At ANUGA FoodTec, Hall 7.1, Stand C049, Stäubli Robotics will present its automation solutions for the food industry, which cover a wide range of applications – in processing as well as in primary and secondary packaging of food. The hygienic robots make an important contribution to ensuring that users can meet the strictest safety requirements and quality standards while at the same time optimizing their processes and increasing productivity.
When it comes to highly productive, safe and hygienic automation solutions for the food industry, Stäubli Robotics has been a leader for decades. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of high-performance robots that are characterized by their hygienic design and can withstand even the most thorough washdown processes. At ANUGA FoodTec, which will take place in Cologne from March 19th to 22nd, Stäubli specialists from the food industry will demonstrate “live” how food manufacturers can automate their production lines and thus strengthen their competitiveness in an environment affected by factors such as labor shortages, logistics problems , increasing market pressure and challenges in terms of compliance and food safety.
Together with partners in the food industry, Stäubli is working worldwide on the development of robot systems that automate processes in primary and secondary processing. The robots are used for tasks such as cutting, deboning, portioning, packaging and palletizing, as well as for handling unpackaged products or containers with frozen food. When handling soft or fragile foods, the robots demonstrate sensitivity: they grip the products carefully and gently. Even at high work speeds, they ensure consistent product quality.
Hygienic design and washdown capability
A key feature of Stäubli’s food-grade robots is their unique hygienic design, which minimizes contamination risks and helps ensure maximum safety in this sensitive area of application. Design features include a fully encapsulated and internally pressurized IP65 (wrist IP67) housing with a smooth surface and special coating, internally routed cables and connectors, and the absence of dead spaces where microorganisms can multiply. All models are available with food-grade NSF H1 oil.
Equally important is the robot’s ability to undergo the same cleaning procedures as the other system components. Stäubli has developed the “Humid Environment” (HE) robots for this purpose. They are modified in such a way that process reliability is guaranteed even when exposed to splash water and during daily intensive cleaning.
Stäubli HE robots have established themselves as a benchmark for safe food processing. Because highly stressed parts are made of stainless steel, the use of materials such as plastic or carbon fiber can be avoided. The housing is covered with a special coating that is resistant to cleaning agents and corrosion and has a particle-repellent effect. There are HE robots in different sizes, designs (four- and six-axis) and payloads to meet different requirements. Flexible assembly options enable easy integration into semi- and fully automated production lines.
Robots “live” in use at the trade fair
Stäubli will be giving several live demonstrations at ANUGA FoodTec
Hygienic robots can automate very different processes in food production. This also includes the safe handling of unpackaged foods, including raw meat and baked goods.
In one of the demo cells, two Stäubli robots – the Red Dot Award-winning TS2-60 he and a TX2-60 he – are shown cutting and handling chicken and beef using conveyor tracking technology. The TX2-60 he cuts chicken leg and steak meat with a water jet unit from the Swiss manufacturer Allfi. The pieces of meat are transported to the next station on a conveyor belt, where they are recognized by the TS2-60 he using a camera, picked up and placed in the packaging.
Another Red Dot Award winner, the SCARA robot TS2-80 he, will be seen at work in a bakery demo cell. This cell is also equipped with conveyor tracking and a SICK 3D camera. The robot handles bagels at high speed, which it picks up precisely with a soft gripper and pushes into an oven. Stäubli’s VALtrack software enables the robot to process the camera data and handle different types of products with great flexibility.
A third demo cell will demonstrate how Stäubli HE robots maximize throughput while ensuring food safety – in a realistic use case for food packaging. Two SCARA robots, a TS2-60 he and a TS2-80 he, will handle ham in a multi-picking process, picking it at high speed and placing it in blister packs.
TX2-200 six-axle truck – again modified for food production
Last year, Stäubli introduced the new generation of the TX2-200: a powerful, cleanroom-compatible six-axis machine and also the top model in the TX2 series. The new HE version of the TX2-200 will be on display at ANUGA FoodTec – developed for the most demanding tasks in food production.
With a load capacity of up to 170 kg and a reach of 2,209 mm, the TX2-200 he is the largest robot in the TX2 series and the ideal solution for precise handling of heavy loads. Thanks to its impressive dynamics, it achieves very short cycle times. When it comes to food safety, the robot impresses with the smooth contours and closed design of the standard model. In the HE version it is ISO Class 4 compatible and with protection class IP67 suitable for operation in humid environments.
State-of-the-art safety features
Another feature of the TX2-200 is the improved security package. With the new safety functions, the robot meets the strict requirements of category SIL3/Ple. This guarantees maximum operational reliability – and creates the conditions for the TX2-200 to be used at various levels of human-machine collaboration. In practice, this means: His work area does not have to be delimited by a protective fence, so that the user can implement highly efficient collaborative production concepts.
The TX2-200 offers greater levels of security, flexibility and ease of use, and enables even faster and easier integration. The compact CS9 HP controller with protection class IP54 requires 40% less space than the previous version. The reduced space requirement reduces costs and ensures safe and unhindered work processes in the production areas.
“With the TX2-200, we have further expanded our lead over the competition,” says Rudolf M. Weiss, Global Head Life Sciences & Food at Stäubli Robotics.
“Thanks to its comprehensive safety features, hygienic design and mechanical qualities, this six-axis robot is a versatile guarantee for productivity in both classic and digitally networked environments.”