A methodology for the selection of industrial robots in food handling
Open accessAbstract
As the global population continues to rise and consumer demand for a wider variety of food products increases, food manufacturers are exploring various strategies, methods and tools to change and adapt. Furthermore, restriction in access to low-cost labour and introduction of more stringent legislation are forcing the food industry to update their production processes. Industrial robots, a pillar of Industry 4.0, promises many benefits to the food manufacturing industry, especially in responding to these new challenges. The integration of such automation into food manufacturing has been a slow process in comparison to other manufacturing sectors and has largely been limited to packaging and palletising. This research aims to improve the application of industrial robots within food manufacturing through definition of a methodology for the identification of a flexible automation solution for a specific production requirement. The paper explores the four steps within the Food Industrial Robot Methodology (FIRM), through which users define, classify and identify their foodstuff and automation solution. The application of FIRM is exemplified through an industrial case study to support food manufacturers investigating the potential benefits of utilising industrial robots within their production systems.
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This work also identified many factors that should lay the groundwork for future research in the application of industrial robots within food manufacturing.
“This work also identified many factors that should lay the groundwork for future research in the application of industrial robots within food manufacturing.”
From Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities (2021) · cites this paper as [102]
The FIRM presented in this paper outlined the ability to classify industrial robot capabilities and match them to specific characteristics of foodstuffs and requirements for their processing based on four steps that navigate eight tasks.
“The FIRM presented in this paper outlined the ability to classify industrial robot capabilities and match them to specific characteristics of foodstuffs and requirements for their processing based on four steps that navigate eight tasks.”
From Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities (2021) · cites this paper as [102]
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Advanced Applications of Industrial Robotics: New Trends and Possibilities
Dzedzickis, A., Subačiūtė-Žemaitienė, J., Šutinys, E., Samukaitė-Bubnienė, U., & Bučinskas, V. (2021) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app12010135 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
- Authors
- Bader, F., & Rahimifard, S.
- Affiliations
- Loughborough University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Bader, Farah
- Venue
- Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-08
- Volume
- 64
- Pages
- 102379
- ISSN
- 1466-8564 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3024930237
- Cited by
- 106
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 6
- FWCI
- 8.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Loughborough University Research Repository (Loughborough University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering › Flexible and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Control and Systems Engineering › Industrial Automation and Control Systems
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering › Digital Transformation in Industry
- Keywords
- industrial robots, food handling, food manufacturing, flexible automation, Industry 4.0, food packaging automation, cheap labor
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