AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS


Left: Robotic arms being used to dispense beverages in a bar


A cobot is a collaborative robot that can operate safely in conjunction with, and in close proximity to, humans to perform equivalent tasks. They are intentionally built to physically interact with humans in a shared workspace. In the same way as augmented intelligence is applied in the information technology world, cobots are able to augment and enhance human capabilities with super strength, precision, and data capabilities so they can provide more value to the organization. While seriously ‘dirty’ and


almost always been driven by operators and their suppliers rather than consultants. Now the question is, where can it take us in the future, and how can the foodservice consultant assist in its development? Automation in the foodservice


industry has already gone beyond creating simple efficiencies and cutting costs through the use of data. It can be seen enhancing employee productivity by using that data to directly link the point-of-sale order to the beverage dispensing machine and the streamlining of operations by automatically sorting and bagging cutlery after washing or the transport of meal carts through a hospital using robotic shuttles. These are all examples that have evolved since even before the turn of the century to applying automation to robotic machines that replace a human activity in one of the four D’s. Fully automatic cocktail mixing


stations seemed more a case of demonstrating the possibilities than a genuine attempt to replace a bartender with a machine taking on a dirty, dangerous, dear, or dull job; but it is still an effective demonstration


of the possibilities of imagination. Repetitive and dull jobs exist in a number of foodservice industry segments including healthcare, industry and even banqueting. They all have instances where repetitive tasks occur in number and frequency that could benefit from a level of automation. Not to replace existing jobs but to free up the individual for a more fulfilling activity. Although sometimes the introduction of robotics can help overcome the lack of availability of staff willing to turn up regularly to undertake such uninteresting activity.


Rise of the cobot However, using an industrial robot in a protective cage to fully replace the employee might be considered a step too far and not practical in a people-based industry. Nevertheless, the development of a whole new field of robotics in the past decade does give the possibility of taking automation to a new level in the commercial kitchen. I’m not thinking of a humanoid machine strutting around the kitchen wielding a knife, I’m talking about cobots.


‘dangerous’ tasks are not generally found in commercial kitchen operations, ‘dear’ and ‘dull’ frequently are and often go together in a range of industry segments that could take advantage of the Cobots ability to be programmed to replicate human actions. Cobots are made in a range of sizes and capacities that can be fixed, table mounted or on carts that can be moved around the workspace. A typical range of table mounted units (UR) range from the smallest weighing 11kg with a reach of 500mm and payload of 3kg up with others capable of handling up to 16gms and reaching 1,300mm. As with all cobots they are capable of 360-degree rotation on all joints and infinite rotation all with an accuracy of ±0.03mm. They can be quickly and easily “taught” by showing or programming and be fitted with an infinite range of adaptors or tools depending on the task required: and even programmed to change their own tools as part of a task. The “training” of a cobot can be as simple as basically showing it the way, but certainly external


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ASIA PAC


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