ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Robots have changed manufacturing in almost every industrial
sector and have increased efficiency and product
consistency. However until recently, food manufacturing has
been an exception to this trend. There are many for this,
but one of the most often cited is that, unlike most
products, food products by this very nature differ
significantly in consistency and shape. This presents a
considerable challenge to automated processing procedures.
*CURRENT
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
Smaller
company which constitute over 90% of EUROPEAN FOOD
manufacturers, have been much slower to incorporate
automation. The reason for this include limited low coast
labor and expertise, market volatility for the assembly of
soft, variable, fragile, slippery, sticky natural product
and the predominance of short term orders which discouraged
capital investment in automation.
*AUTOMATION IN FOOD MANUFACTURE
Initially
automation in food industry concentrated on end of line
work. For products that are high volume long life or a
single product, hard or fixed automation solutions are
appropriate. These can use either robots or combinations of
simpler electromechanical devices.
If
products are regular in shapes. However it product
localization is poor or product shapes vary considerably.
The automation solution will usually be much more complex.
But that’s changing .In recent years, a combination of
robotics and electronically system has shown they can
automate processing of most food products.
The
future of food manufacturing procedures will likely remain
much the same, but the bias against automation will likely
continue for particular markets and products, but th8is will
be interspersed with island of appropriate automation.