How Cobots Are Boosting Efficiency by 50% in the Food & Beverage Industry

Did you know that over 70% of leading food and beverage manufacturers are now leveraging robotic automation to stay ahead in the market? Giants like Coca-Cola have turned to collaborative robots (cobots) to revolutionize their production lines, boosting efficiency by up to 50%. By automating key processes such as packaging, palletizing, and labeling, these companies have not only accelerated production but also slashed labor costs and improved product consistency.

Is your company considering the same approach to stay competitive?

As the food and beverage industry continues to evolve, several key areas are emerging as prime targets for cobot automation:

Packaging

Cobots can handle a variety of products, whether round, square, or irregularly shaped. These robots use grippers or suction accessories to pick up items, place them into packaging boxes, and complete tasks. This automation helps ensure that products are securely packaged, reducing the risk of damage during handling and maintaining product integrity.

Precise yet Quick Packaging Solution for Beer Bottles

Palletizing

Through a simple configuration, cobots can operate different stacking cases of bottled beverages, canned goods, or packaged snacks onto pallets with precision and speed. This includes stacking single or double boxes, adding layer boards, or creating more complex stacking arrangements. Cobots can also ensure consistent box orientation, which enhances the stability and uniformity of pallets, crucial for safe and efficient transportation.

Dobot Automated Palletizer Solution for Croatia’s Beloved Juice Brand, Juicy

Labeling

Cobots can automate the labeling process, ensuring precise and consistent label placement on various packaging types. In a dairy processing facility, for instance, cobots can efficiently apply labels to milk cartons, yogurt containers, or cheese blocks, upholding food safety and traceability standards. Their precision gripping technology allows careful handling of labels, while their speed and efficiency enable quick application in high-volume environments. With their flexibility and reprogrammability, cobots can easily adapt to different products and label designs.

Labeling Solution for Food Boxes with DOBOT Nova Series

Sorting

Cobots equipped with vision systems or with configuration set, can identify specific shapes, colors, or positions of products. They can then accurately grasp and place these items into the designated locations. This capability is vital for maintaining precision and efficiency in sorting operations, ensuring that products are correctly organized and prepared for the next stage in the production process.

DOBOT CRA Cobots for Automatic Candy Sorting

Why Automate the Food & Beverage Industry?

The food and beverage industry faces a unique set of challenges that drive the need for automation. These include:

• Increasing Demand: With a growing global population and changing consumer preferences, there is constant pressure to boost production and meet the rising demand for food and beverage products.
• Labor Shortages: The industry often struggles to attract and retain skilled workers, leading to labor shortages that can impact productivity and quality.
• Repetitive Tasks: Many tasks in food and beverage manufacturing, such as packaging, palletizing, and material handling, are highly repetitive and physically demanding, making them ideal candidates for automation.
• Food Safety: Maintaining strict food safety standards is crucial, and automation can help reduce the risk of human error and contamination.

As technology advances, the industry is poised to become more automated, efficient, and innovative, with collaborative robots at the forefront of this transformation. Dobot’s cobots are already helping food and beverage manufacturers overcome these challenges, enhancing operational efficiency and maintaining high-quality standards. Are you ready?