What can we expect in the future of vision-guided robotics that is practical, reliable and cost-effective? As robotics become more economical and customers’ needs change to reduce reliance on human staffing, robotics for repetitive tasks such as cutting, positioning, and pick-and-place tasks will become more accepted by customers.
No doubt about it, COVID-19 has changed the way most—if not all—businesses operate. While food and beverage processors have had to struggle with supply chain issues, robotics and system suppliers have had to face similar supply chain problems, plus come up with solid methods of service and maintenance support during the pandemic.
It also affords processors the ability to experiment with changes in batches or creating entirely new products, often with simply re-configuring lines.
Today, consumers expect to choose from a wide choice of brands and products—not just from the “center” of the store, but fresh and organic products from the periphery of the store. Sometimes new products are short lived and are designed to be that way—because consumers’ choices turn on a dime. Automation can help processors turn products around faster by increasing production.
Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill nationally legalized non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) derived from industrial hemp. With this level of growth comes the need for more-sophisticated equipment, technology, and strategies to meet a far-greater demand for cannabis-infused foods and beverages.
Big data and deep learning make artificial intelligence useful to understanding data, making predictions and suggesting recommended actions without explicit human instructions.
Integrating all the systems on a line is important, but why stop there? Why not include HVAC, refrigeration, boilers, energy management, etc. to get total control?
While we've looked at the key issues - including COVID-19 - facing food processors and A&E/Cs this year in FE's 2020 Annual Plant Construction Survey, there's a lot more to discuss.