Automation

BMPA chief executive Nick Allen served as master of ceremonies for yesterday's exploration into the future of British meat

News

What will the meat processing plant of the future look like?

By Gwen Ridler

Representatives from across the meat processing industry descended on the Butcher’s Hall in London yesterday (June 27) to learn about Meat Industry 2.0 and the role of automation and cultured meat in the future of the sector at the British Meat Processor’s...

This month Jon Poole explores how you can become an encouraging leader

Column: The Talent Poole

How to be an inspirational leader in the food sector

By Jon Poole

Want to know how to inspire others as a leader? This month, ‘The Talent Poole’ takes a dip into the difference between managing and leadership and how you can take your team to the next level with Ian Noble of Mondelez International.

Food and drink brands are getting creative. Credit: Getty / Urupong

News

F&B investing more in NPD and outsourcing

By Bethan Grylls

Despite headwinds, food and beverage brands are spending more in new production development and contract manufacturing, and keen to embrace automation to relieve stress following historic global supply chain challenges.

Walker Morris's Luke Jackson discusses the legal implication of letting robots into the factory

Opinion

The legal implications of robots in the food factory

By Gwen Ridler

In this companion piece to this month's robotics and automation feature, Luke Jackson – director at law firm Walker Morris specialising in technology, food and beverage and manufacturing – discusses the legal implications of robots in the factory....

Robots are being touted as the future of food factories, so what's preventing manufacturers from adopting them more readily?

Long-read

The future of robotics and automation in the food factory

By Gwen Ridler

Robots have become more and more prevalent in the food factory, but there are still businesses reluctant to fully embrace automation into their production. Here, we explore the driving force behind robotics adoption and the key issues that could help...

Will drones become the norm in food and drink supply chains? Credit: Getty/baranozdemir

Opinion

Three focus areas for supply chains in 2023

By Bethan Grylls

Nigel Paine, Supply Chain Director at Britvic discusses how the inner workers of the supply chain has altered over the last few years and what that means for food and beverage companies in 2023.

What challenges now face the food and drink supply chain?

Long read

Challenges and developments in the food and drink supply chain

By Gwen Ridler

With the food and drink industry under constant threat from global pressures such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, how has the supply chain managed to keep up and running and what new developments do operators need to be aware of?

Cognex Corporation's InSight system can pull data from both 3D and 2D detection systems

Smart camera combines 3D and 2D inspection systems

By Gwen Ridler

Cognex Corporation has launched a ‘first-of-its-kind’ smart camera that allows engineers to quickly, accurately and effectively solve a range of inspections on automated production lines.

Siemens offered its thoughts on automation in the face of Brexit-related supply issues

Opinion

Automation a solution to 'cliff-edge' Brexit delays

By Gwen Ridler

Siemens Digital Logistics development consultant Phil Lavin and Digital Industries head of food and beverage Keith Thornhill discuss how automation technologies can be used to compensate for the delays caused by our ‘cliff-edge’ Brexit.

Automation could lead to a loss of 3.6M jobs in the UK by 2030, claimed Centre for Cities

Automation could put ‘3.6M UK jobs at risk’

By Gwen Ridler

Automation could threaten up to 3.6M jobs in Britain by 2030, with warehousing forecast to be one of the worst-hit sectors, according to analyst Centre for Cities.

Food and drink companies should exploit the Industrial Internet of Things

Food firms urged to exploit intelligent supply chains

By Noli Dinkovski

Food and drink manufacturers need to be “nimble enough to evolve on the fly” in embracing the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) if they want to avoid losing business, a software expert has claimed.

Kinnerton has reduced packaging errors thanks to automated code checks

Kinnerton Confectionery automates packaging checks

By Rick Pendrous

Kinnerton Confectionery, located at Fakenham in Norfolk and Sherburn in Elmet, West Yorkshire, has invested in automation to ensure compliance with its retail customers’ codes of practice.

Safe control in explosive atmospheres

Safe control in explosive atmospheres

By Rick Pendrous

Designing and building process control panels requires considerable expertise, especially when they are destined for hazardous areas with potentially explosive atmospheres, which exist in some dusty food manufacturing environments.

What's NExT up in supervisory software?

What's NExT up in supervisory software?

By Rick Pendrous

Progea, a supplier of software for supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), has released NExT, a modular platform intended to meet the next generation of industrial requirements.

Robots can be reprogrammed for different applications

From automation to optimisation

By Paul Gander

Automation offers the opportunity to integrate control with background data, as Paul Gander discovers

From shop floor to the top floor

PPMA show preview

From shop floor to the top floor

Vision systems that aid product traceability and help fight counterfeiting and delta robots that can be easily integrated into automation systems will be displayed by Omron.

Robots that don’t require guarding

PPMA show preview

Robots that don’t require guarding

An expanded range of processing and packaging automation equipment and ancillary products will be displayed R A Rodriguez. The equipment on show will include the full range of Universal Robots.

Wilkins: 'The cyber threat has been rising steadily in recent years'

Cyber threats need to become a board-level issue

By Rick Pendrous

In response to rising concerns about the risk of cyber attacks, industrial automation components supplier European Automation has published an industry report about the growing importance of information security.

Energy efficiency with Cat Pumps

Energy efficiency with Cat Pumps

An energy-saving high-pressure pump package for centralised hygiene and sanitation cleaning systems has been introduced by Cat Pumps.

Manual trucks can be converted for automatic warehouse operation

Warehouse automation in stages

By Rick Pendrous

The historic reluctance of third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to invest in warehouse automation is changing as technological advances enable a flexible, staged introduction which allows costs to be controlled, claimed the boss of one forklift truck...

Smooth operator: Robots offer the UK food industry clear benefits but update remains disappointingly low

Better hygiene compliance for food packing-line robots

By Paul Gander

Robotics suppliers have made a strong case for food industry acceptance with a new generation of hygiene and washdown-compliant pick-and-place systems, but the jury is still out as to whether this will translate into new sales.

Automated packaging response time now one microsecond

Fast reactions in primary packs

Response times in industrial automation applications on primary packaging equipment have been reduced to just one microsecond (1µs) with Bernecker + Rainer’s (B&R’s) Reaction technology.

Gambica offer energy reduction advice

Energy experts at Drives and Controls 2014

Gambica, the UK trade body for instrumentation, control, automation and laboratory technology, will host a pavilion at the Drives & Controls Exhibition, at the NEC in Birmingham, from April 8-10. Gambica’s deputy director Steve Brambley will give...

Nairn' sOatcakes robotic loading system

Robotic loader gets on the case

A new case erecting and robotic loading station at Nairn's Oatcakes in Scotland has automated a labour-intensive job, improved efficiency, and overcome limitations to meet retailer expectations on shelf-ready applications.

Sales of food and drink manufacturing robots slumped in the second quarter in contrast to general industry sales

Food and drink robot numbers slump

By Mike Stones

Sales of food and drink manufacturing robots slumped in the second quarter of this year – down 65% – compared with the previous quarter, in contrast to buoyant sales in general manufacturing.

Pack a punch

Pack a punch

The Total Processing & Packaging Exhibition, which incorporates packaging show Pakex, The Processing & Packaging Machinery Association show and Interphex, for the pharmaceuticals sector, takes place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham...

New system to boost productivity

Faster, more efficient changeovers

Improving the speed and efficiency of product changeovers on multi-product lines is what Sick UK's new RapCo system, launched at Total 2013, is all about. It is claimed to offer a reliable, automated solution to protect product quality while boosting...

Siemens Industry’s development of its Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal engineering framework could boost the prospects for food and drink factory automation

New launch may boost food factory automation

By Rick Pendrous

The prospects for food and drink factory automation could be much brighter, following Siemens Industry's extension of its Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal engineering framework. A number of new functions add power and efficiency to the...

A plug's game

A plug's game

By John Dunn

The two big challenges for food manufacturers today are flexibility and efficiency. One minute Tesco wants cartons of freshly squeezed orange juice. Two hours later Morrisons is ringing up for blackcurrant drink. How do you reprogram the production, filling...

Robots war on fish giveaway

Robots war on fish giveaway

An innovative robot handling system has been developed for fish and shellfish, which claims to reduce giveaway by 10-12%.

Robots with the long arm of the law

Robots with the long arm of the law

Automation specialist Omron will be exhibiting integrated automation systems that provide the packaging industry with flexible, efficient and cost-effective ways of addressing the ever-increasing competitive and regulatory pressures it faces.

Use of late customisation is rising

Use of late customisation is rising

By Rick Pendrous

The concept of late customisation looks to be expanding out of the confines of research departments and into mainstream manufacturing operations. It’s a way of cost-effectively making a variety of products that use a common ingredient by adding flavour...

Cold logic,
warm profits

Cold logic,
warm profits

By Paul Gander

Automation can make a major contribution to the bottom line. But the logic behind where and how you automate processes is not as simple as might first appear...

Virus on the attack

Virus on the attack

Malware infecting food production lines? It’s not something to be taken lightly, says John Dunn

Spotlight

Chief executive Chris Ormrod will continue to head up the business. Credit: Cakesmiths Cakesmiths to become part of rebranded Onore Food Group The impacted batch of stuffing mix has now been taken out of circulation. Credit: Getty / DronG Tesco recalls stuffing mix because of possible presence of moths The Food and drink industry is the four fastest adopter of AI tech in the UK. Image: Getty, Da-Kuk Food industry fourth fastest adopter of AI tech in UK Cold store workers have previously suffered from serious injuries such as frostbite. Credit: Getty / bluecinema New guidance issued to protect food workers in extreme cold conditions The manufacturer installed solar panels at its facility as part of the project. Credit: Beacon Foods Beacon Foods completes £6m expansion project, installs 1,428 solar panels

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