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PROCESS AUTOMATION
UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMEs
Julian Ware, UK & Ireland Sales Manager for ABB Robotics, explains how robotic automation can help growing numbers of food and beverage producers adapt to emerging challenges
past decade. Robots are already being used to transform many production and packaging processes. Many of the big names in
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the food and beverage industry have largely embraced automation already, with automated equipment helping them to realise new levels of flexibility, productivity, and profitability. Now these technologies are increasingly within the reach of smaller players, helping them to overcome some of today’s biggest challenges. The ever-shifting pattern of consumer
tastes makes it important for food and beverage companies to be able to adapt quickly and keep pace with changing market demands. Meanwhile, recent supply-side disruptions have added to the pressure to respond rapidly in an unpredictable business environment. It is therefore essential that food companies ensure they have the most flexible systems in place that can readily adapt to evolving circumstances. Several other key drivers are also proving
important in attracting many more users to invest in robotic solutions for the first time. The first of these drivers is increasing
affordability, with the price of today’s systems much lower than 20 years ago. For many of the UK’s cost-conscious companies – and for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular – the increased affordability of automation technologies has recently brought them within reach for the first time. There has also been a step change in the
ease with which operators can interact with technology. Today’s robots, for example, require comparatively little training to programme and operate, opening up a raft of
6 NOVEMBER 2023 | PROCESS & CONTROL
ood and beverage producers have been among the leading adopters of automation technology in the UK over the
new application opportunities among users who might previously have been deterred by a lack of in-house expertise. The
incorporation of artificial intelligence is also helping to enable autonomous operation of robots in applications such as product picking and intralogistics using mobile robots, making robots easier to deploy with minimal need for programming. The spiralling cost of energy has had a
major impact too. Uncertainty around energy prices means that companies are seeking ever more inventive ways to cut energy bills. Advances in robot technology, including energy-saving robot controllers that can achieve energy savings of up to 20 percent through the inclusion of features such as power regeneration and brake energy
recovery, offer scope for improved energy efficiency whilst optimizing performance. Food and beverage is typically a low-
margin industry. While that was historically cited as a reason that the sector was slow to invest in automation, that reasoning has now been flipped firmly on its head. The decision to automate – whether that’s a single robot or a complete solution – can unlock new levels of productivity and competitiveness. In other words, it protects tight margins and helps ensure that companies can meet demand from their customers to deliver on time and in the right quantities. It’s worth mentioning one more key driver for
automation that will impact on food and beverage companies, as well as other key industries. While many of the challenges coming down the track over the next 20 years remain unpredictable, the impact of an ageing population is a looming challenge that companies can already see coming. With fewer young people joining the workforce as older people retire, automation is an ideal insurance policy against the impact that this will have on the availability of skills and resources. It is almost certain that the rate of adoption
of automation in general, and robots in particular, will grow dramatically in future. The benefits of improved product quality and consistency, coupled with enhanced profitability and product throughput, provides a strong case for implementing these technologies. Meanwhile, any lingering concerns around cost or ease-of-use are being rapidly eroded.
ABB
www.abb.com
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