COBOTS VITAL FOR GROWING NEW ZEALAND FOOD MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY It is no surprise that New Zealand has become a leader in food production in the Asia Pacific and globally with its pristine environment, quality product and efficient production processes. But the pressures to stay ahead of the curve are constant, as New Zealand’s food and beverage industries break new ground in new markets. Food and beverages have long been the largest contributor of exported products from New Zealand, currently accounting for just over half. Highlighting the sheer scale of the industry, research shows the New Zealand food sector produces enough food to feed more than 20 million people, which is around five times its population. The growth of the industry is, therefore, vital to the country’s overall economic success. As emerging economies in our region improve their processes, New Zealand has to ensure that its quality remains high while maintaining if not reducing the level of costs. New Zealand has an enviable reputation for producing the highest quality ingredients, which are then on-sold to food manufacturers around the world. But the quality of the 10 JUNE 2016 product is not the whole story…the ability to grow and process the product at a competitive price will often determine the sale contract. That is where ‘cobots’ come in. New Zealand has long been a leader in the use of robotics to provide precision and speed to production lines, while at the same time reducing the monotony of tasks and freeing up employees to focus on more productive roles within the production cycle. The development of the cobot concept allows machine and human to work in a symbiotic relationship. Collaborative robots, or cobots, differ enormously from traditional industrial robots that must be kept behind safety shields in order to avoid contact with humans. In fact, these lightweight cobots were developed with By Shermine Gotfredsen the intention of allowing the skills of man and machine to be combined. In many cases the increased efficiency they bring results in more jobs for humans. Research indicates that the greatest advantage gained from the collaborative robots is their flexibility to be assigned to different tasks quickly, all the time working within close proximity of their human counterparts. This side-by-side ability means smaller food manufacturers can dramatically improve the way they approach many tasks in the manufacturing, production and distribution of their food products. For example, a fruit grower operator could take on a more supervisory role while the cobots perform manual tasks such as washing, packing and storing. These cobots come into their own when applied to tasks such as packaging, palletising, and picking and placing. Many farmers and food producers have been concerned about investing in robotics because of the extra costs involved in setting up the equipment and developing I N D U S T R Y T E C H research shows the New Zealand food sector produces enough food to feed more than 20 million people, which is around five times its population.
1-48 FT June16
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