robots, as they can be programmed by non-experts and are preferred for fast implementation.
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