February 2020 - 10

Road to
Robotics
Food production
industry entering era of
automation expansion
Soft Robotics' mGrip technology gently conforms to the shape of the produce. Photos: Soft Robotics
By Zeke Jennings
FGN Correspondent
The food industry is entering an
era similar to one the automobile
industry went through decades ago.
Automation is coming, that we know.
How and to what capacity remain to
be seen.
Robotics was featured prominently
at PACK EXPO Las Vegas last fall.
Machines that can grip, sort and
pack could be found throughout the
massive show floor, and there was
even a Robotics Zone area dedicated
solely to the latest technology.
For produce processors, many
of whom already are dealing with
skilled and unskilled labor struggles,
replacing human workers with
robotics will be front of mind in the
coming years. With computerized
vision technology and artificial
intelligence (AI) still evolving, these
could be tricky waters to navigate.
Rick Brookshire, director of product
development at Epson Robotics,
offered a few suggestions on things
companies should detail when starting
to think about automation.
" Instead of just saying, 'We make
these. Can you help?' We want people
to be thinking about how many they
want to make in a month, " Brookshire
said. " That helps us determine cycle
times and how many robots.
" Also, do you have your current
process documented? Is it a five-part
process? Is it a 20-part process?
What kind of tooling do you think
you're going to need? What is your
payload? These are all things you need
to think about before you go talk to a
robot vendor. "
Safety regulations and transparency
that food producers deal with is
another important aspect when it
comes to thinking about automation,
said Lisa Donnelly, vice president of
marketing for Soft Robotics.
" Primary and secondary food
contact requires different food safety
requirements. Robotic companies who
do not have food experience may not
be aware of all of the regulatory and
safety requirements, " Donnelly said.
" This is important when you consider
these two industry forces at play:
the food industry is a growing
market for automation, while automotive
is declining. Those robotics companies
that have serviced the automotive
industry are looking to enter new
markets - such as the food industry -
but lack expertise. "
10 | FruitGrowersNews.com

http://www.FruitGrowersNews.com

February 2020

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