Robots in your future
Investment in robotics in the UK food industry has accelerated this year versus last year. This is the result of a combination of efforts on behalf of government and industry, according to Fanuc UK, a manufacturer of robots. The government-funded Automating Manufacturing Programme, managed by the British Automation and Robot Association, gave UK manufacturers impartial advice on the implementation of automation solutions.
The programme was in response to recommendations made in an industry study, Application of Automation in UK Manufacturing (Sept 2010), which polled a broad spectrum of manufacturers of engineered products and food in Spain, Germany, Sweden and the UK. The study not only aimed to find out why the UK lags behind the rest of the world in the adoption of automation, but looked to address the issues with an action plan of initiatives to stimulate growth. Results from the study, which was commissioned by members of the Engineering and Machinery Alliance (EAMA) with support from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), concluded that the main reasons for UK manufacturers’ investment reluctance in modern manufacturing technologies were due to a lack of knowledge, skills and confidence.
After the 18-month programme, manufacturers of all shapes and sizes were introduced to robots. And as more people purchasd robots, the cost has come down. So far this year, more robots have been sold in the UK than in the entire previous year. Robots are picking and placing yogurt pots and lifting 22-kilogram blocks of cheese. Like the auto industry, the food industry is seeing a sea change, where robots will do the heavy lifting in the future.
