Meeting the need for robotic handling of food products

This paper identifies the need for a new range of end effectors suitable for handling non-rigid products in the food industry. The mechanical properties and handling difficulties of food products are introduced. Hygiene and the hygienic requirements in the food industry are discussed in detail from a consumer health and a safety point of view. The usage of automation and robotics in the manufacturing industry and food industry am briefly introduced The end effectors which are available are discussed from the usage point of view in the food sector Finally a novel end effector is introduced with fundamental working principles and examples given of applications of the end effector used with actual food products. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.