This website uses cookies primarily for visitor analytics. Certain pages will ask you to fill in contact details to receive additional information. On these pages you have the option of having the site log your details for future visits. Indicating you want the site to remember your details will place a cookie on your device. To view our full cookie policy, please click here. You can also view it at any time by going to our Contact Us page.

Keeping hygiene top of mind

26 September 2024

Maintaining strict hygiene procedures within food and beverage production is crucial, which is why any technology deployment decisions need to be made in parallel with hygiene considerations.

“Hygiene issues have the potential to risk customer safety, challenge regulatory standards, and harm brand integrity, said Rob Haynes, Head of Robotics & Automation, Schneider Electric UK&I. “The benefits of integrating robots and cobots in food and beverage manufacturing is well documented – removing repetitive tasks while delivering precision and consistency. Whenever a manufacturing process includes high care areas, where products are at the greatest risk of contamination, robots can minimise human contact.”

Cobots offer the same benefits as their robot cousins, while removing the need for extensive safety barriers. However, it is still important to consider hygiene and operator safety when looking to install a cobot. “Even without physical safety barriers that require a share of valuable plant floor space, digital barriers can be set to alert teams in the event of a possible contamination,” continued Rob. “So, whether you are looking at robots or cobots, integration with sensors and safety procedures will be an essential consideration too.”

Product contamination by production equipment can lead to recalls, financial loss, damage to a brand’s reputation and can compromise consumer safety. So, to minimise the potential of contamination, manufacturers need to have real-time monitoring in place on production lines. “The same level of monitoring is required of any chosen robot or cobot solution,” warned Rob. “Real-time monitoring for each asset enables preventative approaches to be implemented that can address issues at a batch level.” 

Rob went on to point out that adding robots and cobots to existing food and beverage facilities requires careful integration and this should extend to assets from multiple vendors and software platforms. Any robotic solution added needs to continue to follow existing hygiene procedures, regardless of changes in the production process. 


Contact Details and Archive...

Print this page | E-mail this page