Milking the use of robots in the dairy industry

Due to the recent rise of smaller dairy snack foods and a larger number of pack variants (such as different flavoured yogurts in a shelf ready multi-pack), FANUC is experiencing an increase in enquiries from the dairy industry for pick and place robot handling systems. “Until recently there has been an overriding belief that robotics are more suited to industries that require a higher payload rather than the more delicate nature of many dairy products, such as yogurts, fine cheeses or individual tubs of dips. What was once deemed a task best performed by hand can now be picked up by the more flexible robots on the market today,” said FANUC’s Regional Sales Manager, John Rainer.

Inherently, product movements in the dairy industry are less complex than other food sectors, highlights John. “If you are moving a block of cheese or packs of yogurts, a simple application that’s easy to configure will suffice.” FANUC is well-aware of the challenges and helping to plug this important gap in automation efficiency for dairy producers.

Mindful of hygiene and food safety, the FANUC LR Mate 200 Series is a popular choice for dairy manufacturers. Suitable for picking up yoghurts, butter and cheese and collating in boxes or trays, this servo-driven robot is IP67 rated as standard, with an optional upgrade to IP69K to withstand harsh pressure washing. Providing assurance to manufacturers and packers that individual Retailer Codes of Practice (COP) and the very latest hygiene and product line integrity requirements set out by the British Retail Consortium are being consistently met.

With a six axis articulated arm, John likens the LR Mate to the size and reach of a human arm. “It is the most compact of all articulated arm robots, making it ideal for small cells and direct machine installations, which are common place in dairy environments.” Easily capable of packing in excess of 80 packs per minute, the six-axis system can tilt, twist and rotate single or multiple products with ease. Because of this dexterity, several of the models can even place products under a lipped edge deep box. Weighing just 25kg, it can be mounted on a floor, upside down, on a wall, or at an angle.

The LR Mate range offers a low payload of between 4kg and 7kg. Manufacturers can select a short, standard and long arm, with a reach of between 550mm to 911mm. “Generally speaking, the longer the reach the wider the scope of applications,” says John.

Another emerging requirement is having the scope to handle a variety of pack variations. To meet this need, over 15 different end effector tools in gripper, vacuum, magnet and clam-shell style are available. Whether you are picking and packing tubs of dips, packs of butter or netted bags of cheeses, flexibility is important. “Dairy manufacturers can select interchangeable end-effectors, which add to the flexibility. The fact that you can move a robot to a different application as production needs change is very appealing," adds John