As well as speeding up the production process and improving job satisfaction among human employees, the use of robots can also help to
reduce contamination
THE PERFECT EMPLOYEE
as consumer demand requires, which can
in turn lead to increased orders. When
assessing a client’s suitability for automation
and conducting a cost-benefit analysis,
we consider each project on its individual
needs. If a company has two or three people
running the packing operations during the
night using L Sealers, we look at the number
of units being produced. If the company is
running off 5,000 products a day, it makes
better commercial sense to introduce a
system such as ILAPAK’s Smart HFFS entry
level flow wrapping system. For higher value
products, it may be cost effective to switch
to automation at 3,000 units a day, but the
average is around 5,000. As a comparison, a
machine can produce 3,000 units an hour.
The deployment of robotics technology –
and investment in plant automation – can
revolutionise how food factories operate,
increasing efficiency in all areas of the
production process. Producing more items
at a faster rate and at a higher level of
quality, robots, in place of humans, get the
job done. Not only that, a robot will never
get sick, take a holiday, need a break, or even
get bored. And it can cope with extreme
temperatures, as well as unsafe or unsanitary
working conditions. Using automation for
repetitive or dangerous tasks protects the
remaining workforce, leaving employees
free to be upskilled and take on safer and
more rewarding roles. Far from replacing all
human employees, robots can actually help
to increase staff retention levels.
AN END TO FOREIGN
OBJECTS
As well as speeding up the production
process and improving job satisfaction
among human employees, the use of robots
can also help to reduce contamination; a
key target for any food business. A lot of
food manufacturers have been running
flow wrappers for years, but use staff to
manually load them. They might have a belt
with a high volume of products along it and
four or five people on each flow wrapper
picking up the products and feeding the
machine. Ilapak have introduced robots to
stack products and organise them in batches
of two, three or four, then use a multi-belt
system to feed them into the machine.
Within that process servo–drive belts can
be programmed to split the products up
into exactly what is required. Robots can
also be used after flow wrapping to stack
and pack a product before placing the
packs into retail trays. Removing the human
element from the process removes the risk
of contamination, which in turn helps to
extend a product’s shelf life.
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
With contamination such a concern for food
producers, cleanliness and hygiene is a key
driver in any operation. One automated
process which has huge potential in
4.0 AND BEYOND
Tony McDonald, Sales and Marketing
Director of Ilapak UK
maintaining high levels of cleanliness and
is being adopted by a growing number
of producers – often working alongside
vacuuming – is gas flushing. This procedure
involves the replacement of oxygen with
carbon dioxide and nitrogen to help keep
products free from contamination and
fresher for longer. Gas flushing extends the
shelf life of some products from one week
to as long as six months. Not only does this
reduce wastage amongst consumers, the
lack of contamination during the production
process keeps operational waste down, too.
Given the UK’s continuing battle against
food waste, this solution is a win-win,
benefitting both food producers and the
wider society.
CUT COSTS, NOT CORNERS
For some food producers, such as craft
bakeries or breweries, the lack of automation
is part of their USP. But for the vast majority,
a system which can produce thousands of
identical, high quality items each hour not
only cuts down labour and energy costs,
it also increases brand reputation and can
provide the ability to flex at short notice
In today’s increasingly connected digital
world, the biggest trend in robots and
automation is undoubtedly Industry 4.0.
In 2012, there were 5.5 billion connected
devices (equal to the amount of people
on the planet) – today there are 50 billion.
Proof, if it were needed, of the power of
the Internet of Things. With production
processes and equipment now able to be
remotely monitored and controlled by
the cloud, managers have more data and
greater control over their operations than
ever before. Smart systems are able to
auto-correct faults, predict maintenance
and even help managers spot patterns and
trends. Such optimised production lines
are reducing downtime and decreasing
operational costs, which is in turn leading to
increased productivity.
SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY
As the UK’s largest manufacturing sector,
contributing £28.8bn to the UK’s GDP, the
food and drink industry is likely to be hit
hard by Brexit. But perhaps the unsettled
few years ahead can be tempered by
investment in reliable, efficient robotic
technology that can help to increase
productivity and profits. For investors in
automation, Brexit is not a threat – it’s an
opportunity.
www.ilapak.co.uk
Issue 35 PECM
69