Automation in the food industry: More efficient, safer and future-proof
The food industry is constantly evolving. Trends such as healthy eating, alternative packaging, and sustainable production are putting pressure on companies to work faster, more efficiently, and more flexibly. Yet, much work in this sector is still done manually. Think about packing cookies, stacking boxes, or filling containers.
We know that automation offers not only a solution for efficiency but also for tackling challenges such as working in cold environments, heavy tasks, and complex inspections. By combining standard solutions with creative customization, we help businesses automate even the most challenging processes in a simple way.
Why automate in the food industry?
The food industry faces its challenges: cold working environments that employees don’t want to work in, repetitive tasks that are physically demanding, shift work, and strict quality controls. Automation offers solutions to all of these problems.
- Reduces manual labor: Let robots handle the heavy work, such as stacking, moving, and packing.
- Ensures quality: Use cameras and vision systems to inspect products and packaging.
- Works faster: Delta robots place up to 100 cookies per minute into boxes.
- Flexible: Cobots work compactly and safely with people and can be easily moved.
What are the opportunities for the food industry?
Automation can be applied to almost any process, but the packaging process offers the greatest opportunities. Why? Because much of the work here is still done manually, which is often error-prone and inefficient.
Working in cold environments
Working in a refrigerated environment is tough and unpleasant for employees. Robots are not affected by this. With automation, you can have tasks like stacking, sorting, and packing carried out in cold environments without exposing your employees to it.
Example:
A meat processing company used our Costacker to stack boxes in a cooled room. The result? A consistent output without relying on employees who found the task unpleasant.
Taking the heavy work off your hands
Filling boxes, stacking, or moving materials are physically taxing tasks. Our robots take over this work, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks.
Example:
With the Cofeeder, cardboard and packaging materials are automatically supplied to machines, drastically reducing physical strain on employees.
Working at lightning speed with delta robots
For tasks where speed is crucial, such as packing cookies, delta robots are ideal. These robots can perform repetitive tasks at incredible speed, up to 100 picks per minute.
Example:
A cookie manufacturer integrated delta robots into their packaging line. As a result, cookies are now placed in boxes three times faster than what was possible with manual labor.
Smart quality control with vision systems
With Cognex vision systems, you can inspect products and packaging and eliminate defects. This not only improves quality but also prevents waste.
Example:
A customer used vision systems to check the print quality on packaging. Result? Flawless labeling and higher customer satisfaction.
Flexibility with cobots
Cobots are compact, mobile, and work safely alongside people. This makes them perfect for smaller spaces or production environments where flexibility is key. Cobots can be easily moved to perform multiple tasks within a factory.
Example:
Our Cofiller, a filling robot, was deployed at a customer who has multiple production lines. Thanks to its compact and flexible setup, the cobot can easily be moved between lines.
Creative customization for every challenge
At Promation, we offer both standard solutions and fully customized automation solutions. What our customers often appreciate is that we think creatively together to solve even the most complex challenges in a simple way.
And our customers? They are already satisfied!
"What surprised us was how quickly Promation came up with a solution for a problem we thought was impossible to automate. Thanks to their creative insights and experience, we were able to work much faster and more efficiently."
We use our experience to develop systems that perfectly match your needs. Whether it's a standard Costacker or a fully personalized packaging solution, we make sure your production process is optimized.
How to get started with automation?
Many food companies don’t know where to start. Therefore, start small and focus on processes that offer quick returns, such as packaging or palletizing.
At Promation, we offer a free analysis. Our experts will review your production process and identify automation opportunities. With our ROI configurator, you can immediately see which robot fits your company, what it costs, and when your investment will pay off.
Written by Stijn Provoost
Founder of Promation. Passionate about programming and new technologies. With Promation, Stijn has one major goal: to improve production processes through industrial automation, robotics, and vision systems.
Automation in the food industry is the future
Automation offers a solution for cold environments, repetitive tasks, and quality controls. With cobots, delta robots, and vision systems, you can make your production process more efficient, flexible, and safer.
At Promation, we are ready to help your company with tailored solutions, from the Costacker to the Cofiller and Cofeeder. Whether you choose a standard solution or a creative custom solution, we will ensure that your processes are optimized.
