Reducing Food Waste
Food waste is a significant global issue, and processors can play a crucial role in minimizing avoidable food loss at source.
By addressing inefficient factory processing methods, food that is lost or wasted during production, can be significantly reduced.
Equipping processing lines with the right automation technologies, has a major positive impact in limiting food loss.
Identifying where food loss occurs in the production process and why, is the first step to effective change - The second step is implementing that technology - an often overlooked resource utilisation.
Automation is a win win for the environment, the processor and the consumer!
Let’s look at an example of hand cut - versus - automation
In a typical hand cut processing facility, food loss during production can be high - with typical processing yields in the region of 80% - 85%
Meaning that along with the core, a large percentage of good or edible crop is also removed and discarded.
Representing a minimum of 10% of the crop that does not make it to the consumer - Food loss at source!
Automation can significantly improve processor yield, by cutting food loss at source.
1 robot can de-core 55 heads of iceberg lettuce per minute, and typical yields with automation range from 90% - 97%
Meaning that little or no food loss occurs at source - apart from the core!
In this typical example of robotically de-cored iceberg lettuce, we can see the crop intact - with only the core removed.
Equip the Line
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Extractacore Robotic Cell
Here in the salad factory food grade standards are our priority
We use 304L/316L stainless steel as standard, maintain a high hygiene specification throughout the equipment build. Compliant with industry standard safety regulations.
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What's Inside!
Yes, it’s FANUC yellow. Synonymous with longevity, Fanuc robots have a fabulous reputation for loooooong reliable service, and low maintenance costs.
An intuitive AI vision system, and user friendly HMI controls, make the our robotic de-corer a welcome partner in any processing facility.
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Lets make it happen!
Our robots efficiently tackle high volumes of whole head iceberg, de-coring at an impressive pace. Processing a whole pallet of crates in just under 15 minutes.
De-coring at a steady 55 heads per minute, per bot - these pallets are history in no time!
Achieve the Goal
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Begin with a Pallet of Iceberg ......
We processed this whole pallet of Iceberg lettuce in just under 15 minutes with two operators. Running the cell at 55 heads per minute to gain maximum through-put.
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Waste Core!
All of the waste generated from the whole pallet fitted into just 1 crate with extra room to spare. The yield of useable product achieved from this pallet was 97.2%.
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End Game!
Up close we can see that only the core has been removed, and that excessive waste from around the core has been avoided. Product yield is high, and the useable product is ready to continue down the processing line.
