22 Feb ROBOTICS IN THE FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

With the phenomenal increase in technology in the last couple of years post COVID-19, manufacturing industries across all sectors are either witnessing or are going to witness a monumental shift in the way they work and process their goods.

Earlier tech was limited to just accounting, sales, marketing, HR or designing but now its applicable to almost processes in the entire product flow. Here, we will discuss the types of robots and how the food processing industry can be further modernised by the use of robots.

In recent years, the food processing industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation driven by technological advancements. Among these innovations, robotics has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing various aspects of food production, from harvesting to packaging. With the integration of robotics, manufacturers are experiencing increased efficiency, precision, and safety in their operations, leading to higher-quality products and improved profitability.

Robotics is a subset of industrial automation. The pressing need for increased productivity has necessitated the deployment of robots to automate tasks. According to the British Robot Association, “An industrial robot is a reprogrammable device designed both to operate and/or move components, tools, or defined manufacturing implements through changeable programmed motions for the completion of certain production activities”.

Robots are not actively in use in the food processing industry currently. However, as per some research reports, manufacturers who used robots in the food industry reported 25 percent increase in the overall productivity as compared to humans. Earlier, use of robots in food industry was limited to food packaging and palletizing in dairy and beverages sector.

BENEFITS of using robotics in the food processing sector

1. Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity
2. One of the primary benefits of incorporating robotics into the food processing industry is the significant boost in efficiency and productivity. Automation allows for streamlined processes, reducing the time and resources required to complete tasks such as sorting, cutting, and packaging. Robots can work tirelessly around the clock, consistently maintaining high levels of output without the need for breaks or rest periods

2. Improving food quality – Robots can work in extremely cold as well as hot environment which can help in material handling which in turn may help improve the quality of food.

3. Increasing consistency – Consistency is crucial in the food processing industry, where slight variations in product quality can have a significant impact on consumer satisfaction and brand reputation. Processes like cutting, packaging and portioning can be done accurately by the robots. Manufacturers can deliver products that meet strict quality standards consistently and can greatly reduce waste.

4. Increased worker protection and productivity – Robots can use dangerous equipment easily thereby increasing worker protection. When there is a shortage of employees, robots may be required to perform repetitive and physically demanding tasks in an uncomfortable atmosphere that workers would struggle to complete.
5. Improving food safety and hygiene – Maintaining food safety and hygiene is a top priority for food processors to prevent contamination and ensure consumer wellbeing. Robotics play a crucial role in this aspect by minimizing human contact with food during processing and packaging. Unlike humans, robots do not carry bacteria or pathogens, significantly reducing the risk of contamination

Application of robotics in dairy and food processing industries

Commercial use of robots in the food processing industry is currently limited to end of the production line such as packaging and palletizing. Meanwhile, robotics has a wide application including grading, packing, baking, etc. Following are the major applications

Fruit and vegetable processing

Machine vision, near infrared technologies and mechatronics have been employed for fruit and vegetable processing. Accurate records are also kept by the robots and their autonomous systems which help manufacturers in making future decisions to increase efficiency, productivity and also help in traceability. It can be used in the future for proper grading according to size, shape and colour.

Freezers and ovens

As robots can handle extreme temperatures, they can be used for loading unloading of products with proper cover to their electrical parts.

Meat processing

Here, robotics can be used for deboning as it’s a mundane and monotonous process.

Challenges in using robotics in the food processing industry

The major issue in adaptability is that raw material in the food industry is not of a uniform or standard size that can be programmed into a robot. For eg. If an orange has to be peeled, no two oranges will be of the same size so setting parameters for the robot would be difficult.

Food products have different rheological properties which means they all react in a different way when pressure is applied to them. Developing product specific robotics would not be viable commercially.

Conclusion

There are unique challenges faced by various sectors of the food processing industry. Some of them can be fulfilled easily by robotics and others need to be dealt on a sector basis to increase adaptability. Giving robots the ability to evaluate each raw material before processing could be essential in key processes, whereas training staff to work alongside robots could be a bigger issue in processes.

However, as labour costs keep increasing everyday in all parts of the world and consumers demand ‘good-looking’ or uniform looking foods, it would leave manufacturers no choice but to adapt robotics in the food processing industry.

For further information, you can connect with us here: https://sjrfood.com/contact-us/.

References

Robotics in food processing industries: A review ( The pharma innovation journal 2022) – Kokane sanket et. al