Advanced Robotics in the Food Industry

Abstract

Robotics in the Food Industry ‐ The food industry generally operates at low margins, is conservative and has to respond quickly to consumer and retailer demands. These requirements have become even more predominant over recent years. The food industry is diverse and there are few generic solutions which can be applied across all sectors. Robots have been used throughout the food industry, and as early as the 1970s they were used to package assorted chocolates. The interest, however, declined as manufacturers found that the systems could not meet more stringent hygiene standards, did not stand up to the vigorous and often hostile environment and had a very high capital cost.