New robotic technology is helping to streamline and improve bakery and snack operations in both primary and secondary packaging applications. Areas of innovation include end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), sanitation, and space optimization. Gripper technology also is advancing to handle delicate products such as soft bakery items.
However, the nature of bakery and snack plants poses many challenges to manufacturers. One challenge is the wide variety of production options, ranging from large tunnel oven systems to smaller rack oven systems. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work in these situations. “You need a diverse robotic platform to automate these wide-ranging production systems,” says Dave Wood, product manager at Syntegon Packaging Technology, New Richmond, WI. “That’s why Syntegon offers a modular approach to robotics.”