Robotics in the Food Industry

According to a 2019 MarketsandMarkets report, the global food robotics market size was projected to reach $4 billion by 2026. However, the prospects of robotics in the food industry have only been accelerated by the effects of the pandemic, which has highlighted the importance of touch-free and always-on manufacturing.

Automation is nothing new in the food and beverage industry. In fact, conventional palletisers have been around for over five decades now. Many of them are still operational in factories around the globe; however, robotic palletisers can provide solutions to issues that seemed unsolvable before.

By now, most businesses are aware of how robotic automation allows for factories to conserve floorspace and to make workplaces safer and better regulated. One of the biggest benefits, however, is how it pushes manufacturing plants towards an innovative future – one that does not even require everyone to be in the same time zone to collaborate effectively.

The factory of the future

A good example of this is Yaskawa Southern Africa and Productive Engineering's implementation of palletising robots at Nile Breweries, a subsidiary of SABMiller and the leading beer manufacturer in Uganda. Recognising that its equipment had aged and in dire need of replacement, Nile put out a tender, encouraging suppliers from around the world to submit their proposed solutions to their challenges.

Yaskawa and Productive Engineering's submission was the only one that proposed robotics, while every other submission suggested high-level palletising and depalletising solutions. However, Nile understood the necessity of all-new equipment and moving towards the future with robotics, hence its acceptance of Yaskawa and Productive Engineering's proposal.

Remote services and support

What instantly stood out for Nile was the ability for the team to fully program the robots on site or remotely, as well as monitor the system in real time. This means reduced downtime and increased productivity, as the remote services can adjust the programming or identify the issues as and when they happen. While other conventional palletising solutions might have required a technician to fly out and inspect the machinery, which could have been a timely and costly exercise, robotics eliminated any geographical or time zone challenges.

Additionally, Nile receives support on all aspects of the robot whenever required. There is a highly skilled and knowledgeable team available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ready to address any questions and provide technical advice. Again, this influences productivity and downtime in a positive way, as there is no delay in receiving support when it is most crucially needed.

Looking at the Nile example, it is clear that robotics in the food industry can change the way that factories work. By being able to control a production line from anywhere in the world, it makes it far easier to streamline operations and measure productivity in real time. Whether it is palletising bottles or heavy bags of wheat, manufacturers are no longer confined to yesterday's technological or geographical limitations.

Get in touch with Yaskawa

Through years of technical progress and unmatched experience, Yaskawa has established itself as a world-class leader in the field of industrial robotics and automation. Our understanding of industries and their specific challenges allows us to design flexible and intelligent robotic solutions that are customisable and align to your business needs. Additionally, we provide the training, upskilling and support for the robot's entire life cycle, empowering you with the necessary knowledge and required skills to get maximum value out of your solution.

If you would like to discuss how we can add real value to your business through the use of robotics, please contact us for more info.