Every industry is being positively affected by technology. Technology has made it possible to make every process more convenient and user-friendly. Technology has an element called automation that helps every industry be more prosperous.
Every stage, including the additional work required of the workers, is being mechanized as automation becomes an intrinsic component of the food sector. In India and the food industry, some of the biggest brands that are heavily involved in the automation sector have established themselves.
Automation and automated packaging solutions have made packaging and labeling incredibly simple and time-efficient. The automation surge will accompany an increase in capital equipment spending and the hiring of new employees with better technical skills. Except for fruits and vegetables, everything you eat is packaged in some way.
Regardless of the type of food, packaging and labeling are carried out by automated packaging machines. Automated packaging solutions are significantly changing the food industry. We’re going to talk about everything related to automation in food packaging today.
What Does Food Packaging Automation Entail?
Robotic material handling for packaging in the food packaging process is an element of automation in the food packaging process. Food used to be handled manually in packing facilities, such as when personnel would pick up and carry food from one place to another. However, the majority of food packaging facilities already employ sophisticated equipment for the entirety of the assembly process.
Automation equipment provides several benefits, as you will learn about in the sections that follow. Our food is now produced, prepared, and packaged with a lot of automation. The majority of food processing and packaging facilities now include some level of robotic and automation equipment, and it is projected that this trend will continue in the years to come.
How Common Is Food Processing and Packaging Automation?
Although robotic automation in the food processing and packaging industry is already widely employed, the poll also revealed that 50% of companies in this industry plan to increase their automation levels over the next three to five years.
According to a survey by the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, robotics are already used in 94% of food packaging activities. Robotics are used by a third of enterprises in the food processing sector. This increase in automation will be accompanied by hiring more people with stronger technical skills and a rise in capital expenditures.
Is Automation Used Frequently in the Food Packaging Sector Today?
Automated food packaging lines are unquestionably present in all facets of the food packaging industry. Robotics provides a solution for every packaging line duty you can think of, from simple pick and drop operations to complex procedures like can sealing or pouch production. Food packing has become increasingly automated, even with inexpensive candy you buy.
What Impact Is Automation in the Food Industry Having on the Manufacturing and Packaging Sector?
The capabilities of robotic automation have lately grown. Industrial robots are now more flexible and productive because of advances in programming and sensor technologies. Food automation has had a substantial impact on the processing and packaging sectors of the food industry, and this trend is anticipated to continue. It’s still just one example of how robotic automation is reshaping and improving the production capabilities of an entire industry.
More than 100 different product categories are now handled by four out of five packaging and processing facilities, and the majority anticipate that number to rise in the coming years. A lot of preparation must be done in advance for robotic automation to have such a significant impact on a sector.
Technologies for Automated Food Packaging
Other technologies have been developed for the same goal, each of which is better suited for a particular task. Some of the numerous techniques used in food processing and packaging include the following:
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Case Packing Technology
As implied by the name, pick and place packaging robots transport food items from one location to another. These devices can even pull food products off of a moving production line. Secondary packaging suggests that the food products are not directly in contact with the case packing system but are instead kept apart by a different packing technique.
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Pick and Place Robots
Pick and place packaging robots move food items from one area to another, as the name suggests. These machines can even take food items off of a moving production line.
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Palletizing Automation Systems
The process of producing and packing food ends with palletizing systems. Boxes are stacked on top of one another to make pellets. In this last stage of packing, collaborative robots are almost always used.
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Boxing System
Loading goods into boxes is a step in the boxing process, also known as box packing. These machines are also responsible for making boxes from sheets of plain cardboard. These instruments are widely used in secondary or tertiary packaging in the food processing industry.
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Depanning
Using depanning technology, frozen food items can be taken off of any surface. Because frozen foods typically stick to surfaces like pans stick during food processing, depanning tools are employed to keep the food’s integrity.
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Cutting
Cutting machines are flexible pieces of equipment used in the entire food industry. An everyday example of a food-cutting robot in action is packaged beef items.
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End-of-line Packaging
Food items are placed in the last packing process that will prepare them for shipment during end-of-line packaging, which is a type of tertiary packaging procedure. Because retail stores remove it, the end user frequently does not see this package.
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Flow Wrapping System
Flow wrapping involves wrapping food items in a polypropylene film. Almost any food or beverage product can be wrapped effectively and flexibly utilizing this basic packaging method. It is frequently referred to as “fin packing” because a fin is formed at the end of the wrapped bag.
Wrapping Off
Automation in food packaging is now the standard rather than a trend. Anyone working in the food and beverage sector who isn’t utilizing the most recent food robotics may not even be able to stay up with the competition.
The best aspect is that these devices are incredibly dependable and well-built to resist anything you subject them to and help in packaging and labeling in the process of the food sector. We have discussed most of the things about how automated packaging machines are helping the food industries.
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