Robotics and Automation in the Food Industry

Robotics and Automation in the Food Industry

by D Caldwell
Released December 2012
Publisher(s): Woodhead Publishing
ISBN: 9780857095763

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Book description

The implementation of robotics and automation in the food sector offers great potential for improved safety, quality and profitability by optimising process monitoring and control. Robotics and automation in the food industry provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging technologies and their applications in different industry sectors.

Part one introduces key technologies and significant areas of development, including automatic process control and robotics in the food industry, sensors for automated quality and safety control, and the development of machine vision systems. Optical sensors and online spectroscopy, gripper technologies, wireless sensor networks (WSN) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems are discussed, with consideration of intelligent quality control systems based on fuzzy logic. Part two goes on to investigate robotics and automation in particular unit operations and industry sectors. The automation of bulk sorting and control of food chilling and freezing is considered, followed by chapters on the use of robotics and automation in the processing and packaging of meat, seafood, fresh produce and confectionery. Automatic control of batch thermal processing of canned foods is explored, before a final discussion on automation for a sustainable food industry.

With its distinguished editor and international team of expert contributors, Robotics and automation in the food industry is an indispensable guide for engineering professionals in the food industry, and a key introduction for professionals and academics interested in food production, robotics and automation.

  • Provides a comprehensive overview of current and emerging robotics and automation technologies and their applications in different industry sectors
  • Chapters in part one cover key technologies and significant areas of development, including automatic process control and robotics in the food industry and sensors for automated quality and safety control
  • Part two investigates robotics and automation in particular unit operations and industry sectors, including the automation of bulk sorting and the use of robotics and automation in the processing and packaging of meat, seafood, fresh produce and confectionery

Table of contents

  1. Cover image
  2. Title page
  3. Table of Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Contributor contact details
  6. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition
  7. Part I: Introduction, key technologies and significant areas of development
    1. Chapter 1: Automatic process control for the food industry: an introduction
      1. Abstract:
      2. 1.1 Introduction
      3. 1.2 Process control systems and structure in the food industry
      4. 1.3 Process control methods in the food industry
      5. 1.4 Future trends
    2. Chapter 2: Robotics in the food industry: an introduction
      1. Abstract:
      2. 2.1 Introduction
      3. 2.2 Current manufacturing procedures
      4. 2.3 Automation in the food sector
      5. 2.4 Specifications for a food sector robot
      6. 2.5 Future trends
      7. 2.6 Conclusion
    3. Chapter 3: Sensors for automated food process control: an introduction
      1. Abstract:
      2. 3.1 Introduction
      3. 3.2 Special considerations for food instrumentation
      4. 3.3 Measurement methods
      5. 3.4 Device integration
      6. 3.5 Applications of sensors in automated food process control
      7. 3.6 Future trends
      8. 3.7 Conclusion
    4. Chapter 4: Machine vision in the food industry
      1. Abstract:
      2. 4.1 Introduction
      3. 4.2 Machine vision: principles and methods
      4. 4.3 Applications and case studies
      5. 4.4 Recent advances in the application of vision in the food industry
      6. 4.5 Appraisal of the need for special hardware for food inspection applications
      7. 4.6 Conclusion and future trends
      8. 4.7 Acknowledgements
      9. 4.8 Sources of further information and advice
    5. Chapter 5: Optical sensors and online spectroscopy for automated quality and safety inspection of food products
      1. Abstract:
      2. 5.1 Introduction
      3. 5.2 Optical sensing and spectroscopic techniques
      4. 5.3 Applications in the food industry
      5. 5.4 Future trends
      6. 5.5 Conclusion
    6. Chapter 6: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and related systems for automated process control in the food industry: an introduction
      1. Abstract:
      2. 6.1 Introduction to Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
      3. 6.2 History of SCADA
      4. 6.3 SCADA standards and applications
      5. 6.4 SCADA in food processing
      6. 6.5 Laboratory study: implementation of SCADA
      7. 6.6 Future trends in SCADA
    7. Chapter 7: Gripper technologies for food industry robots
      1. Abstract:
      2. 7.1 Introduction
      3. 7.2 Gripper challenges in food process automation
      4. 7.3 Gripping physics
      5. 7.4 Pinching and enclosing grippers
      6. 7.5 Penetrating (needle) grippers
      7. 7.6 Suction grippers
      8. 7.7 Surface effect (freeze) grippers
      9. 7.8 Selection of the appropriate gripping technology
      10. 7.9 Future trends: from laboratory to industry
    8. Chapter 8: Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in the agricultural and food industries
      1. Abstract:
      2. 8.1 Introduction
      3. 8.2 Current state of development of WSNs
      4. 8.3 WSN applications in agriculture and food production
      5. 8.4 Future trends in WSN technology in agriculture and food production
    9. Chapter 9: Intelligent quality control systems in food processing based on fuzzy logic
      1. Abstract:
      2. 9.1 Introduction
      3. 9.2 Principles of intelligent control systems using fuzzy logic
      4. 9.3 Current applications in the food industry
      5. 9.4 Advances in research and future trends
    10. Chapter 10: Advanced methods for the control of food processes: the case of bioconversion in a fed-batch reactor
      1. Abstract:
      2. 10.1 Introduction
      3. 10.2 The basic dynamical model
      4. 10.3 Modelling issues: population balance modelling in food processes
      5. 10.4 Monitoring issues: tuning of observer-based estimators
      6. 10.5 Design of PID controllers for fed-batch processes
      7. 10.6 Real-time optimization
      8. 10.7 Acknowledgements
      9. 10.8 Conclusion
  8. Part II: Robotics and automation in particular unit operations and industry sectors
    1. Chapter 11: Automation and robotics for bulk sorting in the food industry
      1. Abstract:
      2. 11.1 Introduction
      3. 11.2 Principles of operation
      4. 11.3 Requirements
      5. 11.4 Recent advances in technology
      6. 11.5 Current applications
      7. 11.6 Conclusion
      8. 11.7 Future trends
      9. 11.8 Sources of further information and advice
    2. Chapter 12: Automatic control of food chilling and freezing
      1. Abstract:
      2. 12.1 Introduction: key drivers and challenges for automatic control of food chilling and freezing
      3. 12.2 Automation in refrigerated food retail display
      4. 12.3 Automation of refrigeration and freezing operations in food catering
      5. 12.4 Automation in refrigerated food transport systems
      6. 12.5 Automation in food chilling and freezing systems
      7. 12.6 Automation in food cold storage systems
      8. 12.7 Advances in research and future trends
      9. 12.8 Sources of further information and advice
    3. Chapter 13: Robotics and automation in meat processing
      1. Abstract:
      2. 13.1 Introduction
      3. 13.2 Automation of carcass production processes before primary chilling
      4. 13.3 Automation of carcass separation processes after primary chilling
      5. 13.4 Future trends
      6. 13.5 Conclusion
      7. 13.6 Sources of further information and advice
    4. Chapter 14: Robotics and automation in the poultry industry: current technology and future trends
      1. Abstract:
      2. 14.1 Introduction
      3. 14.2 Robotics and automation in live hanging and first processing of poultry
      4. 14.3 Robotics and automation in second processing of poultry
      5. 14.4 Robotics and automation in bulk packing and shipping of poultry meat
      6. 14.5 Future trends
    5. Chapter 15: Robotics and automation in seafood processing
      1. Abstract:
      2. 15.1 Introduction
      3. 15.2 Technologies for robotics and automation in the seafood industry
      4. 15.3 Application of robotics and automation in fish slaughtering, filleting, portioning and associated unit operations
      5. 15.4 Automation in other unit operations in fish processing
      6. 15.5 Future trends
      7. 15.6 Sources of further information and advice
    6. Chapter 16: Robotics and automation in the fresh produce industry
      1. Abstract:
      2. 16.1 Introduction
      3. 16.2 Machine vision system as a key technology
      4. 16.3 Vegetable preprocessing and grading systems
      5. 16.4 Information flow for food traceability and farming guidance
      6. 16.5 Conclusion
    7. Chapter 17: Robotics and automation for packaging in the confectionery industry
      1. Abstract:
      2. 17.1 Introduction
      3. 17.2 The confectionery market and its business requirements
      4. 17.3 Reconfigurable mechanism technology
      5. 17.4 Case study of a reconfigurable system for carton folding
      6. 17.5 Future trends
      7. 17.6 Conclusion
      8. 17.7 Acknowledgements
    8. Chapter 18: Automatic control of batch thermal processing of canned foods
      1. Abstract:
      2. 18.1 Introduction1
      3. 18.2 On-line control strategies
      4. 18.3 Validation of computer-based control systems
      5. 18.4 Industrial automation of batch retorts
      6. 18.5 Advances in research and future trends
    9. Chapter 19: Automation for a sustainable food industry: computer aided analysis and control engineering methods
      1. Abstract:
      2. 19.1 Introduction
      3. 19.2 Definition of sustainability and links with the food industry
      4. 19.3 Automation and sustainability in food manufacturing
      5. 19.4 Tools for automated sustainable design and operation in food engineering
      6. 19.5 Advanced tools and methods for sustainable food engineering with potential applications
      7. 19.6 Software technologies for automated sustainable design
      8. 19.7 Conclusions and future trends
      9. 19.8 Sources of further information and advice
  9. Index

Product information

  • Title: Robotics and Automation in the Food Industry
  • Author(s): D Caldwell
  • Release date: December 2012
  • Publisher(s): Woodhead Publishing
  • ISBN: 9780857095763