The nature of snack and bakery operations poses challenges to manufacturers of robotics equipment. Space is an issue. Also, the equipment must be able to handle a wide range of products of different shapes and sizes at high speeds while not damaging the goods.
When designing robotics for these environments, two factors are important: speed and footprint, according to John Weddleton, product manager of automation, Harpak-ULMA, Taunton, MA. “Bakery applications require high-speed packaging lines. Products typically exit cooling tunnels, freezers, and de-panning systems in rows that end up equaling hundreds of parts per minute. The challenge is to find a way to pick up several products at once without damaging them.”