Hat-trick of firms create robot for iced decorations
Mitsubishi supplied the technology - the SCARA industrial robot, Scorpion Vision provided the 3D machine vision and Quasar Automation created the system.
Bob Hinchcliffe, managing director, Quasar Automation, which works with companies including McCain, McVitie’s, Park Cake Bakery and Premier Foods, said its company works exclusively with the food processing industry and the SCARA Food Safe Robot fits a niche market applying icing onto an irregular shaped product.
OEM/robotics event
The robot replicates human, hand/eye co-ordination for its accuracy and Mitsubishi plans to host a OEM/robotics event at its conference center at its headquarters in Hatfield, UK, in March next year.
Jeremy Shinton, product manager, Business Solutions & Software, Mitsubishi Electric, told FoodProductionDaily the technology is the trickiest task it has managed to date, designed with food manufacturing applications in mind.
“The end customer and integrator were both invited to a Food and Beverage seminar at our offices in Hatfield, where the discussion started based on the end customers’ requirements, the integrators access to 3D vision systems and our robot features,” said Shinton.
Expanding to other applications
“The robot took just under a year to make as the end customer had a specific requirement.
"It beats other technology on the market because it can be programmed to do something else if the original application is no longer required.
“Next we’ll be looking for applications not necessarily in F&B. We are also looking at attending the Southern Manufacturing and Electronics Exhibition 2014, in Farnborough, UK, from February.”
Speaking about how the SCARA robot works, Shinton said it uses the Scorpion Vision 3D Stinger Camera from Tordivel to scan the surface of a cake in less than one second.
Objects in 3D real time
Inside the 3D Vision are two Sony XCG-V60E cameras, one 10mW 660nm laser, and two six mm lenses. It has a GigE interface and locates moving objects in 3D in real time.
Once the camera scans the surface of a cake, that data is used to calculate the robot path, and a dispensing nozzle maintains the optimum distance from the surface. The Quasar system uses a precision motor linked to the robot controller as an auxiliary axis to provide proportional control during the icing dispensing process.
“There is a persistent problem with food products in general and baked goods in particular with the non-uniform shape of the finished product,” said Shinton.
He added normally this kind of embellishment would have to be done manually because the design, such as piped icing needs to be done in an accurate way, but the robot takes away the need for that.
Click here to see a video of the machine.
