Adept creates a buzz with the Hornet
The company, which works with Nestlé, Pepsico, and Lactalis Laval, among others, debuted the robot at the China International Robot Show (CiROS) 2015 in Shanghai, last month.
Asia continues to lead the growth in robotics
Yan Banducci, senior product line manager for Industrial Robots, Adept Technology, told FoodProductionDaily, Asia continues to lead the global growth in the robotics industry.
“The Hornet 565 was well received at CiROS as it combines the robot design experience of US-based Adept, with an aggressive price point designed for emerging markets,” he said.
“It is the latest addition to Adept’s portfolio of parallel robots. Building on the success of the Quattro parallel robot, we designed the Hornet for packaging applications with a 3kg maximum payload.
“With its compact footprint, the robot allows for a higher density of automation equipment, and the integrated controller further reduces factory floor space requirements and simplifies cabling and installation.”
The Hornet 565 system comes with Adept ACE, an integrated, point-and-click software for its entire product portfolio of robots and controls. Options include Adept SmartVision MX platform for machine vision and guidance, and ACE PackXpert.
It also features a hygienic design that minimizes contamination risks, including a standard IP65 rating and corrosion-resistant materials for easy wash down.
Topak Machine
The robot featured in the booth of one of Adept’s preferred packaging partners at CiROS, Topak Machine Co.
According to Banducci, robotic packaging will continue to be an area of significant growth in the next five years.
“As consumer product lifecycles continue to shorten, there is an ever-increasing need to be able to rapidly change manufacturing lines,” he added.
“Robotic automation is ideal for this, as changing products only requires a simple software configuration, whereas traditional automation often requires a complete change of packaging equipment.”
Banducci said Adept designed the Hornet 565 to keep pace with the competition.
“Adept’s packaging customers need technology that is compact, flexible and easy to deploy. The Hornet 565 is capable of handling multiple products while minimizing product changeover time,” he said.
“The biggest challenge today is demonstrating the ROI for robotic packaging automation. Many of Adept’s customers expect less than 24 months payback for capital equipment purchases.
“Today’s robotics typically exceed this expectation, and the Hornet 565 further reduces the payback period by reducing the initial installation costs with an integrated controller, and reducing changeover times with easy-to-use software.”
