Till not too long ago, labeling Serrano hams, which is a should as a result of it determines their development by way of completely different growing old and drying processes, was a laborious job. Since a robotic couldn’t detect the bones within the ham, human involvement was indispensable.
Now, a Spanish methods integrator has developed an AI-based robotic system able to performing this job. The labels – as much as 900 per hour – are injected by a Stäubli SCARA robotic designed for hygiene-sensitive purposes within the meals trade.
It takes 10 to 18 months of drying and ripening for a scrumptious Spanish Serrano ham to be prepared for consumption, and this course of consists of a number of steps. A medium-sized Serrano producer can course of greater than 5,000 hams per day, so labeling them with the week, yr, and batch quantity is a small however essential step early within the course of.
For human operators, this entails bodily pressure. It additionally requires experience, as they need to keep away from areas with bones, which the appliance software can’t penetrate.
No likelihood for automation?
It’s apparent that given these situations, automation could be progress. But, though the Serrano trade isn’t small, this objective has not been achieved, and it’s equally apparent why: As a pure product, the place of the bones within the hams, which account for 30 to 40 p.c of the whole weight of an 8 to 12-kg Serrano ham, differs.
For every particular person ham, the operator should make particular person selections primarily based on their expertise.
So, is there no likelihood of robot-based automation right here, regardless that robots are actually able to making use of labels? Timpolot, an automation skilled situated in Olot, a middle of meat manufacturing in Jap Spain, has discovered an answer by combining a Stäubli robotic with a fastener applicator and an AI-supported imaginative and prescient system.
Robotic-based labeling – with particular person positioning
Jordi Bassols, founder and Basic Supervisor of Timpolot, describes the method: “The hams are manually positioned on a conveyor belt in a random method. A imaginative and prescient system identifies the place of every piece and, utilizing AI, determines the best labeling level whereas avoiding bone impression.”
Within the meantime, a printer creates a plastic label. A robotic, put in beside the conveyor and geared up with an ordinary pneumatic fastener applicator, picks up the label and, guided by monitoring coordinates from the digicam, injects the applicator’s needle into the ham.
A robotic that processes as much as 180,000 kg of ham per day
The road described is operated by a serious Serrano ham producer with a really excessive output. The SCARA robotic, a Stäubli TS2-80 HE, processes 150,000 to 180,000 kg/day of ham at a steady charge of 750 items/hour, peaking at 900 items/hour, which means a cycle time of solely 4 seconds.
Actually, the robotic might work even sooner, however label printing and former processes restrict the velocity.
Jordi Bassols: “By automating this job, we tackle a number of necessary facets: first, enhancing job high quality, decreasing sick leaves, and permitting operators to be devoted to higher-value duties; and second, attaining higher traceability management by centralizing all IT administration at one single level.”
Designed for purposes with excessive hygienic requirements
The robotic that Timpolot selected – the Stäubli TS2 collection within the HE (humid setting) model – is designed for meals trade purposes. The surfaces are clean, and the housing is designed to resist common cleansing with industrial detergents and medium-pressure water. Additional, the robotic is lubricated with food-grade H1 oil.
“Hygiene is vital in all meals trade processes, and Stäubli ensures the reliability and meals security demanded by our purchasers,” Jordi Bassols provides.
However there are a number of different explanation why Timpolot opted for a Stäubli robotic, equivalent to the benefit of programming it with the VAL3 system, and its mechanical excellence, with oil-immersed gear reducers that guarantee an extended lifetime.
Clean integration with the PLC is achieved by way of complete connectivity to a number of industrial protocols. Stäubli additionally gives high-quality after- gross sales service worldwide.
Within the phrases of Jordi Bassols, “Total product high quality is important to a stable answer. With Stäubli, this high quality is ensured, each by way of end and mechanical reliability. We all know these robots will final for a few years with few points, which is vital to guaranteeing {that a} manufacturing line is worthwhile in the long run.”
Knowledge infrastructure: Connectivity between digicam, AI-enabled PC, PLC, and robotic
On the info and IT aspect, the digicam is related to a PC (working software program developed by Timpolot), the place picture processing and AI-based evaluation happen. The coordinates are despatched to the PLC (Omron NX1P2), which transmits them to the robotic by way of Ethernet/IP and manages the peripherals.
Along with dealing with I/O, the PLC serves as a key communication hub for all the road’s gear, offering data to the operator by way of the HMI.
The position of AI is essential right here. Jordi Bassols: “Since hams are irregular objects, a part of the algorithm makes use of conventional imaginative and prescient features, however the built-in AI can decide the labeling level extra exactly and predict bone positions, which prevents needle breakage throughout fastener injection.“
A meals trade first: AI-based particular person label utility at prime velocity
The road has now been working for a number of months, to the shopper’s full satisfaction. What makes it distinctive is the duty it performs. Till now, labeling might solely be carried out by people, as it’s a advanced course of.
As Jordi Bassols explains, “Within the meat trade, no two items are an identical, which makes dealing with extra advanced. The robotic should enable clean communication with the peripherals to adapt to fixed adjustments.
“It additionally ensures labeling high quality, with all labels being positioned in the identical place on every ham, whereas making certain dependable product traceability, enabling the shopper to ship a high-quality ultimate product.”
For Stäubli, the venture was each a problem and a hit. Josep M. Serra, robotics director at Stäubli Española: “We now have in depth expertise with robots within the meals trade, however this isn’t a typical answer: a high-end automation system, tailored to excessive hygienic necessities, dealing with particular person merchandise with built-in AI and bespoke programming by Timpolot. We stay up for beginning new tasks with this modern methods integrator.”
