Meat&Poultry - September 2011 - 50

Automation

Robotics enhance processing
Automation technology pushes productivity to new levels
avvy brand owners realize any little improvement can affect their bottom line. As a result, they are increasingly looking to the dexterity of robotic solutions as a way to be more nimble and responsive to shifting market demand as they face increasing global competition, a growing diversity of products and shorter product runs. Robotic technology can enhance efficiency and food safety, boost productivity plus help minimize material and energy waste, according to the Packaging Machninery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). Software and information management capabilities

Innovations in robotic technology is a global trend among meat and poultry processors
advancement can extend the benefits. Innovations in robotic technology is a global trend among meat and poultry processors and have become a theme at international trade shows including the 2010 IFFA show in Frankfurt, Germany as well as at this month’s PACK EXPO in Las Vegas. Below are a sampling of some of the latest and most innovative robotic and automated equipment available to processors.

Precision in packaging
As consumer demand for new and unique packaging sizes, shapes and configurations continues growing,

packaging lines must become more flexible. Robotic automation enables the quick-and-easy changeover needed to switch between product configurations. EPSON Robots, Carson, Calif., a provider of Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) robots, has a new RS4 model, a “zero-footprint robot” featuring an expanded work envelope. The arm structure utilizes the workspace underneath the arm so there is no dead space in the center of the work envelope. More than 360 degrees of axis rotation and omni-directional access make the robot ideal to process heavy applications where large quantities of parts are presented to process or testing stations. The 550mm SCARA arm can work on pallets as large as 778mm x 778mm, and can maneuver under itself for the shortest possible movements, enabling higher speeds and throughputs. Easy integration into compact assembly cells also reduces the footprint and allows for a greater variety of line configurations. C&D Skilled Robotics Inc., Beaumont, Texas, offers a number of palletizing robots that combine with laserguided vehicles to provide end-of-line automation, emphasizing flexibility in product flow configurations. C&D’s systems automate the transport of products from separate production

lines to a storage or trucking area. Its Skilled 504 SCARA robot features four interpolated axes with a 360-degree working area. A threecolumn design allows for more efficient movements and a better use of space. It is designed to handle a variety of product types, including cardboard boxes, bundles, shrink-wrapped trays, bags and reels, allowing brand owners to shift usage among different applications. The ability to use a laser-guided system provides increased flexibility in the production layout of the factory floor. Bosch Packaging Technology Inc., New Richmond, Wis., has a range of robotic packaging applications highlighting different flexibility features: a variety of Delta arm placements within a robotic cell (up to four arms in a single cell), multiple cells for larger applications and control solutions that manage pick-and-place strategies between multiple robotic cell arrangements. Robotic applications Bosch specializes
Above: Jarvis Products Corporation, Middletown, Conn., offers the Jarvis Model JR-50 Robotic Hog Head Dropper and the Jarvis Model JR-50 Robotic Beef Hock Cutter. (Photo courtesy of Jarvis
Products Corporation)

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Meat&Poultry - September 2011

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