FOOD PROCESSING & PACKAGING FEATURE
valuable support. Moles described an LCS customer producing coffee pods: “Our customer receives requests for very different pods, such as normal plastic or reusable, eco-friendly, different colours and different sizes. By implementing a fleet of Omron’s mobile robots that can manage the fluctuating demand across periods of time or two entirely different requests, we were able to help them to achieve a more flexible environment within the plant.” Many solutions still rely
on inflexible conveyor systems, whereas mobile robots provide the manufacturer with the flexibility to move stock and consumables to the required locations at the right time. Furthermore, cobots are very easy to train, easy to deploy and transportable, making them a useful companion in achieving more flexibility. Additionally, mobile robots can change routes quickly, dynamically avoiding obstacles or working on different priorities. They can be customised with special add-ons and accessories that allow for more flexibility. In fact, the latest solution from Omron combines cobot and mobile technology to offer a mobile manipulator or MoMa solution. 4. On the way to sustainable food manufacturing
Companies in the food industry need to look out for smart and connected systems, combining robotics, cobots, vision and sensor technology, as well as strong data collection and analytical capabilities, human machine interaction and full traceability to provide them with real-time insights for a successful and customer-focused future
According to PwC, three quarters of supermarket customers want to buy products with as little packaging as possible, but packaging also protects the item and informs the customer, so it’s a balance between differing drivers. However, it will come as no surprise that flexible plastic or flexible packaging is still expected to grow in the future, so companies must increasingly think about the materials they use for packaging. Automation is closely connected with sustainability, an example being that it can control temperature and pressures, ensuring a product is correctly packaged to reduce waste. A more detailed example could be a scenario in which a producer must consider multiple variables such as packaging thickness, ambient temperature and packaging film speeds. This approach requires a system to capture data in real-time, analyse it and make decisions. “If we are able to process and read through this data, we have all the guidelines in order to work better and implement sustainable actions to achieve a sustainable future,“ said Brooks. In the case of innovative technology, Omron’s Sysmac AI Controller is a
smart Artificial Intelligence solution that collects, analyses and utilises data on ‘Edge’ devices within a controller to prolong equipment longevity and detect abnormalities to prevent failures. It combines control functions of manufacturing lines and equipment with AI processing at manufacturing sites in real-time. Looking to the future, and with the experience of the coronavirus
pandemic, companies in the food industry now need to take a close look at new systems and technologies that will help them to reduce the workload on employees, increase the quality of their processes and products and act more flexibly and sustainably.
Omron
industrial.omron.co.uk
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