The food processing market size grows at a CAGR
of 4.3% to reach 4.1 trillion in 2024. The rapid growth of bringing the food
from the field to feed the 8 billion people efficiently is undergoing
fundamental changes. The most important
one is the help of robots in food processors that speeds up the processors and
keep the food safe from contamination.
Robotized handling and manufacturing installation get more preference as
many now consider reliance on manual labor is a classical concept . In this worst COVID-19 pandemic, the need for
the help of robots is increasing to handle many food processing tasks. Because
of the lockdown, there is not much labor available and to process the food
hygienically free from viruses and other antibodies that cause health hazards.
Check out the many ways robots help processors during the COVID-19 pandemic. As
the reliance on manual labor is a classical concept now, more preference is for
robotized handling/manufacturing installation.
The
rising demand for robots in processors during COVID-19 Pandemic
The rapid rise in food processing is because of
the changing consumer lifestyles and the technological capabilities leaping
forward to transform the sector. The
re-surging technology like artificial intelligence and others is making food
processors smart, safe and productive.
Also, many studies are proposing four steps within the FIMR or food
industrial robot methodology for choosing the ideal industrial robots for processors .
And it is the robots handling many
tasks in food processing that helps to keep the food safe and free of any
contamination. Its demand is more on the
rise because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its lockdown and fear of the virus.
There are many ways that robots help processors during the COVID-19 pandemic for
the people to be safe from any health hazards because of food contamination.
The best ways that robot helps processors during
COVID 19 pandemic
This COVID-19 pandemic is worse than the others
to spread the infection fast to over 177 million and kill nearly 4 million
people. It is not in control in many
countries like India, one of the gigantic markets for processed food. The second wave now and the expected third
wave have brought many changes in the food processing industry, including
robots. The following are the ways
robots play a crucial role in processors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
·Since there is a strict
need for social distancing, only the robots help pick up and load stacks in
many food processing plants.
·Because of the acute
infection nature of coronavirus, robots are the best alternatives for
contact-free processing activities.
·Robots handle case
packing systems for feeding efficiently and fast to reduce operators' workload,
spend 80% of their time, and get musculoskeletal disorders.
·There are specialized
robots for picking and placing delicate food produce without damaging the skin
and not contaminating it.
·Many food processing
workers are sick because of the pandemic or unable to come to the plant because
of the lockdown, and it is only the robots that can do their work effectively.
·Robots help in the
processors is getting better and better every day for many reasons like
·The ability to withstand
high or low temperatures and even harsh cleaning chemicals that may cause
health hazards to humans
·With improved vision
capabilities and hygienic designs can improve the processors for effective and
fast productivity.
·Have sensitive and
strong grippers like the human hands for safe and effective handling of the
processors
·With the flexibility for
adapting to changing applications,
throughput and recipes, robots work safely among workers.
·Along with artificial
intelligence, the specialized robots can do repetitive and complex tasks like
pork carcass cutting/trimming and other dedicated cell functions.
·The COVOD 19 pandemic
has increased the numbers of products, SKUs, distribution channels, and the need
for shorter delivery production with frequent changeovers, which requires more
the help of robots.
·The robots with periodic
sterilization minimize contamination, which is the fundamental need for
products during this COVID 19 pandemic, and they also provide a clean and
sanitized productive environment.
·The robots integrated
with vision and artificial intelligence can grasp any object based on its 2D or
3D shape or detect products out of the norm, like a missing pepperoni on a
burger.
Conclusion:
The above ways of the help of robots for
processors during the COVID 19 pandemic is only to continue in the future for
their many benefits. And with the
specialization using AI, robots will be the game-changers for groundbreaking
innovative ways of food processing for providing safe and healthy food.