< Previous40 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MATERIALS HANDLING musculoskeletal injuries. Seats with lumbar support, adjustable arm rests and suspension can be adopted to reduce vibration that frequently leads to musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue. Boosting visibility has also improved forklifts for their operators, with cameras improving vision at forks to allow for increased accuracy and less neck straining, especially when navigating in increasingly narrow aisles as warehouses aim to hold as much product as possible to meet demand. With operations under growing pressure to do more in less time, with less resources, more safely, robotics and automation - from robot pickers to Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and robot arms - have been highlighted as key in improving productivity and operations while driving down costs. In warehouses particularly, the demand for quicker delivery times has caused an overhaul. Downtime is not tolerated, and the smallest of disruptions can have a major impact. Automation acts as a reliable solution in reducing chance of downtime and unanticipated delays, and usefully takes over physically demanding tasks. Quite simply, traditional human techniques can reduce productivity, increase time consumption, are prone to error due to human fatigue, and restrict the amount of load that can be moved. Meanwhile robot trucks, for instance, can work 24/7, tirelessly and need only stop for battery charging. These trucks are further being fitted with Lithium Titanate Oxide Batteries which can be opportunity charged quickly, with a single charger able to serve multiple vehicles. While automated materials handling equipment overall has been expensive and complex to buy and install, and even somewhat inflexible, this is not the case today. Robotic trucks for example are now more versatile, can be integrated without devoted infrastructure and no longer require wires, reflectors or magnets. Rather, trucks can be walked through a facility to build a map, decipher main routes, locate specific aisles and more. Using walls and racks to map a facility, trucks can navigate and self-locate without physical infrastructure in real time. The introduction of automated and autonomous equipment has further benefits when considering the high turnover rates of manual handling staff SICK switches up to smart versatility with next-gen SLG-2 light grids SICK has developed its next-generation SLG-2 light grids to combine higher levels of optical performance with smart sensor capability in an ultra-slim housing. The SICK SLG-2 extends integration versatility beyond switched outputs to incorporate measurement, classification, and Smart Tasks, while also providing data for diagnostic evaluation. The SICK SLG-2 family offers a choice of resolutions and includes a crossbeam version for detection of very thin or flat objects. The addition of an IO-link interface adds extra value for machine-builders and end users, opening up new opportunities to automate food and beverage production and materials handling. They enable versatile machine and robotic integration with rapid response times that ensure completely reliable performance even at high production speeds. Just 12mm x 24mm in size, the SICK SLG-2 light grids come in Slim or Flat variants, so they can be configured horizontally or vertically to fit snugly into machines or conveyors. To find out more, visit www.sick.co.uk. and the training periods required for new employees - both of which are costly. While there has been concern that use of robots and automation will eliminate jobs, the wider automation of materials handling is sure to be a benefit with a bleak labour market and as the materials handling workforce ages and retires while service levels become more demanding. Robotic trucks also enable repetitive tasks like 38-43.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:30 Page 3Food & Drink International 41 www.fdiforum.net MATERIALS HANDLING •Stainless steel conveyor systems •Standalone units or fully integrated •Robotic and end of line equipment •Bespoke engineering capabilities •Turnkey and standalone solutions •Integration and project management •Service support and upgrades •Partnered with Lita Palletising Systems for over 30 years Kensal Handling Systems www.kensal.com | sales@kensal.com | tel: +44 (0) 1 582 425 777 Kensal Handling Systems Ltd, Kensal House, President Way, Luton, LU2 9NR loading and unloading and strenuous activities to be completed cost effectively and allow staff to be redistributed to more value-adding and engaging tasks. They create support jobs such as engineers, technicians, software developers, and move staff to tasks like operating equipment, revising performance data and transport planning. Meanwhile, when integrated with other automation technologies, operations can be made even more efficient. For instance, the use of sensors on conveyor belts enables them to perceive when pallets are at the end of the line and notify a robot to collect and move it to the next location. The position of conveyors in automated and © Shutterstock /Chaikom 42 Á 38-43.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:30 Page 442 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MATERIALS HANDLING robotic systems is expanding here, particularly as this often requires a product to be in a precise position at an exact time, meaning investing in a conveyor that is reliable and efficient and engineered specifically to work with robots is essential. The popularity of AGVs is on the rise, after previously being thought of as untrustworthy, as they make the movement of materials and products effortless and remove operator error that causes many accidents, being able to detect objects from several feet away and move between people and other machines. While the idea of autonomous forklifts for instance is well established, improvements in navigation, adaptability, flexibility of Cardboard Carriers deliver for Oslo Brewery The new WaveGrip Cardboard Carrier from Berry Global has been selected by Oslo-based Amundsen Brewery, the second largest craft brewery in Norway and one of the fastest growing in the country, to provide a ring carrier solution for its range of beer cans. The WaveGrip carrier has been developed in line with Berry Global’s Impact 2025 sustainability strategy, which aims to work with customers to help meet and exceed their sustainability goals. Each carrier weighs just 7.95g for a standard six-pack and is recyclable in most paper and board waste collection streams. “Customers are becoming more vocal and involved in the sustainability discussion. They have strong opinions and as a producer we have to listen to these opinions,” explained Geoffrey Jansen van Vuuren, CEO Amundsen Brewery. “Sustainability and recyclability were therefore key factors when we were looking for our new ring carrier and WaveGrip offered the perfect solution.” To find out more, visit www.wave-grip.com. © Shutterstock /FUN FUN PHOT O 38-43.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:30 Page 5Food & Drink International 43 www.fdiforum.net MATERIALS HANDLING technology and decreasing costs has seen the equipment become more of a reality. With the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and AI programs, multiple AGVs like autonomous forklifts can be deployed at once, are able to communicate with each other and avoid colliding. They can also adapt to changes in warehouse layouts and are helpful in reducing loss from misplaced products as every movement they make can be tracked. Further, when connected to the IoT, software can be used by managers to monitor and optimise AGV traffic. When integrated with telematics systems, warehouse management systems or enterprise resource planning systems, one can get the best use out of a fleet through increased visibility into processes and units which allow one to adjust and optimise based on use, maintenance and congestion data and make changes in real time. Moreover, AGVs are set to make operations more fuel efficient. Removing a driver and the mechanics needed for operation from say a forklift dramatically decreases burdens - a lighter vehicle goes easier on fuel. Further smart forklift decisions, driven by computers and data systems automatically choose the most energy and time efficient route to products and delivery vehicles. While moving goods around a facility is a challenge of its own, getting them in and out also throws up potential problems for example when not unloading optimally, inefficiency, high costs and queueing appear. Ensuring the process is quick and smooth has a positive effect on the operation that follows. AGVs are just as beneficial in the loading dock as elsewhere as part of automatic truck loading systems (ATLS), which perhaps more usually involve conveyor belt systems integrated into vehicles. ATLS significantly reduce manpower needed at loading bays, minimise chance of product damage and accidents as well as ergonomic injuries associated with lift truck operation. Products are loaded and unloaded quicker, and at higher volumes, which also means fewer loading docks are required. D Davies Turner Celebrating 150 years of pioneering service Your worldwide freight and logistics partner T: 01709 529709 www.daviesturner.com YEARS © Shutterstock /Mr . Kosal 38-43.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 08:30 Page 644 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net OMRON Q&A robots in the packaging section of the factory’s production line, with the aim of enhancing production quality and reducing labour costs. Currently exporting to 13 countries, BOLÇÍ wanted to increase their production capacity and efficiency, improve its infrastructure and minimise production errors. Prior to introducing the Omron robots, the chocolates were placed manually into dividers in the packaging area. However, the company faces seasonal variations in demand and as a result, sales fluctuate on a daily basis and production levels need to adjust accordingly. Innovas is one of the leading integrators in the food industry and the system integrator for the project. Before the robots were commissioned, Innovas analysed the filling time for the different dividers that would be used when the line of robots was established. The company also carried out feasibility studies on issues such as whether robots would be a suitable solution for picking and placing the chocolates. Innovas looked at the production capacity required and the range of products to be used. Based on the results, the firm developed the robot application in conjunction with Omron while also embracing the importance of BOLÇÍ developing a culture of working alongside the robots. What was the ideal solution to meet producer’s needs? The integrator looked for a compact Q&A Omron We spoke to Omron about the benefits of automation and improving production capacity and efficiency for a customer. Formed in 1992, BOLÇÍ Bolu Chocolate produces over 200 tons of chocolate items each month, with over 800 product varieties and 300 employees. The BOLÇÍ Bolu factory covers an area of 20,000 square metres, half of which is the production area, warehouses and additional departments. BOLÇÍ needed to meet its promise of delivering chocolate products that are ‘untouched by human hands’. Omron and Innovas joined forces to commission a line of three Omron robots in the packaging section of the factory’s production line, with the aim of enhancing production quality and reducing labour costs. Can you tell us about a recent example where Omron helped improve production capacity and efficiency for a customer? A recent example was working with BOLÇÍ Bolu Chocolate who procures 200 tons of chocolate items each month, with over 800 product varieties and 300 employees. The BOLÇÍ Bolu factory covers an area of 20,000 square metres, half of which is the production area, warehouses and additional departments. BOLÇÍ needed to meet its promise of delivering chocolate products that are ‘untouched by human hands’. Omron and Innovas joined forces to commission a line of three Omron 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:20 Page 1Food & Drink International 45 www.fdiforum.net OMRON Q&A solution for this project with the aim to supply everything from a single channel. Innovas has been using Omron products for many applications over the years, including programmable logic controllers and servo systems, and knew that it could meet the criteria for the project. Omron also has considerable experience in pick and place applications for food products. The type of products on the production line vary and BOLÇÍ required the variations to be arranged rapidly in the same style of box. Omron therefore suggested its four-arm Quattro robot, which is compact and has a unique kinematic structure. This model was selected as it due to its speed and flexibility, as well as its ability to cope with the variety of products. Omron subsequently recommended its PackXpert programme, which utilises a wizard-based user interface and meets the needs of applications in the packaging sector. Omron has brought its innovations, including its robots, together in the form of i-Automation! – a concept based on developing the intelligent, integrated and interactive automation systems of the future. These systems will help manufacturers to achieve higher levels of efficiency, flexibility, safety, integration, quality and connectivity. The robots pick and place the chocolates into the dividers, saving time and minimising the amount of labour required. The three robots work in sync with each other as part of an integrated system that includes visual inspection, safety and the robotic systems. Because chocolate is a very delicate material, it’s important that its shape doesn’t deteriorate during the process. This requires accurate positioning and a precise handling of the product. The robots determine how many pieces will be put into the system each day and enable a repeatable quality and standard to be achieved. Omron’s PackXpert solution is user-friendly, allowing faster and more efficient production to be achieved by providing tasks to personnel that are simple to carry out - even if they have no experience with robotics. How does the new system work in practice? One person places the dividers on the conveyor and another feeds chocolates through the 12 feed channels. There is also a final visual check on the output of chocolates before they are sent to packaging. The chocolates are brought to the robots via conveyors and a camera system checks their arrangement. If the products are in the wrong position, the robots capture them using a vacuum system and arranges them accordingly. In the packaging area, the three robots place the chocolates into boxes and dividers. BOLÇÍ has approximately 40 boxes of different sizes and types. On a user- friendly screen, the operator chooses the boxes to be filled and the appropriate mechanical adjustments are made. The system has four different chocolate feeding entry points for each robot, where up to 12 different chocolates can be stacked in four boxes at the same time. The new robots have resulted in a 40% increase in production capacity and a 20% workforce saving. They have also enabled BOLÇÍ to provide shorter deadlines to its customers. In addition, the company has been able to re-route the savings in manpower to non- automated areas of the factory. Ultimately, the system has helped BOLÇÍ to reach its required production quality standards by minimising production errors and enabling the company to provide quality, hygienic products that are untouched by human hands to its customers. What does the future of production look like for BOLÇÍ? In the future, BOLÇÍ plans to increase its production capacity by extending the number of Omron robots it uses on the existing line. The company aims to complete its automation processes by implementing similar projects, with the ultimate objective of becoming a smart factory that can comply with Industry 4.0 principles. To find out more, visit www.industrial.omron.co.uk, email oeeuk_sales@omron.com, or call +44(0) 1908 258258. 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:20 Page 246 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS © Shutterstock /1600087567 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:22 Page 1Food & Drink International 47 www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS The new wave of ready meals The new wave of ready meals While ready meal popularity has boomed alongside the growth of convenience culture, consumer demand for the products has now been stunted, hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. With more time spent at home, cooking from scratch has become commonplace, seeing ready meal consumption decline. As people slowly go back to work and a sense of normality returns, however, and they spend extra time outside and less time in the kitchen, there is still a place for ready meals, especially with new, exciting varieties arriving in supermarkets. Quick ready meals remain important, and the sector is rapidly evolving. This can perhaps be most clearly seen with the skyrocketing amounts of vegetarian and vegan ready meals being developed. Manufacturers are actively capitalising on the expansion of vegan, vegetarian and, with increasing numbers of people making the effort to cut down meat consumption generally, flexitarian diets. A recent UK-based survey (from June 2021) revealed that plant-based and vegetarian meals are the fastest growing category in ready meals, up by ninety-two per cent since Eating Better alliance’s first survey in 2018, and represent a fifth of ready meals sold by supermarkets. The ready meals snapshot also illustrated that plant- based ready meals are becoming much more affordable, now cheaper per portion than meat options in seven out of ten supermarkets, making healthier and sustainable eating more achievable Though ready meal consumption has been hit by the pandemic, with purchasers stuck at home having more time on their hands to cook, there remains a place for such products. New ready meals are appearing on shelves with a focus on health, adventurous flavours, and plant-based diets. 48 Á 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:22 Page 248 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS © Shutterstock /abd for consumers, and plant based-meals more competitive. Surveying 2,743 ready meals across ten UK supermarkets, a fifty per cent increase in the range of plant based and vegetarian meals on offer was found since 2018. The ready meals sector is further being influenced by the demand for better for you and organic options, as the focus on wellness and desire to eat healthy rises, additional consumers stop to check labels, and Coronavirus sees consumers look to strengthen their immune systems. The sector has had to battle a negative ‘unhealthy’ stigma of containing high levels of salt, sugar, additives and being low on nutrients and flavour, but ready meal producers are continuously working to overcome this, reformulating recipes, and bringing completely new ranges to market. Morrisons for example has revamped its ready meals, embarking on a variety of reformulations to reduce calories, fat, and salt, while Tesco has committed to increasing the percentage of its ready meals that contain at least one of the recommended five a day to sixty-sixty per cent by 2025 (this currently sits at fifty per cent, but is up from twenty-six per cent in 2018). There is also space for ready meals to appeal to those focused on personalised nutrition, to provide choices including high fibre, high protein, and gluten-free, following suit of other products where these options are already standard. Moreover, the place for ready meals as a ‘treat’ has been highlighted, as an alternative to takeaways and meals out. In response, more luxury meals and brands are entering the market to offer premium or ‘posh’ ready meals that present a restaurant-like experience, boosting product appeal by matching quality and taste, particularly amongst those who are still nervous about re- entering public spaces. NPD in ready meals also continues to be impacted by adventurous consumers, ready to travel the world with their tongues, especially as vacations are currently restricted. Intriguing new exotic, global flavours and products - primarily featuring Asian ingredients, fusion foods, and street food - are therefore hitting shelves, providing meals that consumers cannot replicate simply on their own, offering easy entry to these flavours. The ready meal sector is additionally witnessing change in regard to packaging, as awareness continues to rise as to the effect of purchasing decisions on the environment. Consumers are no longer just choosing products based on taste and quality, they are demanding a reduction in plastic and seeking out more recyclable, eco-friendly options. Meanwhile plastics taxes are coming into force, such as the UK Government’s, imposing a tax on businesses producing or using plastic packaging with under thirty per cent recycled content from April 2022. As a result, advancements are being made in low carbon packaging and a plethora of supermarkets and brands have replaced all their non-recyclable black plastic ready meal trays with widely recyclable alternatives, without compromising on © Shutterstock /nicemyphoto 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:22 Page 3Food & Drink International 49 www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS :(67(51 0(&+$1,&$/ +$1'/,1* 8. /7' 5HDG\0HDO $VVHPEO\ /LQHV D^/ W>^ food safety and hygiene. Asda, for instance, is now utilising colourful trays made of recycled plastic bottles in a move it claimed saves 775 tonnes from landfill or incineration, and Waitrose & Partners will this year add ‘Prevented Ocean Plastics’ (i.e., ocean bound plastics) manufactured with litter collected from coastlines to its ready meal range. Others are turning to natural, recyclable, and compostable food trays made of wood sourced from FSC certified forests. Simultaneously, when it comes to packaging, there is heightened demand for ready meals to look more appetising on the supermarket shelf, holding the same appeal as a nutritional, freshly plated meal while presenting bold, enticing packaging to stand out amongst competition. 46-49.qxp_Layout 1 26/07/2021 09:23 Page 4Next >