www.brillopak.co.uk
economically, putting a robot onto a food packing line isn’t always
the best path to higher productivity.”
Sometimes, automation efforts fail to improve productivity and
performance. Is that the robot’s fault? No! “The issue rests with
people being misinformed about the capabilities of robots in
handling multiple variables and also not always appreciating the
complexities of their own processes,” notes David.
There are so many different factors that factories and packhouses
need to consider when examining their automation options. Cost
is undoubtedly high on the agenda. While many OEMs imply that
the prices of robots have fallen, for many food SMEs, particularly
seasonal operations, the initial outlay can still be hard to justify.
Evolution not revolution
Despite perceptions, driven in part by Internet of Things and
Industry 4:0, tomorrow’s food factories don’t just need robots, they
need better processes. That’s where lean manufacturing and cost
efficiencies can be realised, claims David. “It’s not rocket
science. Yet it does require production managers to
step back and consider all the details. Just because
Germany, the US and China consider robotics
to be the universal answer, there are other
automation routes that UK fresh produce firms
can explore that are equally revolutionary and
can be accomplished by taking evolutionary
steps.”
Automating large swaths of functions all at once
under the banner of efficiency seldom works. “If
you go too far too fast, the project can become a
beast that’s impossible to control,” says David. “It
can be especially challenging to attempt to do
too much when integrating with legacy systems,
as there are so many different factors that can
affect line speed and cause bottlenecks.”
Taking a staggered approach to investment is
how many food factories successfully automate,
with most Brillopak customers adopting a
three to five year plan, highlights David. Just as
importantly, there should be an element of
candidness, trust and teamwork with
OEMs and machine builders when
reviewing options. “It’s very rare
for a food factory to have a blank
canvas. The challenge many
face is ensuring all systems on
the line integrate smoothly,
factor in the true production
speeds up and down the line
and are ergonomically accessible
for maintenance.”
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