Soft Robotics has teamed up with industrial automation company Quest and packaging firm Ossid to offer a robotic handling and packaging solution to the food industry, powered by Soft Robotics’ mGripAI technology.
The solution includes Quest’s primary product handling system utilising a robotic arm designed to load, orientate, stack and group products into a wide variety of primary packaging machines. It also includes Ossid’s flexible and tray packaging system, ideal for fresh proteins, produce and baked goods, as well as Soft Robotics’ mGripAI platform that uses ultra-fast 3D vision, AI, and soft robotic grasping to enable picking of irregular and delicate food items directly from bulk.
According to the collaboration, the integrated packing solution combats workforce shortages by reducing dependency on labour. It also increases available floor space by eliminating the need for upstream singulation and sortation equipment.
Furthermore, the system is designed to improve food safety with a complete sanitary and IP69K, wash-down-ready design. While it also increases throughput by reducing product damage.
“As a leading provider of packaging and labelling equipment in the food sector, we understand the daily challenges of our customers to provide the global food chain with consumer products as quickly and safely as possible,” said Jason Angel, vice president of sales and marketing at Ossid.
“Teaming with Quest and Soft Robotics to maximise productivity at a time when labour shortages are so impactful is one of the most important initiatives for our company.”
