Robotics at work
Robots
are now being used for food handling and packaging
applications. Times Food Processing Journal reports
KUKA Robotics
Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of industrial robots, has
announced that Zepnick Solutions Inc as its robotics supplier for Zepnick’s
new food handling system has selected it. Zepnick, of Green Bay, Wisconsin,
has incorporated the KUKA KR 15 SL stainless steel robot into its food
handling and packaging system, which will allow manufacturers to increase
production and improve working conditions.
“Zepnick’s innovative new system using our robot will allow
their customers compete more effectively in the competitive food industry,”
said Kevin Kozuszek, Director of marketing for KUKA Robotics Corporation.
“In addition to increasing production the system will improve employee
working conditions by freeing personnel from manual labour to work on
more complex tasks,” he added.
“Our customers’ manual food handling and packaging applications
were not meeting their need to increase production so we were challenged
to develop a system that would address ergonomic issues and increase
production while adhering to their stringent hygiene standards. The
KUKA KR 15 robot with its stainless steel construction and high IP rating
make it ideal for meeting our customers’ strict hygiene and sterility
requirements.” said Jody Zepnick, President Zepnick Solutions,
Inc.
The use of stainless steel on all the robot’s surfaces, together
with the high IP rating, makes the KUKA KR 15 SL robot suitable for
all fields of application with stringent requirements as to hygiene,
sterility and absence of particles.
The robot can be used in any industry requiring strict adherence to
sterility standards including the food, pharmaceutical, medical and
beverage industries. The KUKA KR 15 SL is a six-axis robot with a 1503
mm reach and capable of handling up to a 15 kg payload. The new packaging
system utilises a vision system to determine the co-ordinates of randomly
placed product on a moving conveyor and these co-ordinates are then
transferred to the robot. Utilising the robot’s conveyor tracking
software it then tracks the position of the product. The robot picks
the product off the moving conveyor and places the product into a wrapper
or carton.
Zepnick Solutions, Inc is an industrial automation firm specialising
in custom applications. KUKA Robotics Corporation, with its parent company
KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg, Germany, is one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of industrial robots, with an annual production volume
approaching 10,000 units.
