The global food industry is experiencing growing labour shortages, resulting in decreasing operational efficiency and high operating costs. Automation is key, but where does one start? End-of-line automation with robots or cobots can be the ideal first step, as palletizing is one of the easiest processes to automate.

In the past years, demand in the global food industry has risen through the roof, and there is an ever-increasing need for variation. The global food market is expected to grow annually by 4.7 % between 2022 and 2027 of which the food processing market is expected to grow 6.04 % and the confectionery market 3.6 %. However, with this growth, problems arise. One of the most prominent problems is the growing labour shortage. In addition, due to a lack of employees available, the efficiency and output of production decreases resulting in rising costs and not being able to deliver to customers. Add to that the increasing employee demand for better pay and working conditions, as well as the rising costs for raw materials, and costs rise even further.

This obviously shows that automating food production process is of great importance. If you are looking for a quick-and-easy improvement, automating an end-of-line process such as palletizing using a robot or a cobot can be the perfect first step. It is a relatively easy task to automate as it includes monotonous and repetitive actions. Also, it is a physically very straining task for employees. The following five simple steps will help to find the perfect palletizer for end-of-line processes.

Step 1 is to determine end-of-line improvements. First, the manufacturer needs to analyse his end-of-line process and see where improvements can be made. In order to help create a list of which end-of-line challenges can be improved by a palletizer, the following statements are important:

• We struggle with high labour shortage.
• We deal with high labour costs.
• We encounter high sick leave and employee turnover.
• We experience a lack of efficiency and quality.
• Our employees are not fully utilizing their skills.

If a manufacturer sees similarities between these statements and his end-of-line process, there is a definite need for automation.

Step 2 is to set requirements. Once the need for a palletizer is established, it is time to build requirements. What does the palletizer need to handle? One has to think of: end-of-line-speed (products per minute), types of product (closed or open boxes, boxes with a loose lid, shrink-wrapped crates), product weight (minimum, maximum), box dimensions (L x W x H), pallet (euro or block pallet), layers (amount, maximum stacking height), boxes per layer, slip sheet (yes/no) and stacking pattern(s).

Besides the general requirements, there are other questions to consider when looking for a palletizer, such as:

• How much space is available for end-of-line automation?
• Will the palletizer be fitted to an existing production line?
• Can the factory layout be adjusted to fit large installations?
• How “human-friendly” should the palletizer be?
• Does the palletizer have to cooperate safely with the employees?
• Should operators be able to work alongside the robot without the need for additional safety mea-sures?

Step 3 is the decision for a robot or a cobot palletizer. A cobot is a type of robot designed to safely cooperate with and work alongside people. There is no need for extra safety mea-sures such as fencing. Cobot palletizers are flexible and suitable for end-of-line processes with a high variety in products. They have a small footprint, can be installed quickly and can easily be reconfigured to adjust to different products and stacking patterns.

Robots, however, are designed to handle high speeds and heavy products. They use an industrial robot arm and require a lot of safety measures such as large cages. Robot palletizers have a large footprint, and it is difficult to reconfigure them to different products. They also ask for a large investment. Hence, they are most suitable for high-volume and high-speed production with a low variety.

Step 4 is to find the perfect supplier. Once the manufacturer has established whether he needs a robot or a cobot palletizer, it is time to look for a supplier that meets his requirements. However, selecting a suitable supplier is more than just looking at product requirements, user-friendliness, flexibility and technical specifications. A trusted and knowledgeable partner is just as important as the technology. These questions need to be answered:

• What does the supplier offer in terms of performance optimization?
• Will he actively monitor and visualize the palletizer’s performance?
• Will he keep the system up to date with relevant software updates?
• What kind of service and support does the supplier offer?
• Is he able to give remote support?
• What about predictive maintenance and hardware replacement?
• Is the supplier able to scale up with the customer’s organization?
• Is he willing and able to deliver, install and support the palletizers throughout Europe or perhaps even the world?

Step 5 is the implementation of the new palletizer. This process could entail the following steps:

• Sharing the requirements with the supplier.
• Sending product samples for a (online) demo.
• Discussing trial possibilities for the production process.
• Placing the order.
• Installing the new palletizer.

To interested parties who are looking for the perfect palletizer for their end-of-line process, Smart Robotics company offers palletizing as a service with their Smart Palletizer, an
intelligent, flexible, human-friendly and compact end-of-line cobot. Hardware, software and service are included. The system can handle a large variety of products, including open boxes, and can be tailored to customer’s needs. It easily adjusts to changing products and stacking patterns. It has already proven itself at various customers in the food industry, handling boxes filled with products ranging from sweets to baked goods and from nuts to crisps.•