Automation Canada - Robotic Integration Issue - 4

regulating imports. Because of the growing concern for consumer
safety and thus brand protection in what is considered to be a litigious
society, many companies are turning to automation and reskilling
employees in an effort to move them off the production line and into
jobs that require creativity and emotional intelligence. " Noted Laura.
Yet there is another factor to consider before implementing robots in
Food & Beverage. And although this has always been a factor, recent
global health issues have brought this final point to the forefront. Laura
noted that " Automation, in particular robotics, do not carry pathogens.
They cannot cry or sweat, they do not bleed, their skin does not flake
and they cannot bring viruses or bacteria through illness into the plant.
Implemented at an ideal rating of IP69K and made with stainless steel or
other coating that can withstand the rigors of harsh washdowns, robots
are the ultimate step in protecting the consumer and the brand. More
recent events, with and without government funding, have seen
companies working more fervently to implement and learn how to work
with these technologies. They enable production lines to run at full
capacity and often at higher throughputs without subjecting food or
beverage products to pathogens. "
There is a wide range of robotics, with collaborative and mobile
robots growing in popularity, being implemented in Food & Beverage
facilities today. The type of robot is determined by several factors such
as whether the application is primary food handling (touching
unwrapped raw food), or if it is involved in some form of temperature
sensitive operation such as cooking, baking or sealing and even
whether it is involved in packaging, material handling and palletizing.
And there are also standards, regulations and innumerable variables
that need to be considered with each application.
Marc provides some further insight into the need and types of robots
that can be applied, " often times specialty mechanics are required for
the cleanliness of the machine, so whether it is OEMs or end users that
implement those specialized arms, we have the unique capability of
controlling kinematics from an assembled robot solution to a motion
and developed kinematic robot. We do that in Delta robots and with
SCARA robots and coming soon will be multiple of these robots in a
single kinematic model. This is going to enhance and meet the needs in
C A N A D I A N A U TO M AT I O N

production output, which is always the primary goal of end-users. "
Laura also emphasizes the point again that the intended use of a
robot, as well as additional automation solutions, are the primary driver
in selecting what is right for you, " Intensified washdown practices
including greater frequency with higher wash pressures and
temperatures and more concentrated chemical applications call for
equipment and solutions specifically designed to withstand this type of
environment. Omron offers 80+ years of expertise and experience as
the single source supplier of industrial automation solutions for harsh
washdown environments and specialty applications. "
Yannick's team is well positioned to work directly with customers to
determine their needs and goals, and even walk customers through the
steps necessary to program a robot according to their unique
application. Yannick's team works with customers to determine all the
necessary considerations and then takes those factors and performs a
customized proof of concept to fully ensure that the solution will work in
its intended environment. Yannick provided a good example here of an
integrator that was considering two delta robots (Hornet 565) for a
picking and sorting application handling raw food. Through asking
detailed questions and performing a proof of concept, he determined
that the integrator would need four robots to meet the throughput

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

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Automation Canada - Robotic Integration Issue

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