Robotics and Automation in the food Industry

Delivery of raw materials, processing of food, packaging, palletizing and preparing for dispatch - KUKA Robotics can do it all in food and beverage manufacturing! With our holistic automation portfolio, you can master challenges in the food and beverage industry quickly, efficiently and with traceability.

Intelligent and flexible automation with robotic equipment, that can be utilised along the entire production chain.

From delivery to distribution - worldwide.

The process chain in the food industry usually starts with the delivery of equipment and raw materials. This is where KUKA, together with Swisslog, a KUKA Group company, and other partners come in to implement automated solutions, as well as equipment, for logistical processes, warehouses and distribution centres. Additionally, through the utilisation of robotics technology, KUKA can intelligently automate every other step in food and beverage processing. The advantages: higher productivity, low costs, efficiency and consistently high quality in the automation of food and beverage manufacturing processes.

Handling of primary and secondary foods
Fast, precise, hygienic
Our robotic solutions for you:
- KR DELTA HM (3 kg payload), KR AGILUS HM (six axis robot, 6-10 kg payload) - The robots in the Hygienic Machine design are made entirely of stainless steel, are easy to clean and disinfect, FDA certified components.
- KR AGILUS HO (6-axis robots, 6-10 kg payload) - The robots are built with food-grade lubricants in all axes, are easy to clean and disinfect, making them ideal for FMA (Food Manufacturing Automation).
- KUKA.PickControl –Conveyor tracking software with integrated image processing.
Customer Examples: Food handling and processing
Palletizing
Extremely strong, fast, flexible
Our robotic solution for you:
Pick and Place
Lightning fast, spotless, error-free
Our robotic solution for food processing:
- KR DELTA HM (3 kg payload), KR AGILUS HM (6-axis robots, 6-10 kg payload) - The robots in the Hygienic Machine design are completely made of stainless steel, are easy to clean and disinfect, FDA certified components.
- KR AGILUS HO (6-axis robots, 6-10 kg payload) - The robots are built with food grade lubricants in all axes, are easy to clean and disinfect and are therefore perfect for food processing automation.
- KR SCARA – Ultra-compact robots tailor-made for high volume manufacturing performance
- KMP 1500 (AGV) – Material transport for dynamic manufacturing environments.
- Standardized robots for all installation positions – KR CYBERTECH (8-22 kg payload), KR IONTEC (20-70 kg payload)
- KUKA.PickControl – The software ensures optimum material flow.
- KUKA.VisionTech – Software for 2D object recognition, quality control and code and OCR recognition.
- KUKA.ConveyorTech – The software automatically adapts the robot actions to the movement of the flow and conveyor belts.
- KUKA.PerceptionTech – Software technology optimised for Bin Picking Application automation.
Customer examples: pick & place automation
Distribution
Fast transport, faster to the end consumer
Our robotic solutions for you:
- Automated solutions from Swisslog
- KUKA Mobile Plattforms (AGVs)
- KR QUANTEC PA (120-240 kg payload) – Robots with food-grade lubricants in all axes, making them mong the fastest, strongest and most precise palletising equipment in the food industry
- KUKA.PalletTech –Software for simple and user-friendly configuration and execution of palletising tasks.
- KUKA.VisionTech – Software for 2D object recognition, quality control and code and OCR recognition.
- KUKA.ConveyorTech – The software adapts the robot actions to the movement of the flow and conveyor belts, thereby increasing productivity.
Customer examples: Logistic solutions

KUKA makes the difference: Everything from a single source

Fast and hygienic robotics, in-depth know-how in the food industry and global customer service

KUKA's portfolio includes numerous machines for modern food operations: for the highest hygiene requirements, cold-resistant variants and with food-grade lubricants in all payload classes. For more flexibility, we offer mobile platforms as well an ideal software for important process steps: such as handling, pick-and-place or palletizing tasks utilising robotics.

Robots & warehouse solutions
- Food-grade robotics
- Robots in many payloads
- Robots for deep freeze
- Logistic solutions and AGVs
- Warehouse solutions
Robotic for the food industry
Smart software
- Application specific software packages
- For every process step in your company
- Virtual commissioning
- Offline programming
Discover KUKA software
Global customer service
- High quality standards
- Global customer support
- System partner network
- Remote service
- Cloud solutions
Overview of KUKA service
References
- Handling for primary processing
- Handling for secondary applications
- Palletizing
- Pick and place
- Intralogistics solutions
View references

Whitepaper whets appetite for automation in the food industry.

KUKA already offers solutions for over 1,000 customers in the food industry and knows their needs and challenges. With high-quality ingredients - robots, software and service - KUKA now provides recipes with a guarantee of success for the entire process chain in this white paper. From delivery to distribution, for a wide range of industries. Eight practical examples provide an impressive insight.

Discover automation solutions that please everyone's tastes

Download White Paper

KUKA robots in the food industry stand for efficiency and speed

From secondary to primary applications - well equipped with KUKA.

Fast handling robots, also in hygienic design

KUKA DELTA HM

High-speed robot in the Hygienic Machine version suitable for handling and picking. Low maintenance, all stainless steel, US FDA certified.

KUKA AGILUS HM

6-axis articulated robot is available as a Hygienic Machine perfectly suited for direct contact with unwrapped food.

KUKA SCARA

6 kg payload, highest precision, shortest cycle times, high speed, low weight - and all this at an affordable price.

Palletizing & handling at a high level

Palletizers (40 - 1,300 kg payload)

Designed for perfect automation: fast, with working space up to 3,601 mm, lowest interference contour and maximum robustness.

Deep-freeze palletiser (up to -30 °C)

The QUANTEC PA palletizes quickly and precisely even at freezing temperatures. Thanks to the arctic design, it does not require a protective cover.

Articulated robots HO (Hygienic Oil)

IP65/IP67 protection class articulated robots, with food-grade lubricants in all axes, meet the high requirements in the secondary food processing.

Flexible packaging robots: Whether floor, ceiling or wall

KUKA CYBERTECH

The powerful, compact multifunctional robots impress with high integration density and minimal interference contours.

KUKA CYBERTECH nano

The process robots are perfectly adapted to handling small food products and packaging. Maximum variety meets minimum investment and energy costs.

KR IONTEC

Versatile robot combines compact design with the largest workspace in its class for optimal space utilization with low space requirement

Intaralogistics solutions and warehouse automation

Automatic warehouse systems

From classic high-bay warehouses to modern robot-based warehouse solutions - with Swisslog, logistics processes can be optimized effectively.,

Order picking and palletizing solutions from Swisslog

Customized storage solutions for fully automated small parts and mixed pallet picking.

KUKA robots are convincing in all industry sectors: Whether meat processing, baked goods or dairy products

Meat processing
- Rough cutting in the slaughterhouse
- Picking / packing meat cuts
- Sorting of salami sticks
- Palletizing of sausages in tins
Dairy products
- Cheese rind removal and cutting
- Handling mozarella blocks
- Cleaning cheese moulds
- Palletizing yoghurt pots
Baked goods & cereals
- Cutting bread and cakes
- Stacking baguettes in transport boxes
- Handling loaded baking trays
- Loading flour sacks in transport logistics

Fruit & Vegetables
- Sorting peppers by color
- Palletizing fruit and vegetables
- Cutting damaged parts out of potatoes
- Commissioning empty vegetable crates
Confectionery & Ice Cream
- Filling praline moulds
- Packing chocolate bars
- Sorting biscuits
- Palletizing ice cream in the cold store
Ready meals
- Spreading tomato sauce on pizza
- Packing sandwiches
- Stacking ready-made lasagne before further packaging
- Palletizing instant soups

Intelligent software for powerful performance

Simple operation and fast, intuitive programming

KUKA.PickControl

The software automatically adapts the robot to the movement of the conveyor belts. This allows the robot to process parts on a moving belt and also place them on others.

KUKA.ConveyerTech

The software with integrated image processing enables automated picking & packing of unsorted parts such as various fruits on several flow/conveyor belts.

KUKA.PalletTech

The palletizing software offers easy configuration and execution of palletizing tasks with different packing patterns and stations - suitable for large and small packages or beverage crates.

KUKA.VisionTech

Application software for 2D object recognition, quality control and code and OCR recognition. Perfect for rejecting defective food or damaged packaging.

KUKA.Sim

Simulation software: From offline programming to robot simulation and virtual commissioning. Fast, simple and perfect for every food operation.

KUKA.PerceptionTech

The software enables KUKA robots to pick up and position objects independently in conjunction with the KUKA _3D Perception Sensor.

KUKA.PLCmxAutomation

Control software that is ideal for operating robot-based production machines with external controls and minimal effort in terms of programming.

KUKA.HMI easy

Thanks to the visualisation software, simple and intuitive operation of several robots in the food and also in the beverage industry is made possible.

KUKA.AppTech

The modular software reduces the time required for commissioning your system. The robots can thus get to work faster and support your food operation.

KUKA supports with comprehensive expertise - whether with technical support or process development

Based on many years of experience, KUKA offers extensive support and access to all the resources you need, including virtual or face-to-face training, easily available spare parts and much more. Plus, thanks to our global network of System Partners, we're always close by - and ready to help around the clock. We work with you to customize every aspect of your automation solution to your application requirements.