Food Robotics - Page 2

Laxmi P. Musunur, Packaging Segment Manager at FANUC Robotics America, Inc. Rochester Hills, Michigan, speaks of robotic food packaging applications. ‘‘Robotics have the most penetration in the packaging side of the food industry. Primary packaging is product that has been wrapped in one form, while secondary packaging has primary packaged foods put into trays or boxes,’‘ says Musunur. He continues by saying that a lot of packaging is done by hard automation, but the role of robotics is on the rise. ‘‘FANUC has installed fewer robots in the packaging of raw foods, but that is an area that we see significant opportunities.’‘

Sylvie Algarra of Stäubli says that robotic food handling often has several applications being undertaken on the same production line, including packaging. ‘‘Food is being processed, with other applications, such as slicing, positioning, and dish-making. For example, people are buying outdoor meals like cakes, salads and sandwiches. The food industry has to slice these and package them into individual portions.’‘ Algarra asserts that a major difference between primary and secondary packing is the need for speed in the former. ‘‘In primary packaging, the production rate is important as it is five times faster than in secondary packaging.’‘

The variety of food packaging gives robotics an advantage over hard automation. Packaging variety was addressed by Clay Cooper, Engineering Manager at Applied Robotics, Inc., Glenville, New York. ‘‘Consumer food packaging has gone through many transformations, from cartons, to stand-up pouches, to foil. Unless a new hard automation system is developed for each new type of packaging, food manufacturers have to resort back to manual systems or use robots,’‘ Cooper says. ‘‘Robots have the inherent flexibility to handle a variety of packaging.’‘ Flexibility is the main reason that robots are going to take over the task of packaging food from hard automation, says Cooper.

Likewise, Derek Rickard, Distribution Systems Manager at RMT Robotics Ltd., Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, says that the ever-changing varieties of packaging styles and materials poses a challenge for robotic food packing applications. ‘‘The packaging itself has a great deal to do with the packing process because package design comes in such a variety. That is great for retailers, but for automation companies, it means dealing with a lot of variation, such as boxes, trays and shrink wrap.’‘ RMT's picking applications are suited to deal with such a variety of packaging.

John Holmes, Key Account Manager at PIAB Vacuum Products, Hingham, Massachusetts, is also thinking about the wide variety of food packaging. ‘‘Robotics is seeing growth in packaging applications because multiple products are coming down a line, which requires flexibility,’‘ Holmes says. ‘‘Traditional food packaging lines used to handle one type of packaging, now they have to handle up to five and their production runs are much shorter.’‘

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