ROBOTICS
When robots pick-and-place
Find out how the use of robotic solutions can help streamline primary and secondary packaging processes in the confectionery industry.
T
o remain competitive, confectionery manufacturers need to be able to cater to the fast-changing demands of consumers. As innovation cycles in the industry become shorter, consumer preferences change even more rapidly and that can pose challenges for confectioners: They need to be able to satisfy the need for increased flexibility, while ensuring this does not compromise the efficiency of their production or the quality of the product. For many confectioners, the solution is to increase the
levels of automation within the production process. Primary and secondary packaging processes especially, can become more flexible, efficient and safe, when robots are integrated into production lines.
A growing trend So, it should not come as a surprise, that so many confectionery manufacturers are right on trend if they opt for robotic solutions. Market figures show that pick-and-place robots have become a key automation solution right across the food industry. They are the fastest-growing robotics segment with a 40% market share equaling a total market value of 700 million euros. Indeed, a report from market analyst, Grand View Research, predicts that the market for pick-and- place robots will triple within the next 10 years, as more and more manufacturers turn to automated solutions to gain a competitive edge in the price-sensitive confectionery industry. Given their agility and high reliability, robots are able to address frequent product changes and can handle different products with ease. To perform a product or format change in the packaging line, it is often already sufficient to change the end-of-arm (EoA) tool of the robot. This means that varying products in different formats can be packaged on one line without long downtimes. Robots with the right EoA tool can handle even delicate products such as cookies, bars, or baked goods during primary and secondary packaging processes. When assembling assortments or variety packs, robots keep
22 Kennedy’s Confection August/September 2022
up with efficiency as well – as Syntegon’s newly developed robotic pick-and-place platform RPP or its Sigpack TTMD topload cartoner – can demonstrate. Aided by integrated camara based vision systems, the robots’ software identifies different, randomly oriented products arriving from multiple infeed belts. Next, the robots pick-and-place the products securely into boxes or trays, according to the specifications set by the confectionery manufacture. Products can be packed either in a flat or upright or in both positions creating more pack style variety at the point of sale. Having this flexibility is
Aided by integrated camera-based vision control systems, robots reliable detect various products in random order on the production belt.
KennedysConfection.com
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